- This topic has 9 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 23 years, 6 months ago by
SylvanLMP.
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Anonymous
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hi, i live in a 50 year old cape cod with a poured basement slab and 1 floor
drain. i am a little tired of adding water to this drain to maintain the
seal. in addition to being dangerous, sewer gas is of particular concern to
us because one member of are family lives with a severly comprised immune
system. would you share your expertise and educuate us on trap primers, pro,s
con,s any better ways etc! with respect paul k.”OK Paul there are several ways to go
1- Have a legitimate plumbing contractor install a DEEP SEAL trap which will prolong the time of evaporation BUT If this deep seal (water level makes the seal) is left too long this standing water will become stagnant and every few weeks your back to replenishing this seal
2- Check with local codes and again using a licensed Master plumber ask him/her about an automatic priming device with an AIR GAP (air space between the supply line and drain inlet to prevent cross contamination) Several companies make these automatic fillers like Watts and Mc Donald Miller.
I use these in my commerical and hospital plumbing jobs.
I would like to know why you have the need for a floor drain connected to the sanitary system instead of a sump pump where your discharge piping is not subject to evaporation and wont over flow as readily as a blocked up main sewer?
Why not contact your local Master plumber and have him/ her contact me also we can discuss your best optons for the money.
Including Drain plugs you remove manually during the times you need to have the drain working.
Hey there is always options Legally
Good Luck E MAIL me if you need to
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MR Sylvan, thank you for the reply. it was imformative and very consise. the offer to e-mail is very kind and i may take you up on it. before i go on, i hear you loud and clear about liscensed/master plumbers. WE understand this and have had the pleasure of more than one proffessional in our home. in addittion all of our work has been inspected. the last gentleman who worked for us was/is a commercial mechanical contractor who got caught in the serious hi-rise const downturn in 93/94 and agreed to do our res work to hold him over. the man repiped our entire house in copper for a very fair price. he was a artist with pipe and the more i watched, the more i realized the benifits of a real pro. i neglected to have him address the basement trap because it was in the dry season and i simply forgot. we live in the wash dc area. notorious for its former swamplands and a very high! water table for a good portion of the year. the basement floods at times during the rain season. it comes through the walls and cracks in the slab. we have no problems with our sanitary line itself. we have had it proffessionally cleaned
. until i can address this issue, i really need this drain. i want to go with a trap primer system, i have seen commercial bowls that are tapped for a copper line, is this what you speak of. with respect, paul k. -
Your welcome Paul,
Here is one other option that can save you a bundle and the hassle of tearing up a floor.
Just go
get some low tox antifreeze and give it about a quart. If you are
REALLY enviro conscience, then go to plumbing supply house that carries
Utility Brand no-tox solutions for freeze protection of potable water
systems.As glycol is now considered TOXIC –
why not dump about a 1/2 cup of cooking oil in the drain –
oil floats and will isolate the water (at least on the house side) from
the dry house air.Wow and the options keep flowing
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ALERT: Never use cooking oil to stop trap evaporation. It will draw ants
and other bugs. We use Mineral Oil, sold in any good food store. In a
pinch a drug store would have intestinal oil. In fact when a layer of oil is
in the trap, the trap can still be used for trickle drainage, as oil is
lighter than water the oil film remains for quite a while. A deluge, type of
drain use, will necessitate more oil. -
, i have seen commercial bowls that are tapped for a copper line, is this what you speak of. with respect, paul k.
Yes BUT I use “K” copper under ground Or red Brass pipe 1″ diameter.
Just make sure the water connnection is indirect No phyical connection for potable and drainage
[Edited by SylvanLMP on 02 April 2001] -
MR SYLVAN, i am still with you, i need a little time tossemble some thoughts ,provided of course that you have time for me. with respect for you and your trade. pk.
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Hi Paul I found a real Professional We plumbers ask about plumbing topics and the best part is is he is from DC also.
Contact [email protected]
In the subject title tell him Sylvan sent you.
If he doesnt know IT aint made
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PS ask Him about his opinion of
About using the PPP (Precision Plumbing Products, Portland Ore.) PR 500
single trap type of primer. They also come in multiple trap models.Hey We are trying to get you the BEST advice possible
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good morning MR Sylvan, thanks, i got it. i will mail ken. should i tell him hello four you? Listen ,thank you for the advice and direction. this is what i really needed. i wanted to know about the different options so i could make an imformed descision. i once saw a bowl at a university of maryland project i worked on that had a captured phenolic ball to i guess serve as a top seal. my point, apparently, there are many different options out there. my only next real problem will be trying to get Dennis the commercial guy back here to the house. right nowround here the commercial guys are swamped and working like dogs. this is a good thing of course! there are others around but i have never met a mechanic like this man. he was outstanding. to bad you dont live closer. hey i,m gone now, many thanks and just so you know, it is i that is comprised. pk.
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Have a great one Paul and please E mail me and let me know how it went
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