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Replace Bottle Trap in London

Replace Bottle Trap in London

A bottle trap is a part of the drainage system of the sink. Professionals in the plumbing domain use this term a lot of times to refer to the thin and straight waste pipes which do not present curves or have the “U” or “S” bend. A secondary pipe is commonly connected to the first one, halfway above it. 

Bottle traps block any debris, allowing the water to flow properly through the drainage pipe. A bathroom basin can easily block in the absence of a bottle trap. Also, the bottle trap is an important part of the basin’s plumbing which keeps the bathroom hygienic and clean. When the basin is utilized, the used water goes through the basin waste, into the drainage pipe and then into the sewer. A large quantity of other waste and dirt is gathered inside this sewer, which causes many harmful gases. The bottle trap stops these gases to come inside the bathroom, this way assisting to keep the hygiene inside the bathroom and at the same time maintaining us on the safe side.

Replacing bottle trap in London becomes necessary when the pipe is leaking, leading to unnecessary waste of water, or when its design becomes outdated and the proprietor wishes one which fits with the design of the bathroom. For this issue, our plumbers in London can help you upon request. 

Because bottle traps do not necessitate to be hidden from sight, property owners choose modern basins with stylishly designed bottle traps which are finished in chrome in order to blend aesthetically with the bathroom space.

You can rely on our plumbers in London for professional services if you need to replace a bottle trap or any other type of plumbing appliance in your home.

We invite you to watch the video below, which presents the procedure for replacing a bottle trap in London:

Types of traps in the plumbing system in London

The plumbing system of a London house or apartment is quite complex, and the bathroom and kitchen are two of the rooms which require special attention when it comes to the maintenance of the plumbing system.

There are various types of fittings located the end of various pipes which are called traps. Waste pipes, soil pipes and water pipes are fitted with traps which help with the sealing of various bad odors and waste moving up the pipes and into the house. Bottle traps are among these fittings and their role is crucial in a London home: to keep out bad smells and water from the kitchen and bathroom, as these are the places where one can find such a fitting.

The bottle trap is part of the drainage system in a home, which is why it can be quite difficult to detect by the homeowner. It is also a rather small piece of plastic, which will usually make it harder to differentiate it from other parts and fittings in the drainage system.

Our emergency plumber in London can help with the replacement of any type of trap, including waste, soil and bottle traps.

Types of bottle traps in your home in London

Now that we’ve seen that there are various types of traps which are built in the plumbing system of a house in London, owners should also know that there are several types of bottle traps found inside the home. The most common ones are:

  1. the floor trap is one of the most common and it is found in the bathroom; its role is that of collecting waste, such as hair and soap debris;
  2. the gully trap is a large bottle trap which is located outside a building and used for connecting the inside drainage system to the outside sewer line;
  3. P, Q and S traps are the most common bottle traps – they are made of plastic and are very cheap;
  4. the intercepting trap which is a large metal fitting which keeps foul gases from the public sewage system entering the sewage system of a building;
  5. the grease trap is also a bottle trap and, as its name says, it is used for keeping grease away from the sewage line.

There are also special types of bottle traps which can be installed on the hose of the washing machines or shallow traps or traps with connectors which can connect the shower to the drainage system. These bottle traps are usually installed for precaution and many homeowners in London have started having them installed by our plumbers.
Bottle traps located inside the house usually come in two sizes of 1¼” and 1½”.

If you need to have any of the bottle traps mentioned above replaced, our plumbers in London can help you.

How do I know the bottle trap is broken?

There are a few signs that the bottle trap under the bathroom basin is broken and needs to be replaced. First of all, you could feel the foul smell coming from the drain. This is one of the most common problems caused by a broken bottle trap. Then, you should check for leaks under the bathroom basin, which might be caused by the same broken bottle trap. However, when dealing with bathroom leaks, it is best to have the whole piping system verified in order to rule out other appliances which cause problems.

When the source of the leak is the bottle trap, you will usually find water dripping between the bottle trap and the pipe connected to the pipe in the wall, or the bottle trap and the drain hole of the sink.
If you are not sure if the bottle trap is the only one that needs to be replaced, call our plumbers in London and they will explain the steps to take.

Steps in replacing a bottle trap in your home in London

If you have found the clogged bottle trap yourself or with the help of a plumber, you should know that the best way to go about it is to replace it. Luckily, there aren’t many types of bottle traps, the only differences between them are the size and the finishes they come in. However, you only need to pay attention to the size as it needs to fit the entire piping system of the basin.

Here are the steps you need to complete in order to replace a bottle trap:

  •           you first need to verify if the bottle trap is the one causing the problem and verify its size;
  •           buy the right size of bottle trap (it usually comes as a bundle with all the other accessories needed);
  •           make sure you have all the necessary tools at hand in order to ensure a correct replacement;
  •           call a plumber near me if you need help or if the cause of the problem goes deeper into the plumbing system.

