What are these vents for?

**Terry Beck** · 05-10-2007, 07:14 AM

Inspected a 1999 house, 1-story over a finished walk-out basement (on a moderate slope), no significant elevation behind the house. Found three PVC pipes sticking up out of the ground at an angle, all close together on the downhill side of the house. These would appear to be pointing down below the basement slab; no ideal how deep they go. The soil in this area is generally stable. Radon is high in about 20% of the homes in the region, but this would obviously not be a standard radon mitigation method (and why 3 pipes?). Anyone want to venture a guess?

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**Terry Beck** · 05-10-2007, 07:17 AM

oops, sent the message before attaching photo. See pic

**Bruce Breedlove** · 05-10-2007, 01:15 PM

I think you can rule out a radon mitigation system (unless it was installed in violation of several protocols).

**Scott Patterson** · 05-10-2007, 01:47 PM

Subsurface drain system gone awry?

**Jerry Peck** · 05-10-2007, 03:37 PM

Rain catchers?

Jon Randolph · 05-10-2007, 07:35 PM

Umbrella / Drink holders???

**Rick Hurst** · 05-10-2007, 07:44 PM

SWAG

Possible exhaust vents for a meth lab in the basement.

**wayne soper** · 05-10-2007, 07:48 PM

Those are Mexican Mortars. I've seen them before. Just outside GB's ranch. HAHA.
Do you think they would actually vent the footing drains? What else would these pipes lead to?

**Thom Walker** · 05-10-2007, 11:15 PM

Dog urinals?

Bob Stark · 05-11-2007, 03:54 AM

Exhaust pipes for a crash-landed UFO ?

Richard Rushing · 05-11-2007, 06:30 AM

I think some bubba is trying to create enough replacement air for the basement so they can sleep, or even stay, in the same roof they installed a gas appliance.

I do believe the 'dog urinal' was closer to being accurate...

Rich

Matthew Bartels · 05-11-2007, 07:38 AM

Maybe a french drain for a patio area?

**Thom Walker** · 05-14-2007, 05:07 AM

Terry,

I sent the picture to an architect friend. George Clower with BHP here in CC TX. He sent me the attached, along with a final sentence of "I have no idea what the vent caps are for."
Maybe the guys pumping the grout didn't have too much confidence and thought they'd leave the pipes above ground and uncapped in case they needed to come back.

I thing George is wrong. I'm staying with dog urinals.

**Thom Walker** · 05-14-2007, 05:40 AM

Attachment was too large for first message.

**Jack Feldmann** · 05-21-2007, 04:09 AM

Terry,
Did the house have a septic system? Those could be vents for an aerobic septic system, though it would be pretty odd being that close to the house.

Did anyone ask the seller?
JF