Types of Trap

Every plumbing fitting that drains waste water into the waste drainage system will be fitted with a trap, or have one in its design. The trap is a vital part of the drainage system as it creates a seal of water that prevents drain smells from entering your home through the waste outlets of sanitary appliances such as sinks, basins and WCs. The trap is a U-shaped piece of pipe below a waste outlet.


Pulling the plug or flushing a toilet leaves a small amount of water in the trap, that forms a seal. Leyton Plumbers can fit traps and associated its pipework. Traps are normally made from plastic and come in a variety of designs to suit different applications and situations in a home or other buildings. P-trap is the most common because of its profile and is a horizontal outlet. Shallow forms of P-traps are made for underneath baths and shower trays, because they may have a 50mm water seal, whereas sinks and basins must have a 75mm water seal. The S-trap, has a vertical outlet. The bottle trap is a compact device for use where the trap is exposed, such as under a hand basin, but it is more susceptible to blockage than P or S-traps. A Leyton Plumber is trained in all plumbing work. Some traps fitted to baths provide a connection for an overflow pipe. There are traps with connectors or standpipes for washing machines. WC pans and Bidets have integral traps. Old U-bends as they used to be called were made from lead and incorporated a threaded access plug at the bottom, which could be removed to clear any blockages, modern plastic traps can be taken apart by unscrewing the cap nuts that hold them together. This not only allows the trap to be cleaned out completely, but also provides access to the waste pipe when a blockage occurs.
“