It is advisable to ask for professional plumbing services when detecting problems in your bathroom, as it is very important to properly resolve all the issues at once. Our local plumbers can offer various types of services, including assistance in emergency plumbing situations.

Purchasing a bottle trap

Once you are sure the bottle trap is the source of your problems, you need to buy a new bottle trap which, as mentioned earlier, comes in several sizes. You need to tell the salesperson the type of bottle trap you need in order to know what to purchase, as bottle traps can also be installed for washing machines and bathtubs or showers.

When you purchase a bottle trap, you should also make sure the package comes with all the other additional fixtures which need to be connected to the main pipe. In the package you should find, gaskets and other connecting pipes.

You can also consider replacing the sink strainer when replacing the bottle trap in order to make sure the new drain system is working properly.
Our plumbers in London can also advise on the type of bottle trap you should buy when you need to have it replaced.

Removing the bottle trap – a procedure presented by our plumber in London

The first thing that should be done when replacing your bottle trap in London is ensuring that the new bottle trap is the same size as your already existing one. 

After that, a drip pan or a bucket is placed under the existing bottle trap and the plug in the basin is popped. This way, the bucket will retain any water and the plug makes sure that if someone puts the tap on while the plumber is in the garage gathering your pipe wrench, the bathroom floor is not flooded. 

The actual replacement of the bottle trap in London is quite an easy procedure. The existing bottle trap should be unscrewed by hand and any contents will drain into the bucket. A pipe wrench can remove the existing bottle trap.

Placing a new bottle trap in London 

After the existing bottle trap is taken out, the plumber in London starts screwing in the new one. The new bottle trap under the basin is fitted by using a pipe wrench, after which the plumber tightens the trap connector to the drain pipe.

The following step for bottle trap replacement in London is to make sure that the bathroom cap is securely screwed in to prevent any leaks. The bathroom cap is tested by removing the plug and letting some water flow through the system to confirm there are no leaks prior to removing the bucket. This way, if there are any leaks, there will be no flooding of the floor.

Sealing the bottle trap

One of the most important steps when replacing a bottle trap in a London home is to seal it. As seen above, the main role of a bottle trap is to keep away water, foul smells, and insects, which is why our emergency plumber in London will make sure the bottle trap seals correctly upon replacement.

There are also resealing bottle traps which one can have installed in his/her home in London. These are a good alternative to silent bottle traps, and they have two important advantages: they are quite simple and require a non-mechanical action when water goes through them and they do not require a second ventilation system.

What tools do I need to replace a bottle trap?

Fortunately, the tools required for such a simple plumbing job are not many, if you will need any at all. However, you should pay attention to the parts you take off when disassembling the old bottle trap and make sure nothing is missing. A wrench could come at hand if the bottle trap is tightly screwed around the pipe.

Considering most of the times, bottle traps and the connecting pipes are made of plastic, it would be best to call an emergency plumber in London in order to minimize the damage when disassembling or tightening the new bottle trap and adjoining pipes.

The importance of bottle traps in a home in London

The plumbing norms in London do not provide for the obligation of having bottle traps installed, however, they are important fittings in the plumbing system because:

  • they will keep away foul smells, drained water, sewage debris, and even insects and vermin from moving up the drain;
  • London is known for having a problem with humidity and rain and bottle traps can be very useful in case of floods;
  • new bottle trap models are self-cleaning types which can be of great help when it comes to removing bad odors;
  • bottle traps will usually retain a small quantity of water which will seal them, so when broken, that water will no longer be retained;
  • water closets and urinals usually come with integrated traps, a case in which when dealing with such a problem, the help from a professional plumber is required.

Bottle traps are a very important component of the draining system of a home in London, which is why when dealing with a broken or stuck bottle trap it is important to have it fixed or replaced.

FAQ on bottle trap replacement in London

1. Are bottle traps expensive?
No, the bottle trap is a simple piece of plastic of chrome, and no matter the type you decide on, they come quite cheap.

2. Can I replace the bottle trap myself?
Yes, this is a simple DIY job, however, there are cases which require the attention of a plumber. For example, the damage caused by the broken bottle trap can be bigger and so the whole external piping system needs to be replaced.

3. Is there any difference between bottle traps used in the bathroom?
Yes, you will find that for different appliances in the bathroom are different. They can be of different sizes and they can have various uses. For example, you cannot use a sink bottle trap for the washing machine.

4. Is it mandatory to replace the sink drain together with the bottle trap?
If it is not damaged, you don’t need to replace it, however, you should let our local plumbers take a look at the whole drain system in order to see how extensive the problem is.

5. Can I choose the type of bottle trap I want when having it replaced?
You will need to consider a few aspects when replacing the bottle trap in your home in London. Among these, the size and material are the most important.

Need to replace a bottle trap in London? We are here to help. Please contact us for any plumbing services you may need in London. If you need assistance in replacing any piece of the draining system in your home in London it is best to ask for professional plumbing services.