Floor drains in basement laundry rooms and furnace rooms usually connect directly to plumbing systems or sump pits and feature large holes with cover grates covering them. Concrete floors tend to slope towards these drains.
These filters can become blocked with debris that leaks sewer gas back into the home; hence, Ontario plumbing codes mandate their installation in basement furnace rooms.
P-Trap
Household drains contain P-traps — water seals designed to block foul-smelling sewer gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and sulfur dioxide from venting back into the home and causing headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, memory issues, or sinus infections. To keep this seal working effectively, run the drain regularly. This will keep its contents wet enough. To maintain proper functioning, make sure there’s water in it regularly to maintain the efficient functioning of this vital device.
P-traps not only protect against sewer gas, but they also capture food scraps, hair, and other debris that clog drain pipes. When this occurs, simply plunging or running drain cleaner through it may clear away obstructions to proper flow; alternatively, a professional plumber should physically unclog and clean out both pipes to restore normal function.
Most older floor drains are connected to a larger pipe buried below the basement floor and placed strategically within laundry and furnace rooms where concrete slopes towards drain holes. Cast iron drains were once standard; nowadays, newer homes tend to use plastic PVC pipes instead.
When your floor drain clogs, it is most often due to a blocked or dry trap. As soon as possible, it should be cleared to prevent further complications and ensure it doesn’t vent sewer gases into your home.
If your P-trap appears dry, fill a bucket with water to rehydrate it before loosening and carefully pulling away from both ends of the trap. Be wary not to spill any of this precious liquid onto the floor! If one arm of the bend remains stuck in your drain opening, try loosening it with either hands or pliers before pulling it out; or, if its length exceeds your sink tailpiece length, use a pipe cutter to cut down its size for optimal fitting.
Once the old trap has been removed, use a plunger or chemical drain cleaner to clean both its drain opening and its underlying pipes thoroughly. If installing a new p-trap, measure and adjust for accurate fit of tailpiece length while tightening slip nuts by hand before tightening with pliers for tightening slip nuts on both ends of trap arm; loosen and remove washers on both ends before tightening them manually with pliers for use pliers pliers tighten slip nuts using slip nuts by hand before tightening using pliers; lastly connect the new bent end of trap arm to drain opening with screw in p-trap bend to ensure its perfect alignment with both wall pipe tailpiece and tailpiece length and screw in its respective bend screw into position p-trap bend p-trap bend ensure its correct alignment with wall pipe tailpiece and sink tailpiece length before installing its screw in its location and screw it securely into position using its screws so as not to alter its alignment with both wall pipe and sink tailpiece and sink tailpiece length measurements and alter as necessary until screw in to position after which align it’s screw in its position via screws then tightening its slip nuts with those loose washers loose washers loose washers and slip nuts and tightening slip nuts by hand then using pliers pliers before finally making sure all slip nuts tightness then finally connecting new bent end of this P-trap bend while tightening through its alignment p- trap bend p- trap bend p p- trap bend, making sure p p trap tailpiece/wall pipe length measurement before plugging it’s connected via drain opening before hookup onto drain opening wall pipe and wall pipe/tailpiece and finally tight p trap bend so it p in where necessary and tightening it all together before connecting bent end through drain opening then tightness at drain opening before tightness so it fits for sure it all secure connection after tight screw in place on its correct in position before screw in it’s aligns tightness with wall pipe/bracing in with new bent end which must line to wall pipe to drain opening as per usual and aligns perfectly when screw in place by screwing into it screw in your drain opening before connecting connected via drain opening with wall pipe + sink tailpiece/ sink tailpiece/tailpiece + drain pipe/tailpiece aligned! connect all. Finally, connect using your sink tailpiece/ tailpiece aligns when connecting the drain opening or otherwise leaving the drain opening pipe + tailpiece alignment! Finally, it was connected at the drain opening with pipe/tailpiece pipe + tailpiece/ tailpiece before the final bend! Screwing in. p p trap bend making sure pipe/ tailpiece etc… p trap arm connected at drain opening through screw in any final bend through to wall pipe + sink/ p p trap via wall pipe (if needed. screw in it is aligned screw in. p /t tailpiece/ tailpiece then screw into the bend. p p Bend!! screw. p bend. p bend then / sink tailpiece so p p bend.). Finally, connect connecting or drain opening, etc. and screw into the bend as per it before screwing in turnout….. v/SI. If any later, attached for proper alignment with wall pipe + sink tailpiece or sink tailpiece). Finally, connecting bend, making sure p.
