- An unintended, but equally important benefit of SquirrelGard™ – the prevention of frozen plumbing vent pipes on the roof. A recent order of SquirrelGard™ was shipped to Janesville, Wisconsin to do just that, in addition to guarding the lead flashings from squirrel damage.
SquirrelGard™ frost-proofing a plumbing vent.
During serious cold spells in the northern climates, often plumbing vents on the roof can become frozen and filled with ice and snow preventing proper venting of plumbing fixtures. Build-up of snow and hoarfrost can cause a build-up of ice inside a vent stack. This can result in not only a sewer smell in your home, but a clogged vent will cause toilets to gurgle and drains to run slow. At times, even the toilets will not flush. In extreme cases, the vent stack pipe can actually become filled with ice – expand, and burst – the pipe then requiring repair or replacement.
SquirrelGard™ when installed properly will provide an air space to surround the lead flashings on a plumbing vent, as well as, a cap to prevent moisture from entering the vent pipe. SquirrelGard™ features a stainless steel screen at the top of the protective sleeve that prevents anything from entering the vent stack, yet providing for maximum expulsion of sewer gases. SquirrelGard™ can always be easily removed from a vent stack in the event a plumber needs to “snake” a clogged drain without damaging the roofing system.
SquirrelGard™ was designed for use only with premium lead pipe flashings.