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A sink trap is a J-shaped pipe beneath a sink, designed to trap noxious sewer gases before they enter the house. The most common trap is sometimes called a P-trap (because it’s shaped like a P that has fallen face down).
When water runs down a sink drain, it moves through the trap and exits out the drainpipe. But because the drainpipe exits at a higher level than the curved portion of the pipe, some water is captured and held in the trap’s curve. This water provides a seal, blocking sewer gases from rising up through the sink drain. Every time you use the sink, the water in the trap is replaced.
The trap is connected to the sink drain’s tailpiece and the drainpipe with threaded couplings. A large rubber washer beneath each coupling provides a watertight seal.
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