There’s a lot more to your bathroom or kitchen’s plumbing than meets the eye. That network of pipes all helps to keep your home hygienic and in good working order. An integral part of that system is the P-trap.
What is a P-trap?
P-traps – also referred to as sink traps – are manufactured from steel or PVC and are designed to prevent debris such as food from clogging up your plumbing system. More than that, a P-trap prevents gases from the sewerage system from infiltrating your home.
If you’re wondering where to find your P-trap, simply look at the pipework under the bathroom or kitchen sink. Can you see a U-bend? You’ve just found your sink’s P-trap!
What does a P-trap do?
We’ve already mentioned that a P-trap is essential for helping to keep water draining away from your sink. But how does it work?
P-traps are clever yet simple inventions. The name comes from the two ninety-degree joints which make up a sink-trap. While it might look like a U-bend, when it joins onto the overflow pipe sitting horizontally beneath your sink, it creates a P-shape.
The first joint allows water and debris to be drained from the sink, while the next is attached to a joint with a water seal. It’s this water seal that pushes the water out rather than allowing it to flow back up toward the sink. This seal also helps stop sewage gases, which can have a smell of rotten eggs and can become poisonous or flammable, from coming up into the sink and making your home smell pretty awful while also presenting potential dangers.
But that’s not all. Inside your plumbing lines are traps which help to create a water barrier. At the bottom of the trap is a cleanout trap. If your sink trap becomes blocked with a build-up of food, hair or other material, remove the clog through this part of the plumbing. It’s thanks to the P-trap that heavy items washed down a plug hole in error, such as rings or necklaces, often get trapped making them retrievable by local plumbers in many instances.
Professional Plumbers Swansea, IL
If your water is draining away slowly or you have noticed a bad smell coming from your sink, you might need help clearing your P-trap. Whatever your plumbing needs, Morrison Plumbing provides the qualified professional plumbers you expect!