Cleanout Plug
Old homes’ plumbing systems often present numerous issues, with floor drains that won’t drain one of the most straightforward problems to spot. A missing or clogged cleanout plug may be to blame.
Cleanout plugs (pictured here) are vertical pipes that connect a house sewer line to an underground sanitary sewer system. Commonly found at the front or side of the house – though sometimes hidden behind shrubbery) they’re typically constructed of PVC pipe and provide access to your sewer for repairs or inspection. An opening in these cleanout pipes is generally covered by two-piece caps, which include both an adapter seal that protects against environmental factors and an easily removable plug to allow cleaning or removal.
Ideal, there should be a cleanout plug at the intersection between the building drain and house sewer or septic system piping for easier pipe maintenance and to prevent sewer gases from seeping into your home. Without such an outlet plug in place, however, drain maintenance becomes impossible, and flushing out your system becomes an impossibility.
Locating a toilet drain plug may prove challenging since its presence may not always be evident. Its location depends on how the plumbing was installed; to gain access to it, you’ll require tools that can loosen and remove it (e.g., a screwdriver or plug wrench will suffice) while being careful not to damage threads during removal.
Once the plug has been loosened, use a drain auger to clear out your sewer line. However, if water still does not drain from when you remove the plug, then something may be amiss with your drain line downstream from the trap.
Whenever a drain line becomes clogged, there’s a bypass area in its trap, which allows for access to drain cleaning tools if it becomes necessary to unclog it. As shown here in the photo (left), this allows an auger or drain cleaning tool to pass without allowing sewer gas ingress, but if that bypass area becomes blocked by debris, you won’t be able to clean your drain or use your auger effectively.
Drain Line
Every drain pipe in your house connects with your home’s sewer line, which connects directly with the public sewer system. Your main sewer line is typically four inches in diameter and typically located beneath your property to protect from freezing, which could result in cracking or breaking – old houses often feature iron or clay drain lines, which are more vulnerable than PVC lines used by newer homes.
Not to be forgotten in your plumbing system are other pipes that carry water to toilets, showers, baths, and sinks besides your floor drain. Each fixture connects to its drain trap in order to block foul-smelling sewer gases from entering your house while also filling up with water in order to retain them and prevent odors or other problems from rising through drains.
Whenever the drain trap of a fixture becomes clogged, a plumber must disassemble and clear out the web. If you think the issue might lie within your main sewer line instead, call in an expert in sewer repair who can send a camera down your drains in order to locate the problem and identify whether it exists within its primary or secondary line(s).
Your home’s plumbing system can be an intricate web of pipes that can be difficult to navigate for anyone unfamiliar with it. Understanding each component will allow you to identify and fix any potential issues more effectively; furthermore, more knowledge will enable you to avoid making costly errors that pollute nearby waterways or beaches.
Sump Pit
A sump pit is a dug-out pit in your basement floor that collects water from loose soil or foundation drainage systems, acting as a reservoir that stores it until it rises above a certain level, at which point a float switch completes an electrical circuit and activates your pump. Most systems also include one-way check valves to prevent expelled water from returning into the pit once pumped out; many newer smart pumps even send alerts directly to your phone!
An effective sump system is critical to protecting your home from water damage, especially in regions with frequent heavy rainfall. Not only will it keep the basement dry, but it will also help ensure foundation integrity is not compromised due to external sources and decrease chances of water infiltration from outside sources.
A sump pit is typically located in the basement floor and covered by a grate, connected by a discharge pipe to both your basement floor drain and your home’s sewage system (if applicable). A sump pump then pushes water through this discharge hose away from your home.
DIY installation of a sump pit may be possible for those with enough experience, but to ensure all components fit and work efficiently, it is always recommended to hire professional plumbers for this task. They can provide the pump is the appropriate size, and that discharge piping carries water away from your house before flooding occurs again.
Cleaning the grate on a sump pit regularly is crucial, as dirt and other debris can clog it. Furthermore, ensure your discharge lines don’t freeze over in winter and are correctly discharging water away from their foundations. After heavy rainfall events, it may also be beneficial to get your sump system checked so as to accommodate additional volumes of water produced by its system.
