Hello I am working on putting a bathroom in my basement. I have already run the supply lines for the toilet, sink and shower. My question is I am now working on the drains and there is a knock out in the floor with a 1 and 1/2 in line in the floor below what should be the shower/tub. I don't see a p trap but would it be usual for the p trap to be already below the grade in the concrete. I am not sure I will have enough room for a p trap below the shower so I am hoping it is already there. Is there a quick way to check? I can't get my head in there to look down the pipe with a light.

Also we are putting in a pedestal sink and would like to use a chrome p trap. The only chrome ones I could find were 1 and 1/4. I have the connector to go from the metal chrome to 1 and 1/2 PVC in the wall but what is the typical size of drains. Will they fit into the trap and just screw in?

Thanks

I can post pix if needed.

1. Sure: remove the cap and pour 1/2 gallon of water inside the drain. Take flash light and look inside: water should be standing inside the pipe. That indicates there is a trap. If there is no water, and all water drained, there is no trap and you will have to break the slab and put one in.

Depending on the original plumber, you may have trap already installed. We always put one in. Costs few pennies and saves hundreds later on.

2. Home Depot sells 1 1/2" chrome P-traps for your sink installation. ( about $20.00) . 1 1 /4 " traps are not as common but are used. 1 1/4" is the minimum requirement for traps. However, we always install 1 1/2" tubular drains (traps).

Post photos anyway. It is better way to see your situation in photos than to guess.

Provided that the pipe in the floor was designed originally for the sole purpose of a tub, shower or floor drain, then your local building codes would have required that the trap be installed. Since you state that you can't get your head in there to see, simply take a straight object, stick, etc and put it in the drain. If you have 2-3" of water standing in it, then it's trapped. Pedestal sink - Both pipe sizes are standard, both will fit.

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. I don't see a p trap but would it be usual for the p trap to be already below the grade in the concrete.

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If you don't see a raiser sticking up then you don't have a "P" trap down there.

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Also we are putting in a pedestal sink and would like to use a chrome p trap. The only chrome ones I could find were 1 and 1/4. I have the connector to go from the metal chrome to 1 and 1/2 PVC in the wall but what is the typical size of drains. Will they fit into the trap and just screw in?

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May I suggest a 1 1/2 chrome bottle trap,(see image) for your pedestal lavatory. Seeing as how they're more visible they'll dress up your job more then a "P" trap will. To connect the 1 1/2" trap to the nb1 1/4" tail piece from the lav use a 1 1/2 X 1/1/4"" Nylon compression gasket. Good luck and thanks for rating my reply. Tom

I like the bottle trap, I didn't know they existied and it should look cleaner with a pedistal sink. I will look for a 1 1/2 instead of a 1 1/4 like I have now.

I will check for a P trap tonight I hope it is there.

Thanks

Rip,
Click on: PlumbingSupply.com - bathroom sink drain parts - European style bottle traps - in a variety of designer finishes or simply Google bottle traps for a selection Good luck, Tom

Since poster is not telling us his location, I must ad that these traps, as pictured in your post #4, are illegal in my area of operation...

I am in Canada, and I have found out most places don't carry them. I have been trying to find out if I have a P trap under the floor with no luck. The water drains fine and I have put a small stick of wood down and it does not come back wet but I do hit what feels like a 90 degree bend or T because I can't go any farther. I have also pushed a coat hanger down to see if it will flex around but no luck. I have posted some pix. I think there would be one there since I don't see the room between where the drain will go and the pipe to put one in but I don't want to rely on that.

See attached pix. The cut out is where the drain for the shower will go.

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Originally Posted by Milo Dolezal

Since poster is not telling us his location, I must ad that these traps, as pictured in your post #4, are illegal in my area of operation...

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Milo, Everything seems to be illegal in your area. When are you guys going to join the rest of us? Cheers, Tom

I ended up using a kind of S trap that I figured out I could fit in the hole. It was tight but I got it in there. I could not confirm the P trap so better to be safe than sorry.

Glad you're all fixed up! If you ever decide to swap out for a bottle trap I can give you links to where they may be purchased. Good luck, Tom