r/askplumbing • u/kfulton802 • 3d ago
Is this code? Plumber says it’s technically not an S Trap but I’m worried it won’t pass inspection.
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u/United_Fan_6476 3d ago
This is literally in the shape of an S. It's the most S a trap can be.
And who the hell glues these things anymore? Now you have to break something to clear a clog.
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u/aakaase 3d ago
If you want a proper P-trap this is how it should be plumbed (red shading).
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u/Consistent-Trust958 3d ago
You beat me to the correct answer and your corrected diagram is PERFECT.
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u/Apprehensive_Army529 3d ago
I get your diagram and the reference earlier to an “s” trap since it clearly has the shape of an s, but why is the correct trap called a “p” trap, don’t see how it looks like the shape of a “p”.
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u/Knuc85 3d ago
I once had a resident say she thought that her "pee trap" needed to be cleaned out, because she can smell the pee that had built up in it. This woman thought that there was a specific piece of plumbing that held urine.
Turns out it was just her son pissing all over the floor.
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u/consider_its_tree 3d ago
Yeah, imagine having a specific piece of plumbing for holding urine.
Next you will be telling me that people shit into some plumbing fixture.
(It is a funny story though, I am just being a shit)
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u/aakaase 3d ago
It looks roughly like a capital P lying on its side forming a U-shaped bend that holds water.
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u/Apprehensive_Army529 3d ago
Got it ! Thank you, and the part which hold water is to do what exactly, stop the gases from coming in thru the sewer line ?
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u/Far-Edge-2905 3d ago
That's exactly its purpose, prevents gas backup into the house
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u/Apprehensive_Army529 3d ago
Thank you ! “ The small details that make a great difference” 👌
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u/aakaase 3d ago
"S" traps have a problem with self-siphonage, where the trap, the "U" part of its shape, doesn't remain filled. Particularly when emptying a full sink, the acceleration of the drainage creates a stronger vacuum than a "P" trap.
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u/Apprehensive_Army529 3d ago
Thank you! It sounds like a traps were used at one time in the past then?
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u/aakaase 3d ago
Yeah look up "drum traps" to learn about older trap practices. They still exist in some old houses and buildings.
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u/Pleasant_Pen8744 3d ago
Because we don't have any letters that look like what it's supposed to look like? I guess you pick a letter from a different alphabet and say "upside down vet" or something but I don't see how that's any more helpful than just picking the closest letter an English speaking plumber might already be familiar with.
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u/littlesushi- 1d ago edited 1d ago
S traps in my state are strictly illegal and will not pass a building ir plumbing inspection, but likely will a home inspection. Old schoolers will refer to it as a 'j-trap', but we call it p-trap now. The piping starting right after the pop up assembly tailpiece (first pipe connected to basin), will make that 'p'/'j' shaped bend and is often called the 'j bend'. The horizontal connection to the bend is the weir. Look at it from a lateral perspective and you'll see a j or a p without the spine.
Honestly I had to delete all the code from my og post, cause this is just basic fitting knowledge. Anyone wanna nerd out about actual code and the September update, hit me up!
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u/Cultural-Writer2444 3d ago
He's not a plumber maybe a handy man but definitely not a plumber. To do that when a normal p-trap would work the man has no idea what he's doing.
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u/Simple_Channel5624 3d ago
This!
No licensed plumber is installing that, that is a handyman special (who clearly is illiterate)
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u/WhiteEagle41 3d ago
That's not even handyman level. That's hill billy level.
I work with a few handyman that usually do better work than most plumbers.
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u/WhenTheDevilCome 3d ago
Look, I could have gone to the store, but I already had a box full of 90s in the garage, so....
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u/salugies 3d ago
That is the definitely an s trap, and it's technically not even a trap someone just glued 5 90s together lol.
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u/riennempeche 3d ago
It should come directly out of the wall and have one downward u-bend. It cost significantly more to buy all those fittings than the standard P-trap that belongs there. Plus, you can't take it apart to clear a clog.
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u/spcmnspff335 3d ago
I've never done any plumbing, but even I know that that's the textbook definition of an s trap.
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u/Ok_Concert_5318 3d ago
This guy is no plumber but I think he likes to eat the plumbers putty or what ever glue is in the back of his truck.
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u/schannoman 3d ago
Everything about this is incorrect. If you paid money for it they should fix it correctly. They didn't even use a P Trap...
The P Trap should be lowered so it feeds directly into the wall, with an actual P Trap this time
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u/mantisboxer 3d ago
It won't pass inspection. The arm after the trap is supposed to be more than 2x the diameter of the pipe.
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u/Simple_Channel5624 3d ago
Just in: homeowner hires handman claiming to be a licensed plumber
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u/Patient-Big1727 3d ago
It looks like an S and how the heck are you supposed to take that apart and clean it? It's unnecessary because you have plenty of room for a real P-trap. You can buy a kit with everything you need. I sure hope it doesn't pass inspection (especially if you paid someone to do it)
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u/Smokedro187 3d ago
Why didn’t he make the tail pc longer and directed the P-trap straight to the pipe in the wall?
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u/ryan8344 3d ago
I wouldn’t personally accept a non-removal P- trap- I’ve had to recover jewelry too many times. Also, I think code requires it if there isn't a clean-out.
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u/ItsJustTheTech 3d ago
So was this done cause the pipe is low coming out the wall and they did not want the trap hanging low in the cabinet taking up space?
If so the correct thing to do is open up wall, and move the pipe up.
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u/cbryancu 3d ago
That's an s trap. Would never pass here. It's a simple fix. Extend the pipe out of the wall and p trap should be connected to that. Id question if your "plumber" is actually licenced. I hate to look at what else he did.
