Plumbing Tips For Replacing Sink Traps

The curved traps beneath kitchen sinks and lavatories are vital but vulnerable. Some of the water that flows off through the sink or lavatory drain remains in the trap as a seal to keep odors and gases from backing into the house from drain and sewer lines. But traps are often made with comparatively thin walls because they are not subjected to the high water pressure of supply lines. In time, they corrode and leak, and must be replaced.

The traps we will talk about, called P traps, are the ones commonly found in most homes. They may be made of brass, galvanized iron, steel or (where plumbing codes permit) plastic. The best--and most expensive--are chrome plated for looks and relatively heavy for long wear. Choose the heaviest traps you can afford; they are a better buy, particularly on fixtures that get substantial use. Choose a matching material and weight for the pipes that accompany a trap: the tailpiece that connects the trap to the sink or lavatory drain, and the drainpipe that connects the trap to a drain outlet.

The trap you choose may be either a swivel or fixed type. A swivel trap can be turned in any direction on a drainpipe by adjusting a separate slip nut--a useful feature when you want to replace a tailpiece without first removing the trap, or when you must make a connection between a drainpipe and sink that are not in perfect alignment.

Fixed traps, which screw directly onto the drainpipe, are less adaptable. You can, however, replace a tailpiece on a fixed pipe without removing the trap by using a professional plumber's tactic. Plumbers "roll the trap"--that is, they free the tailpiece and drop it neatly into the trap; then loosen the trap and roll it to one side to get at the tailpiece. The procedure may seem tricky, but it is surprisingly easy to follow, and it makes a tailpiece replacement as simple as on a fixed trap as on a swivel.

Replacing drainpipes, on the other hand, remains a tougher job; no matter what type of trap you have, you must remove it completely to get at the drainpipe.

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