The Danger Of Improperly Fitting Or Missing Sewer Trap Plugs Or Caps

• Will allow sewer gases to escape into the premises from your sewer line.
• Allow for rodents, insects, but not alligators, to enter into a premises.
• Can allow raw sewerage to enter into a premise if a back up occurs.

Trap plugs or caps cost around $10.00 or less each, come in at least three varieties, and are readily available from any plumbing supply or local hardware store. They are easily installed on a house sewer using basic household tools or can be installed by your plumber. Whoever installs a new plug or cap it is a small price to pay for preventing damage, inconvenience, rodent or pest infestation, and an unhealthy condition from arising in your property from your sewer line. This is another case where performing minor plumbing maintenance is well worth the effort.

Why A Double Vent Trap Is So Important

A double vent trap allows for cleaning in two directions. A house sewer can be easily cleaned either out towards the public sewer, or towards the inside house drain. A single vent style unit is not legal for a sanitary NYC sewer, and makes it much harder to perform cleaning when required.

In addition water is held in the bottom of a house trap. This creates a water barrier preventing any harmful or unpleasant sewer gases from entering into your property. Sometimes when a sewer is unused for some time there will be a foul sewer smell in a property because the water in the bottom of the house trap dried up. Simply running some water inside the property will fill the bottom of the house trap back up again and solve the problem.

How To Open A House Trap Properly And Safely

Again what sounds so simple is not, and if done improperly has the potential to cause extensive damage to your property. Sometimes licensed professionals should be trusted for even what seems like a simple task.

• Whenever possible make sure the public sewer is not backed up prior to opening a house trap. If a public or NYC sewer is backed up and a house trap is opened is could be disastrous. The public or NYC sewer will then drain out of your house drain and fill your premises with raw sewerage. This can potentially cause extensive damage with severe health ramifications.
• Always open the "street side" plug first. That way if there is a trap stoppage the back up will flow over the opened plug and out to the street when the "house side" plug is opened. If the "house side" plug is opened first and there is a stoppage the back up will have no means to escape and will fill up your sewer of dump on your floor.

David Balkan is the VP of Balkan Sewer and Water Main Service.

Balkan Plumbing is the largest sub surface plumbing company in NYC. We are licensed, bonded, and insured. As a family run business in operation for over 50 years, our 10 year guarantee means we continue to stand by our work after the job is done. We are expertly equipped, from our 48,000 square foot facility to dozens of trucks, heavy moving equipment, backhoes and pneumatics. For all your sewer & water service, catch basins, hydrants, manholes, fire sprinkler services, water mains and trench drains contact Balkan Plumbing today.

Joseph L. Balkan Inc.
130-01 Jamaica Avenue Richmond Hill, NY 11418 | Phone: (718) 849-0900 | Espanol (718) 849-0900
Fax: (718) 849-9570 l info@balkanplumbing.com

http://www.balkanplumbing.com