What is Plumbing Trap?

Plumbing consists of pipes that bring water to the building and takes the sewage away. The sewer pipe is the pipe that carries the sewage to the disposal system. Sewer gas is formed in the natural breakdown of solids in wastewater due to the activity of bacteria. Sewer gas may not only have an offensive odour; it may include potentially explosive methane.

Common gases produced in the sewer system are methane, hydrogen sulfide, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide.

To avoid entry of gases, insects, bacteria, Cockroaches, mice inside the home or building traps are constructed at the end of soil or waste pipe.

A trap is a length of pipe with a curve that bottoms out with a p or s shape. The curve holds a pool of water that seals out gases rising from the sewer side of the pipe.

Nearly all sewer pipes and fixtures in the building will have a trap water seal. These seals are essential to stop the gases that form in sewer pipes from coming into the building. Therefore, all plumbing fixtures such as sinks, washbasins, bathtubs, toilets, etc., are equipped with plumbing traps.