Under the Stairs- I’m trapped or not! - A Cle Elum and Quincy Home Inspection Service

Under the Stairs- I’m trapped or not! - A Cle Elum and Quincy Home Inspection Service

One of my recent articles was about an issue under the stairs. So here is another from the deep recesses of the stair well collection.

On another recent inspection I could see the basement bathtub back in the corner under the lower stair landing. So again I am crawling back to there to do my usual evaluation under stairs and now I get to perform a plumbing inspection of the basement tub drain also.

Plumbing fixtures in basements can be more difficult because if they have not been properly planned for they usually will involve some cement cutting to put in proper drains, vents and traps.

Once in the back corner I find that someone had done some repair work and in doing so they removed the P-trap from the drain.

The basic function of a p-trap is to create a water plug to keep sewer gases from re-entering the home. In addition the trap needs to be designed so waste water is properly drained and fresh water is able to take its place. They also are engineered (we hope) to create a scouring action to help prevent clogging.

So now we do not have that essential plug to keep the sewer gasses out of the home which can create an unhealthy environment.

P-traps are used for tubs, washing machines, sinks and most other common household plumbing fixtures.

“The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance."

Benjamin Franklin

“Inspecting the World-One Home at a time”

NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Orville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service