Plumbing Trap Basics

FAST FACTS
Sewage disposal systems produce nasty odors and
some can even be dangerous.
In order to protect man from those dangers, a barrier
is placed between the plumbing fixture and sewage
waste system.
This protection is given by the water caught in the
fixture trap after each discharge from a fixture.
Common Gases produced in a Sewage System are:

Methane
Hydrogen Sulfide
Nitrogen
Carbon Monoxide

FAST FACTS
A plumbing trap is a device that keeps a small
amount of liquid every time the fixtures is used.
Any plumbing fixture directly connected to the
sanitary drainage system must be equipped with a
water seal trap.
every single plumbing fixture used to evacuate waste
from a building should be equipped with its own
plumbing trap.
There are some plumbing fixtures that already have
integral traps built in to the fixture itself, such as a water
closet, bidet or urinal.

The amount of retained liquid is called a trap seal.

This trap seal prevents sewage system odors, gases and
vermin (Mice, Insects, etc.) from entering the living or
work space.

The most common of all plumbing traps is the p-trap

used on kitchen sinks, lavatories and laundry sinks.

Most Plumbing Codes place restrictions on how a ptrap is used and manufactured.
Some of those limitations, restrictions and
clarifications are:

Fixture traps must be self cleaning by nature. Meaning

that with each use wastes such as lint, hair must be able
to flush away unhindered.

 No trap can have moving parts to retain its seal.

No trap outlet can be larger than the fixture
drain to which it is connected.
So you cant put an 1-1/2 p-trap on a fixture with an
1-1/4 drain.

Each fixture trap must have a trap seal of at least

2 but no more than 4 in depth.
Traps should be placed within 600mm of the
fixture and should be accessible for cleaning
through a bottom opening that is closed by a
plug.

 Install a trap level in relation to its trap seal.

If the trap isnt level it can be susceptible to back
siphonage.

 Every fixture must be trapped separately except

for fixtures with integral traps i.e. water closets,
urinals and bidets.
No plumbing fixture can be double trapped.
This is best illustrated using a water closet as an
example. Put simply, waste cannot discharge through
the integral trap of a water closet then go through a
second trap.

 Most codes allow double bowl kitchen sinks,

triple compartment sinks and laundry sinks to be
furnished with one p-trap connected by a
continuous waste.
The compartments must be next to one another and
each compartment cannot be spaced more than 30
inches apart center to center of the drains.

 A maximum allowable vertical drop from the

fixture outlet to the water seal.
The vertical drop for sinks, lavatories, showers
and bathtubs is between 18 and 24 but not
more than 24.
The shorter the vertical distance the more
efficient the trap functions.
The further the liquid waste drops the greater the
velocity of the water; the greater the velocity of the
water rushing through the fixture drain the more
likely the drain will siphon the trap seal.

 When a water closet is flushed the velocity of

waste water completely removes the trap seal.

The trap seal would remain compromised if the trap

seal wasnt restored by the refill tube on a tank type
toilet.

Concealed traps used for bathtubs, showers etc.

cannot have integral cleanouts.

Deep Seal P-Traps

Deep seal traps have vertical depths of 4 or more and
are used in a limited number of applications. There are
some advantages to using deep seal traps. These
advantages are specific to their respective application.
ADVANTAGE : A deep trap has a deeper seal with more liquid,
therefore the seal doesnt evaporate as quickly.
APPLICATION : When a floor drain is installed in a remote
location, e.g., a large warehouse, and receives very little water
to reseal the trap a deep seal trap is recommended.

Deep Seal P-Traps

ADVANTAGE : The deep seal trap has a much greater capacity
for resealing. Since the trap is usually quite a bit larger than a
traditional trap, it can handle a much greater flow of water and
the trap is less likely to lose its seal because of the extra amount
of water.
APPLICATION : When a fixture or piece of equipment calls for an
indirect waste connection, like a commercial ice maker, salad bar
or in some cases a triple pot sink a deep seal trap is used.
ADVANTAGE : Because of its depth, it is less likely to lose its seal
because of back pressure or trap siphonage.
APPLICATION : There are instances where a fixture or trap
cannot be properly vented. In cases such as these a deep seal
trap would be ideal and all of the aforementioned advantage
would apply here.

Deep Seal P-Traps

Deep seal traps are not the norm for all applications:
The traps are deeper therefore larger and tougher to fit into
confined spaces.
Because of their increased depth and capacity they are more
resistant to flow from a standard fixture therefore they
impede drainage and make the fixture drain sluggishly.

Types of Prohibited Plumbing Traps:

Bell Traps
Running Traps
Crown Vented Traps
S Traps
Full S Traps
Drum Traps
were used when installing bathtubs and lavatories.
a circular metal canister with the inlet near the bottom of
the trap and the waste outlet is at the top with a removable
cover.
ideally, it is installed in a place with easy access to remove
the cover to clean.
were installed so people could find jewelry or valuables if
lost down the drain.

 Use of "S" Traps or other illegal and obsolete plumbing fixture

traps where a "P" trap is required. S-traps are often installed in
older buildings where there is no venting provided for that
plumbing fixture.
S-traps easily lose the water from the plumbing trap, especially
if the S-trapped fixture is near a toilet or other large plumbing
fixture.
When the larger fixture is draining, the sudden and large
volume of water rushing down the drain creates a vacuum in
the drain line that can siphon water out of the nearby
plumbing traps.
When a plumbing trap has lost its water seal, sewer gases pass
readily back into the building.

 Clogged or blocked plumbing traps can cause leakage, and

organic debris in plumbing traps may itself be a source of
odors which people mistake for sewer gas backups.
If drains are slow at only certain fixtures one of the first things
to check is for clogging of the individual fixture traps.
Some fixtures such as laundry sinks are required to have traps
which include a cleanout plug, making cleaning of the trap
easier.

Causes of Broken Plumbing Trap Seals

Trap Siphonage
Described as negative pressure within the fixture drain.
As the waste water goes by the other fixtures connected to
the stack, it can pull the water from their respective trap
seals.

Another scenario the could cause trap siphonage is a

fixture using an S-trap.
If the fixture is full and the waste water is released, the
water rushes through the trap and waste pipe carrying some
of the trap water with it; thus, not enough liquid is left to
form an adequate trap seal.

A similar scenario can occur if a fixture is installed on a

long run of piping that is unvented.
If the water vacates a fixture into the trap it could build up
enough velocity to drain the trap.

Back Pressure
caused when a large amount of waste flows into the
drainage system compressing the air in front of it.
if the fixture at the point of compression is not vented
properly it will blow out the trap and into the building.

Wind Effect
The pressure or suction caused by the strong winds can
cause the water to rise and fall within the trap.
If the fluctuations are big enough a small amount of trap seal
may spill into the waste system causing the trap to be
compromised.
the seal is more susceptible to both back pressure and trap
siphonage.

Evaporation
A common occurrence especially in instances where a
fixture or drain is only used sporadically.
the water in the trap evaporates when not used at least once
a week.
Laundry room floor drains, remote floor drains, fixtures and
all traps in a summer home are all more vulnerable and
evaporation will occur.

Capillary Action
doesnt happen often but is a constant issue with a
fixture losing its trap seal