Thai Plumbers And U-bends

[RDN]

Anyone know why Thai plumbers never put a U-bend in the kitchen sink waste pipe or in the shower/bath waste pipe? And why do they connect them straight into the sewer? Anyone live in a house or apartment that DOES have U-bends. I've lived in four places in Phuket and all of them stank when the wind was in the wrong direction. I've looked for U-bends in hardware stores but they're as common as rocking-horse sh*t.

[stroll]

No U-bends, but many underground L-bends for no reason, get clogged up regularly, the stuff nightmares are made of.

Try 4 L-bends and a T with a srcew lid, bit messy, but helps to retrieve lost objects, too (Mrs. doesn't like sieves, since they slow down the outflow and need cleaning). I tried the 'flexible' approach with a hose before, but it's impossible to clean the thing out.

[chingy_]

i have to install the u-bend myself, all the sink, tub, but i think the toilet have it built in on the back of it.

[lopburi3]

Sink to wall U-bends are available at any hardware or bath supply store and are normally used for bathrooms sinks (going back 30 years). Shower drain traps are less common but available at hardware and bath supply stores but look like a common drain cover with small enclosed area below so if you don't know you may miss them. For kitchen sinks you can use a pre formed U bend or just buy the plastic flex hose that can be bent into U shape to either wall or floor drain pipes. They make designed kits or you can use a washing machine drain hose sold everywhere.

Most plumbers take the cheap road but these items are easily available most anywhere (at least in cities).

[ProThaiExpat]

Kitchen sink with garbage disposer has the u-bend but when I turn on the water at the sink, I often get un unpleasant smell.

Could it be the water as it comes from the project government water supply or is it comming from the stainless steel very large water tank that accumulates my water prior to it being pumped into the house.

With only two of us, could the water tank be too large for us and the accumulated water not used frequently enough that it gets dank, stank, or whatever that word is?

[KevinN]

I had sink and all drain traps put in when we built the new house, and the contractor didnt even know what we were talking about or how to put em in or know anything about vent pipes, and they are available at some stores and the shower drain has a floor fitting that has a plastic cup in it that keeps the water level up and an air space to stop return sewer gas from coming in,and the way toilets are constructed has the trap right in the toilet,but you will still need vents so they don't syphon them selves dry

Might add a couple of cups of water after the sinks or shower drains and that will fill any low places and stop sewer gas from returning,

[lopburi3]

Kitchen sink with garbage disposer has the u-bend but when I turn on the water at the sink, I often get un unpleasant smell.

I would suspect the garbage disposer not getting clean enough. Try running it longer and see if smell is less. Not many people have these and don't believe they are recommended for septic tank systems most homes have here.

Have never had any problem from water tanks (have two 1,250 tied together) so doubt that is your problem. Open the top and take a smell? It is a good idea to drain every so often if you have a bunch of mud on the bottom.

[maerim]

As to smell eminating from the kitchen some of the stinks that come out of ours are terrible but it usually tastes O.K.

You can get all this stuff from home pro and to make you look as though you know what you are talking about L-bends are known as 90 degree elbows and to be sexy, the bit that fits inside is called a male and the bit or fitting they go inside of are known as a female.

[stroll]

Could it be the water as it comes from the project government water supply or is it comming from the stainless steel very large water tank that accumulates my water prior to it being pumped into the house.

It may sound obvious, no offence, but the water tanks need checking and cleaning regularly. All sorts of rubbish may accumulate in there, including dead animals (no, not buffalos).

[eric1000]

they just dont understand the philosphy of U bends ?

their noses are used to smelling durian so they cant differentiate between a durian and a stinky latrine ,so what the ###### eh ?

i suspect that a U bend would get blocked with sludge and they would then just smash it out and install a straight run ...

i have heard of snakes coming up the straight runs on rural latrines ...

[KevinN]

The sink water traps are more than a 180 degree EL,,the water comes in straight down and then goes thru a 180 and then into a 90 and goes out the wall or into the drain pipe and has a clean out cap screwed to the bottom of the 180. They are regular sink traps just the same as sold in the states,,but you must have a vent pipe on the level with the water discharge from the trap or it will syphon it's self dry and the stink will come in anyway without water in the 180 part.

The Thai make one that is a sort of a "T" laying on its side and put in the line under the sink,The water comes down and then out of the "T" at the center, and inside is a tube thay goes almost to the bottom ,and the lower part of the T is always full of water and a cap on the end to clean it.

[ProThaiExpat]

Thanks lopbuiri 3 and others. My large tank smells fine, suspect my Thai doesn't truly understand disposer so will "service" it daily with a clear run.

In our development only toilets go into the septic tank, all other "gray" water goes into a sewer line in the street, including kitchen sink water. Developer said "no problem" with ground up sink refuse in the communal drain system!

I was personally shocked to see one of the showers draining into the open drainage cement ditch that borders my property on two sides that carries off the ground water caused by rains. This drainage ditch system, which I have covered with cement covers, like the street ones, likewise empties into the street drainage system. TIT

[Up2U]

The 'T', as you call it, sounds like a bottle trap, that is often used nowadays in place of a U-bend. (All over the world). Be careful with all these devices that you filter what goes down the kitchen sink. Do not let rice be washed into your drainage system.

I have been on an estate where all manner of nationalities were living, with an almost horizontal drainage system. the rice would not wash away, slowly built up untilthe system was half clogged. Then everything else jammed up and the whole neighbourhood - 400 blocks of eight flats each, became a bog. (Literally, if you're British ) (For colonials - bog=dunny=toilet=carsey=outhouse)

[lopburi3]

I have been on an estate where all manner of nationalities were living, with an almost horizontal drainage system. the rice would not wash away, slowly built up untilthe system was half clogged.

It is normal to have convect labor clean the drain sumps and pipes at least once a year to remove the buildup. Mooban chief should arrange that. For home most people make an off book deal with government septic tank cleaners to include the house drains. Cost is not much if you use official folks.

Developer said "no problem" with ground up sink refuse in the communal drain system!

Should make for a healthy rat population.