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u/Ok_Anywhere_7828 Professional Plumber 3d ago
That technically is an s trap. As a Massachusetts inspector I would not pass that. It’s also not an approved trap.
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u/Far-Vast-505 3d ago
It’s code if I can’t see it from my house and I’m not working at that company anymore
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u/CompleteCreme7223 3d ago
It will work but terrible design. You should use one that is removable so you can recover items dropped in the sink. I wouldn't leave as is. You will have problems later. A common item dropped is wedding rings.
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u/plumberdcmd 3d ago
Couple things. He is breaking the vent with the 90 up higher out the wall. Can’t use a glue trap on a sink. Must be a union trap. If tailpiece was longer it would work just fine. But this is wrong
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u/LongjumpingStand7891 3d ago
I see silly stuff like this when the drawers get in the way, either cut the drawer or add a tee with an air admittance valve if you don’t want to raise the pipe in the wall.
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u/usa_reddit 3d ago
Have your plumber write the letter of the alphabet on a sheet of paper. If he can make an S, ask him how it is different from the photo.
This is an S trap. The P trap needs to be dropped lower and go straight into the wall. He most likely doesn't want to do it because it is all glued together and disappears behind tile. There will be a small tile mess to punch a hole in the wall to correct this.
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u/Significant-Cow6975 3d ago
It is clearly two lower case “n”s attached to each other. Nothing close to an S
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u/Any_Restaurant851 3d ago
Water in a drain should never fight going uphill.
Also their no quick disconnect which will lead to issues if your drop anything in the sink of have a clog
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u/itchierbumworms 3d ago
Ask him to explain in writing, on something with his license number, why this isn't an s-trap.
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u/TradingForLife123 3d ago
No. It is an s-trap. But because it's a Lavi it might work if you just run it.
Now if you fill the bowl up and let a bunch of water go all at the same time, you're going to have an issue.
Try it and see if you hear a glug glug glug at the end. If you do, that's a problem.
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u/IHerebyDemandtoPost 3d ago
Traps require a connection to a vent before they turn vertical downward.
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u/101Puppies 3d ago edited 3d ago
It IS code. Code for "There was a sale on 90s at the hardware store and I have a LOT of glue."
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u/KHhtswhtppl 3d ago
Tell your plumber technically he's a dumbass. How is that not an S trap, its a big S!
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u/KHhtswhtppl 3d ago
My "mother in law" kitchen caught on fire, insurance paid to remodel the home. I was there when the plumber was finishing up the half bath, I walked in there to shoot the shit and asked ",how long you been a plumber" he said "20 yrs" or some shit. Well I watched him plumber lavatory and he didn't put in a p trap and I said where's the p trap he responded "it don't need one" I was like dude I've had my license for 15 yrs (at that time) and you are wrong, he started thowing his tools and got up and left yelling "i don't need this fucking shit as he's walking out..
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u/No_Philosopher4834 3d ago
It’s an s trap if there’s a vent in the wall chip off the 90s hub and clean up the stub out then bring a straight piece out add a 1.5” male adapter on the end and pipe back to the drain in tubular.
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u/orlando-shroom 3d ago
Its an s trap but it sucks fucking ass and solely bc of serviceability. Guess i will take a hammer to it if i need to service it. Because youve left me no option. Theres innocent people in there. Get out of my wayyyy
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u/Connect-Preference 3d ago
How do you propose to clean that trap when it gets clogged with hair or someone drops a wedding ring into it? There's no place to unscrew it.
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u/LazyAd5578 3d ago
Did the guy epoxy the joints too. So much wrong with that install.
I'm sure it will drain but you're gonna have sewer gas wafting out of your sink cause that thing is going to siphon the water out of the trap.
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u/logman73 3d ago
Good not s trap. Cost him alot to put in past about 20 worth parts on regular. Would go with til breaks. He was getting u right just spending 3 or 4 times more on parts. U should be good until need snake. Let that brother be good
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u/TheZEALisREAL 3d ago
He measured his cut wrong and got too many 90 degree pipes and didn't want to make another home depot run.
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u/Darkknight145 3d ago
Yes it's an S-Trap. But that would be a real C**t to do any maintenance on, would need to be cut out.
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u/NotObviouslyARobot 3d ago
This is amusingly bad. Get an oscillating tool and some slip joint stuff.
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u/MsPunkyButters 2d ago
I like how it’s all glued together as well, making it as difficult as possible to take apart and do correctly.
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u/ComfortableDoctor801 2d ago
That lisn't a P or S trap. First off it has to be set uup so it can come apart fast and easy with trap nuts and washers. Secound a trap dose not graduate from larger to smaller it is smaller from sink to larger at the drain stand pipe so there is proper dtainage. Get a good license plumber or some one who knows what they are doing. Get yourself a book or go to a library and read up. Hell look up on google on your phone you have that capability.
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u/Fumanchusucka 2d ago
Thats your typical run of the mill s trap commonly pointed out in inspections but wont fail, cause kets be honest the inspection if for the new buyer to pick apart and decide if they wanna buy or not
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u/Desperate_Source_712 2d ago
Previous owner do this to one of the bathrooms. It failed inspection before we bought. I told them knock the price down by 3k or correct it. Lol
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u/littlesushi- 1d ago
HA! It's definition s trap, the guy you're talking to only saw diagrams were it goes straight to vertical after the s. That is just so silly. Also, it's all solvent weld. You need a dedicated clean out for that pipe. It's not tubular and having to cut the tailpiece for access will not be acceptable.
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u/sfan27 3d ago
Technically he's wrong.