Proper venting is a key factor in the smooth running of waste systems. The passage of fluids and waste can create pressure and depression that if not managed correctly can cause odours and gases to be emitted into the home, as well as noise and gurgling in pipes, even to the point of affecting the system’s operation.
For this reason, it is essential to provide for a proper venting system during the design phase.
There are different approaches to creating a venting system, which we deal with extensively in our Technical Manual on waste systems.
What is AirVal and why it is a solution
AirVal is an aerator with a membrane that allows the inlet of air from the outside to maintain the constant pressure of the system, but without allowing it to exit: this enables the system to be correctly ventilated even when it is not possible to create a vent stack.
In some cases, AirVal is the only way to efficiently solve a ventilation problem that has no other solution, for example:
- When a system needs to be installed, but due to a habitable terrace or nearby windows, a vent stack can’t be brought up to the roof;
- When the system has to be installed where there are frequent snowfalls: the snow cover can block the vent stack and impact operation of the system;
- When positioning the vent stack outside the building is inconvenient for design purposes, because it would involve creating a very long pipe even if only a part of the system has to be ventilated;
- During renovations, when the waste system does not have a vent stack and there is little space to create one, or simply when a new bathroom is to be built in a different position with respect to that in the original design.
In these cases, installing AirVal with a simple fitting to connect it to the system is an immediate solution.
The installation of AirVal solves ventilation problems definitively in more than 90 per cent of cases.
In addition, the aerator makes it possible to ventilate horizontal branches of over 4 m; this prevents the risk of trap water being emptied, gurgling and noise of the system, and the emission of foul odours from the stack. And thanks to the limited size of AirVal, installation is possible in tight spaces: the aerator can be positioned in a niche, in a false ceiling or under the sink.
A precious resource for the installer and designer
Although since 2001 the standard UNI EN 12056-2 gives precise guidelines on the design of waste water drainage systems, often only very important and complex projects require the intervention of a specialised technician; and if we go further back, we often see buildings without installation of a ventilation system that fit the real needs of the waste system.
What’s more, the renovation of an older building often involves the installation of a higher number of sanitary fixtures than included in the original design, with obvious impacts on the total capacity of the system.
If ventilation problems are not avoided during the design phase, it is often the case that the plumber is called in to deal with the problems owing to foul odours and trap malfunctioning.
For these reasons, AirVal is an indispensable resource for all professionals involved in designing and maintaining the waste system: it represents the definitive solution to ventilation problems in over 90% of cases!
AirVal is a result of 20 years’ experience
AirVal is the evolution of the Ventilo system, whose operation it replicates. Compared to its predecessor, however, AirVal improves performance both in terms of air flow and ease of installation. In fact, AirVal is currently available in three versions (one more than Ventilo) depending on the pipe diameter on which the device is installed.
Models available include AirVal 32-63 with a maximum flow rate of 8 l/s; AirVal 70-100 with a flow rate that gets up to 34.6 l/s; and AirVal 110. This last model stands out not only for its flow rate of 39.8 l/s, but also for its innovation: because AirVal is installed most frequently on a 110 diameter, the introduction of a special model allows a reduction in costs, by eliminating from the kit the sleeve, that in the corresponding Ventilo model guaranteed compatibility with pipes of a smaller diameter.