The P-trap connected to your bathroom sink is designed to prevent clogs from happening further down your home's main drain line. Most often, you can remove clogs with a plunger or cleaning the P-trap. However, you may need to install a new PVC P-trap because of damage to the existing P-trap or a sludge build-up that can't be removed.
Instructions
1. Set a bucket underneath the P- trap to catch water inside the trap. Use a bucket small enough that will not effect you working on the pipes but large enough to capture about 2 cups of residual water.
2. Disconnect the upper connection of the P-trap where it connects to the sink drain. Use channel-lock pliers to turn the attaching slip nut counter-clockwise to release the P-trap from the sink drain.
3. Remove the other end of the P-trap from the main drain line protruding from the wall. Using the channel lock pliers, turn the slip nut counter-clockwise to disconnect the P-trap from the drain line. Empty any water that remains in the P-trap into the bucket.
4. Purchase a replacement P-trap from your local hardware store that matches the exact diameter and design you have. This will prevent you from having to make any other adjustments in your bathroom drain system.
5. Slide the slip nuts over each end of the new PVC P-trap. Make sure that the threaded end of the nuts are pointed out so they can be threaded onto your drain pipes.
6. Clean the threads of the sink drain pipe and the drain pipe coming from the wall. Wrap the threads of both pipes with new plumber's tape.
7. Connect the new PVC P-trap to the wall drain pipe using the threaded slip nut, and tighten by hand. Attach the other end of the new PVC P-trap to the drain pipe coming from the sink, and tighten by hand.
8. Tighten the slip nuts using the channel-lock pliers after the new PVC P-trap is connected. When tightening the nuts, tighten them evenly without over-tightening.
9. Set the sink stopper in the drain, and fill the sink with 6 inches of water. Turn the water off, and pull the stopper out of the sink. Inspect the pipe connections around the new PVC P-trap as the water is draining to check for leaks. Tighten the slip nuts ¼ turn if leaks are present.
Tags: drain pipe, P-trap from, drain line, sink drain, slip nuts, channel-lock pliers