Trap
- Thread starter Cookie
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Gary Swart
In the Trades
Evaporation. The length of time will depend somewhat on the temperature and humidity. A trap does not have to be totally empty to lose its seal, so I try to pour a quart or two of water in my floor drains whenever I think of it. That sure isn't a very scientific answer, but I guess so long as I don't smell any sewer, I can't be too far off. My other drains are used often enough to keep the traps filled.
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Gary Swart
In the Trades
Cookie, any drain that is infrequently used will dry out. The RV antifreeze might be a good idea, never thought of that.
Gary Swart
In the Trades
The water in a trap creates a barrier that blocks sewer gas and vermin from entering the house. All drains must have one. Toilets have their traps built in as part of the fixture, but it has one. A side benefit of a trap is because the pieces can be swiveled before they are tightened or glued and that allows use to connect the fixture to the drain much easier.
Gary Swart
In the Trades
If your floor drain is like mine, there is a round ball about the size of a tennis ball that will float up and seal the drain so that if the main sewer backs up it will not get into the basement. The trap is below that.
Cookie, yours is rusted steel round with holes in it, Yes?
Just pour a 5 gal bucket of water down the drain. The extra water will flush out the line.
If the holes look like they are rusting closed get something and poke them open.
Just pour a 5 gal bucket of water down the drain. The extra water will flush out the line.
If the holes look like they are rusting closed get something and poke them open.
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
If the water goes down, it is not plugged. If it was down enough so that it could let sewer gasses escape, it could smell pretty nasty. Once you get it filled up so the trap does its job, unless there is an accumulation of crud on the pipe above the trap, it should not smell. Maybe some bleach to kill off anything there might help.
Yeah,
But where's the picture?
We don't know what to say without the pictue.
You know guys are pretty visual.
So..........What were we talking about?
But where's the picture?
We don't know what to say without the pictue.
You know guys are pretty visual.
So..........What were we talking about?
Oh Yeah.......................
The trap in the basement.
I'm sure we're both thinking, nice.
The trap in the basement.
I'm sure we're both thinking, nice.
Prashster
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Antifreeze
I also heard that a little olive oil in the trap can slow evaporation of the water. It rises to the top of the trap. Since it does not evaporate as fast as water, it effectively forms a seal to prevent the water from evaporating.
Be careful with antifreeze or oil, though. While they slow the evaporation, they also are more viscous than water, and can over time, sludge up and clog your drains. So, I'd NEVER use these except when I'm going on a long vacation, or on infrequently used fixtures. If yr doing it more than 1ce a month, it's too much.
I also heard that a little olive oil in the trap can slow evaporation of the water. It rises to the top of the trap. Since it does not evaporate as fast as water, it effectively forms a seal to prevent the water from evaporating.
Be careful with antifreeze or oil, though. While they slow the evaporation, they also are more viscous than water, and can over time, sludge up and clog your drains. So, I'd NEVER use these except when I'm going on a long vacation, or on infrequently used fixtures. If yr doing it more than 1ce a month, it's too much.
Jadnashua
Retired Defense Industry Engineer xxx
The oil will eventually turn rancid...not a good idea. Don't use automotive antifreeze, it is toxic and nasty stuff. Go to an RV place and buy some designed for winterproofing drains.
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