ANDERSON, INDIANA - Austin Watson has spent nearly seven years with Summers Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling, serving homeowners across Anderson and Muncie, Indiana. His work ranges from new builds and full-home repipes to shower installations and gas line projects. Over time, Watson has developed a reputation for tackling tough residential plumbing challenges head-on and finding practical solutions that last.
One homeowner recently called him for a recurring problem: their kitchen drain line was failing. "They called me out a few times in just two months," Watson says. "The drain would back up almost immediately after using water. I'd clear it with a machine, and it would work for a short time, but then the issue would return."
After the second callback, Watson decided to run a camera through the line. That's when he found the root cause of the recurring backups. "The bottom quarter of the cast iron pipe was completely gone," he explains. "I could see the soil underneath the house through the pipe. At that point, there was no patching it; it needed to be replaced completely."
The repair was far from simple. The kitchen line ran through the middle of the homeowner's living room, which meant Watson and a helper had to break through the concrete slab. "It was a lot of hard work," he says. "We busted up the floor, hauled the debris out bucket by bucket, and then mixed and poured new concrete by hand to patch it when the job was done." The project took about a day and a half to complete.
Once the damaged section was removed and replaced, Watson ran a new PVC pipe and brought the line up into the kitchen cabinet beneath the sink. To provide proper venting, he installed an Oatey® Sure-Vent® Air Admittance Valve (AAV).
What is an Air Admittance Valve (AAV)?
Air Admittance Valves are designed to open and close in response to changes in pressure, allowing air into the DWV system to keep drains flowing smoothly, while preventing sewer gases from escaping into the home. By eliminating the need for a conventional vent stack, they provide a straightforward solution for remodels, island sinks, or locations where running vent pipes through walls or the roof is impractical.
Key Features of Oatey® Sure-Vent® Air Admittance Valves
- Available with PVC or ABS adapters.
- Fit pipe sizes from two to three inches.
- Available in four sizes ranging from 8 Stack/24 Branch DFU to 160 Stack/500 Branch DFU.
- Manufactured with precision to meet ASSE Standards 1050 and 1051.
- All sizes are IAPMO-listed for assured quality.
In this case, Sure-Vent allowed Watson to complete the repair without requiring invasive structural work on the project. "Installing the valve in the cabinet gave the new line proper venting, and the homeowner didn't have to pay for a vent to be run through the roof," he explains.
To ensure strong, permanent joints, Watson used Oatey® Purple Primer, Oatey® Clear Primer, and Oatey® Medium Body PVC Cement. "I've been using Oatey primer and cements since I started in the trade," he says. "They've got the right consistency, and I know my connections will hold."
For the homeowner, the project delivered more than just a new pipe; it gave them a reliable system and relief from a problem that had been disrupting their daily routine. "It was a tough job," Watson says, "but the system is solid now, and the homeowner has peace of mind knowing the issue is fixed for good."