Have you ever noticed that U-shaped length of pipe below your Dove Canyon home’s bathroom or kitchen sink? Does it ever seem to you like it doesn’t make sense to have that in there? It seems counterintuitive to have the water run any direction other than straight down.
Well, that little bend is the drain trap, and it keeps nasty odors and gases from wafting their way up through the plumbing and into your home. The U shape of the trap precludes the normal upward drift of the gases, so they don’t make it up through your drain.
After a while, these traps can become corroded, choked with debris or entirely clogged to such a degree that it needs to be replaced. When this happens, it is important to take care of this right away.
As with any plumbing project, the first step is to turn off the main water supply. Don’t worry about the inconvenience; the whole process will take less than an hour.
Next, remove all the pieces of the existing drain trap. Use a pipe wrench and/or slip-joint pliers to remove the nuts and pull the trap free. Attach a tailpiece washer to your new tailpiece, and then attach the tailpiece to the sink strainer. You may need to cut the tailpiece to length with a hacksaw.
With a slip nut and washer, affix the trap arm to the drain stub. Again, you may need to cut the trap arm to length.
Finally, attach the trap bend to the trap arm, making sure the beveled face of the washer faces the trap bend. Tighten all the nuts and turn the water back on. Run a little water down the drain and check for leaks before using it. You may need to tighten some joints or apply Teflon tape in some places.
Once everything is all sealed up, you’re good to go! Your new drain trap is in place and ready to use.