Old P-Trap

[sepefrio]

Just wondering about this, um, P-trap. One thing that may be of importance, in this house, in the medicine cabinet was a bottle of caster oil that expired in 1948. This house has been vacant a Looooooooong time.

Image Insert:

165.98 KB

[charlieb]

Drum trap. Ooooooooooooooooooold troublesome product.

[ghentjr]

Originally posted by charlieb

Drum trap. Ooooooooooooooooooold troublesome product.

Yes, but it is over a radiator which will keep the grease flowing. (At least in the winter)

[charlieb]

Originally posted by ghentjr

Originally posted by charlieb

Drum trap. Ooooooooooooooooooold troublesome product.

Yes, but it is over a radiator which will keep the grease flowing. (At least in the winter)

Well howdy. I should have noticed that but I've never seen one up close and personal.

So is this a basement?

[sepefrio]

That is under the kitchen sink. Every P-trap in the house was this way. In fact I don't think anything in the house was newer than 30 years old (the water heater is 33)

[charlieb]

A radiator under a kitchen sink?

[SonOfSwamp]

Originally posted by sepefrio

Just wondering about this, um, P-trap. One thing that may be of importance, in this house, in the medicine cabinet was a bottle of caster oil that expired in 1948. This house has been vacant a Looooooooong time.

Image Insert:

165.98 KB

FWIW:

1. I never told a customer to replace an old drum trap, as long as the old drum trap was still working.

2. It's "castor" oil. A caster is a wheel.

WJid="blue">

[Les]

Walter, now you have really spilled the beans!!

[Erby]

Older Lead Trap.

150 year old house in Frankfort, KY near the state capitol building.

Image Insert:

58.94 KB

Under the concrete laundry tubs like my mama used to use with a washboard.

Image Insert:

56.12 KB

-

[fqp25]

I see a few Lead Drum Traps around here, but just for tubs. I don't recall seeing a drum trap for sinks. I have only been inspecting for a little over 2 years, but I've always recommended replacing drum traps, even if there is good flow for the drain.

This lead drum is installed upside down, no signs of leakage, satisfactory drain flow, but I made a recommendation to change to a p-trap.

Image Insert:

142.54 KB

Kind of sidetracking here; but I also see a lot of lead closet bends around here.

Frank

[hausdok]

Hi,

I responded to this yesterday but I guess I forgot to click the 'submit reply' button.

I'm not sure what I'd call it but I wouldn't call that a drum trap. I saw those on hundreds, maybe thousands, of sinks when I was stationed in Europe and never had a problem with any that were on my own sinks.

If It was working, I wouldn't call it unless someone could show me where it's prohibited.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Bill Kibbel]

That's a form of a drum trap.

Drum traps are an excellent design and work very well. If pristine, you can't make 'em siphon. That's why they were preferred by premium plumbers at one time for kitchen sinks (vent stacks for kitchen sinks were rare until the second half of the last century). They're still used for certain commercial and industrial applications.

The problem with drum traps is they don't scour well and once there's enough gunk, it performs worse than an unvented s-trap. The other problem is some plumbers installed them with the threaded cap exposed to the "sewer gas" side.

Mike, from my experience, I think what you were seeing in Europe is a "bottle trap".

[SonOfSwamp]

Originally posted by fqp25

I see a few Lead Drum Traps around here, but just for tubs. I don't recall seeing a drum trap for sinks. I have only been inspecting for a little over 2 years, but I've always recommended replacing drum traps, even if there is good flow for the drain.

This lead drum is installed upside down, no signs of leakage, satisfactory drain flow, but I made a recommendation to change to a p-trap.

Image Insert:

142.54 KB

Kind of sidetracking here; but I also see a lot of lead closet bends around here.

Frank

For what it's worth, here's my thought: Don't be so eager to tell folks to replace things. Unless the skill level of tradesfolk in your area is well above average, the replacement is likely to cause more trouble than leaving the thing alone. Screwups can be expensive. Clem Labine called it "the mushroom effect." Example: You try to change out one trap, next thing you know you're tearing out all the plumbing...

This applies not only to old traps, but to roof flashing, bricklaying, and a whole lot of other things...

WJid="blue">

[Neal Lewis]

Originally posted by fqp25

I see a few Lead Drum Traps around here, but just for tubs. I don't recall seeing a drum trap for sinks. I have only been inspecting for a little over 2 years, but I've always recommended replacing drum traps, even if there is good flow for the drain.

This lead drum is installed upside down, no signs of leakage, satisfactory drain flow, but I made a recommendation to change to a p-trap.

Image Insert:

142.54 KB

Kind of sidetracking here; but I also see a lot of lead closet bends around here.

Frank

Interesting that the foundation looks like newer concrete block, while the plumbing is pretty darn old.

[Tim H]

Originally posted by Neal Lewis

Originally posted by fqp25

I see a few Lead Drum Traps around here, but just for tubs. I don't recall seeing a drum trap for sinks. I have only been inspecting for a little over 2 years, but I've always recommended replacing drum traps, even if there is good flow for the drain.

This lead drum is installed upside down, no signs of leakage, satisfactory drain flow, but I made a recommendation to change to a p-trap.

Image Insert:

142.54 KB

Kind of sidetracking here; but I also see a lot of lead closet bends around here.

Frank

Interesting that the foundation looks like newer concrete block, while the plumbing is pretty darn old.

I have seen a few old post and pier buildings that have had a CMU "skirt" retroactively installed at the perimeter. That may be what we are seeing here.

Tim

[fqp25]

That is a repaired section of block foundation. However, The house was constructed late 40's/early 50's (Post WWII). I found that a little odd, because houses built around that time usually have Galv/Cast for drains. At least around.

Frank

[fqp25]

Originally posted by SonOfSwamp

For what it's worth, here's my thought: Don't be so eager to tell folks to replace things...

WJid="blue">

Point well taken. I will take that into consideration.

Frank

[StevenT]

Originally posted by SonOfSwamp

Originally posted by sepefrio

Just wondering about this, um, P-trap. One thing that may be of importance, in this house, in the medicine cabinet was a bottle of caster oil that expired in 1948. This house has been vacant a Looooooooong time.

Image Insert:

165.98 KB

FWIW:

1. I never told a customer to replace an old drum trap, as long as the old drum trap was still working.

2. It's "castor" oil. A caster is a wheel.

WJid="blue">

Maybe it was "caster" oil. The guy didn't want his wheels to squeek.