Selecting And Installing A Sink Siphon: Varieties Of Methods

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

• The device of various siphons
• Sink waste design
• Types of siphons
• Also siphons differ in the material from which they are made:
• The procedure for self-installation of a bottle siphon

The siphon is an integral part of plumbing fixtures such as washbasins and bathtubs. It ensures the flow of water into the sewer pipe, while preventing the penetration of sewer odors into the apartment. By force of habit, a modern person begins to be interested in the device of such devices only when the question of repair arises. A properly selected and installed drain will regularly perform its functions and serve for many years.

The device of various siphons

To prevent odors from entering the room from the sewer pipes, water seal devices, the so-called siphons, are used. The siphon device is divided into two types of design solutions: in the form of a bent like the letter S, a pipe and in the form of a bottle. They are called, respectively, bottle or glass, and two-turn or cranked. All other varieties are just design solutions for these two structures.

The advantage of the bottle siphon is that it is easy to clean. It is enough to unscrew the cover at the bottom of the siphon. Previously, steel or cast iron siphons were installed in apartments. The siphon device was supplemented in the upper part of the knee with a revision (hole with a cover), similar to that installed in the sewer pipes. Thanks to this revision, the clogging was cleaned.

For example, consider the device for a bathroom siphon. The bath siphon consists of two pipes: drain and overflow. In front of the water seal, they are connected into one pipe, and already through one pipe the water goes into the sewer. A high-quality, good siphon has pipes that should be easily adjustable in length and fit any drain hole, no matter how it is located. There are also siphons with automatic drain.

There are also special designs of the siphon for the shower cabin. Here is one such construct. A tube is inserted into the drain hole with a height slightly lower than the height of the pallet itself. At the top of the tube there is a water drain hole.

Thanks to this improvement, the tray, while taking a shower, is filled with warm water and, naturally, your feet are not cold while you are taking a shower.

There is also a special ladder mounted directly into the floor. A sewer pipe and a ladder are placed in the hollowed out groove, everything is covered with tiles on top.

As mentioned above, sink siphons are distinguished into elbow, bottle and corrugated siphons. The latter, to obtain the effect of a water seal, must be bent into a U-shape. This bend is fixed with plastic tape. The free end is movable and can bend in any direction. The disadvantages of such a siphon include the fact that the folds of the corrugated pipe, unfortunately, are quickly clogged with grease and dirt.

The second example is the familiar rigid, plastic construction that resembles a bottle in shape. There is such a siphon in almost every apartment. With him, you can be calm for the safety of the rings that have slipped off your hand when washing - they will not run away from you beyond the bottom of the siphon, unlike a corrugated siphon - nothing lingers in it. Therefore, as an alternative, you can buy a combined version - a bottle siphon with a corrugated pipe. The elbow siphon has practically no characteristic features: it is a curved pipe. All these sink siphons take up such a scarce space underneath in our already small bathrooms. To save space, you can purchase a siphon that fits in a special box. For this box, a small niche is made in the wall. As a result, only a small pipe will go to drain.

Sink waste design

The sink drain device itself looks like a curved tube, which includes a siphon and, in fact, the drain pipe itself. When the tap is turned on and the water in the sink is drained, it first enters the siphon, then passes through a curved pipe, and only then enters the general water drain. To protect the siphon from clogging, special metal protective nets were invented, which are installed in the sink and prevent the drain from getting small debris and hair.

Due to its bend, the siphon performs the main tasks: the water does not leave all at once, but lingers a little, forming a shutter, which does not allow unpleasant odors from the sewer to penetrate into the room.

The drain is usually equipped with a body, an outlet, collars, a cover plate, a rubber stopper, as well as nuts and fasteners. Experts recommend purchasing a drain with an overflow. In this design, a corrugated pipe is added, which connects to the siphon a little higher. Such a drain is less prone to clogging.

Types of siphons

Depending on which appliance the drain will be connected to, they can be divided into siphons for the sink, for the shower cabin and siphons for the bathroom. The first option, in turn, is divided into several more types, different in structure. The shower trap is installed at the bottom or in the floor. The bathroom drain is equipped with an overflow to avoid flooding.

Siphons for sinks differ in their design and can be:

Pipe. This type of drain is installed in bathroom sinks, as if installed in the kitchen, it will be subject to frequent clogging. Outwardly, this is a pipe, when bent, a water barrier is created. To clean such a siphon, its lower knee is removed. The main advantages of this type of drain are its compactness, aesthetic appearance, quick access for cleaning

The disadvantage of this type of siphon is the not very deep water seal, which in the future, when evaporating, can give off unpleasant odors. This can happen when the sink is not used for a long time: water accumulates, stagnates and perspiration forms. Also, the disadvantage can be considered a complicated installation, and the impossibility of using it in the kitchen. Therefore, such siphons have lost their popularity today, giving way to the next type of drain.

