It is easy to find many older properties that still have a building trap in place. This device is attached to the main drain of a households sewer drain, it serves to stop sewage gases and water back flow from entering the home. If your home or property was built before the 1950s, you most likely have a building trap (unless you’ve already had it replaced). This type of trap is also referred to as a sewer trap, sanitary trap, or a running trap.
Since every plumbing fixture is fitted with a trap, these old building traps are obsolete. In recent years, they’ve been prohibited in all plumbing codes and you will not find them installed on any modern property. All they serve to provide home and properties owners these days is with headaches due to the problems that they cause:
Blocked Drains
One of the most common problems that eventually occur with these traps is blockages. The truth is that this will eventually happen with every single trap of this variety (unless it is one of the very few that was built with a cleanout). Modern day plumbing equipment cannot access the downstream drainpipe or trap properly since this type of trap is essentially two 90-degree elbows.
Building Trap Removal
Several different forms of building traps exist, both interior and exterior. The process of removing it will vary, depending on where the trap is located.
Exterior building traps will typically need excavating near the foundation, while replacing an interior trap will require us to take up the basement flooring. After we’ve removed the trap we’ll install a two-way cleanout, enabling access to the entire drain—both upstream and downstream. In addition, some areas will benefit from the installation of a backwater valve, which will provide similar protection from sewer back in a more modern way.
Trust Professional Plumbers
Local Plumbing’s technicians have been removing and replacing these traps for quite a number of years. If you have a building trap you’d like us to remove and replace simply contact us at (416) 695-5604.