Repair a P-Trap - PEP BB plumbing.sand.tiny.ptrap

I had a slow drain in the kitchen sinks.  I wasn't sure just where the problem was, either the P-trap or a clog further up the line.  Bracing myself I went into that scary place under the sink where icky stuff lives.  To get access to the pipes to snake them out I had to go into an access port after the P-trap.  While I was under there into it all I decided to both snake the line and remove the P-trap.  I've snaked plenty of lines but never took apart a P-trap.  Seeing the video posted for this BB I realized it shouldn't be a hard task so I decided to do it as well to see if the clog was in there.  I'll post images from that process here, however, it turns out the P-trap was fine, no clogging at all.  So the real issue was a clog further down the line which I am submitting for the BB on zipping a drain line.  Thus, I leave it up to you certifiers where or not to count this submission since there really wasn't a problem with my P-trap to fix.  In the end what I essentially did was go through the motions of fixing it, though I didn't know that was what I was going to do when starting.  Whether I'm granted the BB or not doesn't matter too much to me right now.  What I gained in the process was the knowledge of how to do this, and more to the point, the experience of doing it to realize it's no big deal!  I won't fear doing it again if need be.

Here is my submission for the Plumbing - Sand for Straw Points - Tiny List - Repair a P-Trap BB.

This is the kitchen sink drain pipe in an older manufactured home and the angles of the pipes tend to stress a P-Trap.  Two years ago we replaced the P-Trap (hard pvc unit) with a silicone P-Trap but recently it slipped off the vertical drain pipe and started leaking again.  This time I found a new option on a recent shopping trip - a flexible replacement P-Trap (think the bendy part of a flexible drink straw).

To document the completion of the BB, I have provided the following video including
   - a before shot of the broken (ineffective) p-trap
   - an in-progress shot of you repairing the p-trap
       - one end of silicone p-trap loose showing offset
       - one end of new p-trap affixed and fitting the other end
   - an after picture of the newly repaired p-trap (with water running)
   - a brief description of the problem and how it was fixed (above)

This isn't a p-trap per se, it's a drum trap, but it performs the same function as one in a smaller vertical space. Hopefully it counts--drum traps were developed before p-traps and have largely been replaced by them except in locations like this, where there isn't enough space for one.

While deep-cleaning the bathroom, I used the tub to wash out some items, and noticed it was draining VERY slowly. I've never used the tub the entire time I've flatted here, and my flatmate who did use the tub (and has now moved out) never said anything about it. After removing the drum trap, I could see why it wasn't draining--lots of hairs were clogging it up--short ones, so must have been from the tenants a couple years back! Gross.

Cleaned it all up and the tub now drains perfectly even with the water running at full pace.

I might be bending the rules a little here and maybe it should be an oddball badge instead.

I’ve just bought a house that has been vacant for three years. It’s also old and neglected, so in need of a lot of work. Under the kitchen sink is an S-trap which according to the surveyor should be a P-Trap with an AAV (Air Admittance Valve) . The code has been updated since it was installed. I was expecting to rectify this when I remodelled the whole kitchen. Alas, as I’m discovering, three years haven’t been kind. On our first morning, water started pouring out of the cupboard under the sink. The metal coupling nut connecting the flanged tail piece to the drain spud was broken. (I bought a copy of ‘Home Repair and Improvement’ the day before which is very useful especially when it comes to name of things. As a Brit in the US, knowing that polyfilla is called spackle here saves a lot of time.) I wrongly assumed I could simply replace the coupling nut but no. The tail piece has a flange on both ends. I’d need a new flanged tail piece. During the removal process, I discovered that the who gubbins (uk) / doohicky (us) was held together with calcite and grime. And neither Lowes or Home Depot (B&Q in the UK) had flanged tail piece. So I decided to go ahead and replace the whole lot with 1 1/2 inch PVC with a compliant P-trap and a AAV - a code requirement in NY. There’s also a requirement that it’s raised four inches - mine is attached to a T section with a six inch off cut. It might all be PVC but on the plus side, when I remodel the kitchen I will be able to easily dismantle and reuse the pieces.

So if this isn’t technically a P-Trap repair, I’m happy to move to Odd Ball.



Broken coupling nut


After installing AAV


Finished

My brother, for the second time in a month, has poured grease down the drain and stoped it up. I had to take the pipe loop apart again and clean the grease out. I didn't get all the grease pictured, when I turned my back the dog 'helped' clean up.

I'm sorry i forgot that last picture.

Here is my submission for Repair a P-Trap - PEP BB plumbing.sand.tiny.ptrap

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are:
- repair a p-trap

To document completion of this Badge Bit, I am providing:
  - a before picture of the broken p-trap
  - an in progress shot of me repairing the p-trap
  - an after picture of the newly repaired p-trap
  - a brief description of the problem and how it was fixed

A friends p-trap was leaking and upon unscrewing the pieces, a cracked gasket was discovered. A vigorous scrubbing to the surrounding pipe inners + replacing the gasket was sufficient to restore working order.

Problem
The water was not draining in the bathroom sink.

Resolution Steps
1. I first snaked the drain to see if there were any clogs with a zip tool. The zip tool did not pull in any hair or sediment.
2. Since this did not resolve the issue I disassembled the pea trap and found alot of sediment and gunk buildup.
3. I cleaned the pea trap with a toothbrush and vinegar.
4. After reassembling and tightening the pea trap water flowed and was no longer stuck in the drain.

The sink was backed up, and when all the topside methods I know did not work, I started searching below for the clog.  I moved from the sink drain and worked my way toward the wall union by union until I got to the p-trap.  The p-trap was clogged with grease, so I cleaned out the grease.  I put it all back together and it drains properly once again with no leaks underneath the sink.  Not bad for a carpenter!

Wife thought our p-trap was filled with grease…it wasn’t but perhaps I can get some permies credit for this honey do

We don't have P-Traps in the house but a kind of bottle trap. Hope it counts.

Ours was leaking because the exit pipe was sloping slightly upwards.

So, I bought a straight coupling; cut the drain pipe; shortened the upper piece; reconnected them together with PVC glue – all to set the exit a bit lower to create a slight downward slope.

Cleaned out the P trap in our utility sink. The gunk I pulled out of there had a foul smell like I’ve never smelled before. Yuck. They went back together and didn’t leak.