Corrugated. This drain is an improved type of pipe drain. A flexible corrugated plastic pipe is connected to the main structure. On the one hand, the drain is connected to the drain hole in the sink, and on the other, to the sewer pipe. The corrugation bends well enough and accepts any bends, which is beneficial for sinks installed outside the box. The slope of the pipe to create a water seal is formed manually. Such a siphon is distinguished by its low cost and ease of installation. Due to the absence of connections on the pipe, the risk of water leakage is reduced to zero. Due to its ability to stretch, this type of drain allows you to move the sink without disconnecting it from the water outlet. It is very convenient for renovation. The corrugated siphon is suitable for sinks with a small space for a drain

The disadvantages of a siphon with a corrugation can be called the difficulty that arises when cleaning from debris. Due to the presence of small folds, a large amount of grease and dirt will settle in the pipe. To clean the pipe, you will have to remove it completely, or use chemicals.

Bottled. They are the most popular among consumers today. In their shape, such siphons resemble a bottle, which is why they got their name. Such a device is installed directly under the sink and in the structure contains a flask, as well as a sump, where all waste flows. From the inside, the flask is equipped with a bendable tube; therefore, there is almost always water in the flask

If it becomes necessary to install several drains to one siphon, then a special adapter is installed for this. The main water drain enters this transition element, and an emergency drain is poured from the side, for example, connected to a washing machine.

The advantages of this type of siphon include ease of cleaning. To do this, you just need to unscrew the lower part of the flask and clean it. Another plus: if a small thing was accidentally dropped into the sink, it will not go straight into the sewer pipe, but will linger in the sump, and later it can be removed from there. The bottle siphon has the ability to connect other plumbing fixtures: dishwasher, washing machine, and some models are equipped with additional functions.

The disadvantage of the bottle drain is a more complicated installation than in the case of a corrugated siphon, as well as the real estate of the sink without replacing the device itself.

Dry siphons. Such sinks are a modern invention in the plumbing fixtures market. Dry draining is popular due to the impossibility of water accumulation, since it contains rubberized gaskets instead of a water seal. They act as a barrier and prevent the appearance of odors from the sewer. When the water is drained, the rubber bands open the hole, when the water turns off, the rubber bands close the water drainage passage again

This siphon design allows the device to be mounted in country houses, where the owners leave for a long time and the room is unheated. Due to the absence of a water seal, during frost the water will not freeze and will not lead to deformation of the drain pipe.

The advantage is also the absence of curved elements that take up some space, the dry siphon has a straight shape and will fit even under the smallest sink. Installation of such a drain can be both vertical and horizontal.

Also siphons differ in the material from which they are made:

• Metal appliances. Siphons made of metal are distinguished by their robustness, especially in brass and bronze models. Metal siphons are not afraid of mechanical damage, but over time they can corrode and oxidize. A good and high-quality metal drain must be chrome-plated from the inside: this will prevent the appearance of dirt and clogging on the pipes. The downside of metal siphons is the difficulty of shortening the pipe - this requires a special tool and some time.

• Plastic siphons. They are the most popular devices today. Plastic has a low cost and is also corrosion resistant. Due to the short service life of plastic products, such siphons are equipped with special rubber seals in the connecting nodes. This move adds additional tightness to the plastic siphon.

  

Modern manufacturers make plastic siphons coated with a special antibacterial substance from the inside, which prevents dirt from settling on the pipe.

Plastic products are lightweight, resistant to chemicals, simple in design and easy to install.

What to look for when choosing a siphon?

It is necessary to choose a sink siphon taking into account the following factors:

• Siphons are usually sold with sinks, but if the set is different, measure the diameter of the sink neck. The diameters at the sink and washbasin are usually different;
• Take care of the siphon capacity. Decide in advance whether other plumbing fixtures will be connected to the siphon. When connecting additional devices, the water flow must be increased. This is done by increasing the number of outlets into the sewer pipe;
• Determine how conveniently the sewer pipe is located. If it is too low, it will be necessary to raise it. In this case, it is better to purchase a corrugated siphon;
• Calculate how much free space there is under the sink, the dimensions of the future siphon will depend on this;
• When choosing a drain, carefully inspect it for chips, punctures and other types of defects. Also check the quality of the rubber seals - you may have to purchase more reliable parts;
• Perhaps the aesthetic side of the future siphon will be important, so get the siphon that will visually also fit the bathroom.

The procedure for self-installation of a bottle siphon

Due to the particular popularity of the bottle-type siphon, it is worth considering the scheme for its installation. Self-assembly and installation of the siphon does not imply any problems, so a beginner can cope with this task. Most often, the kit includes assembly instructions that must be followed.

In case of: leakage, damage, marriage, the use of silicone sealant is allowed

The main installation steps include:

The first step is to connect the siphon to the sink drain. To do this, attach the protective mesh for the sink from the outside, place a rubber gasket on the outlet pipe and press it firmly against the drain hole from the inside of the sink. Use a screwdriver to tighten the connecting screw into the branch pipe nut. Please note that the protective grid must be sunk into the sink bowl and not protrude from it. This will help prevent water from collecting in the sink.

The second stage involves the collection of the main part of the siphon. A plastic nut and a cone-shaped gasket are put on the end of the branch pipe, after which it is inserted into the flask and the nut is tightened. Next, the upper part of the flask is twisted, while it is connected using rubber gaskets.

At the last stage, the siphon is connected to the sewer pipe. This is done using a corrugated tube or rigid assembly. It is important that the inlet diameter of the sewer pipe matches the connected pipe, otherwise you will have to use a rubber cuff for tightness.

After the siphon is installed, check the build quality. To do this, turn on the water to full pressure and put paper under the sink so that drops are visible.

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