Have you been told by your plumber that you need to replace the trap arm in your bathroom? Well, you might be wondering what a trap arm actually is and how long it can be.
You might also be eager to know how a trap arm functions in plumbing. Let’s find the answers to all your queries regarding a trap arm.
What is a trap arm?
The pipe that is used in between the trap weir and the protecting vent is called a trap arm. Its main function is to maintain constant air and water flow between the vent and trap. As a result of the trap arm, the trap can function properly to prevent the sewer air from entering the bathroom.
Table of Contents
The tarp arm is the pipe that connects the main vent and the trap of the toilet or sink of the bathroom. It is connected to the U-shaped trap through the trap weir.
A trap arm is as important as the vent and trap to the plumbing system of the house. Without a trap arm, water and air wouldn’t flow uninterruptedly in between the trap and vent.
The trap arm makes sure that sewer air that is rejected with the help of the trap gets out through the vent.
It also ensures that the used water gets out through the drain pipe. In fact, both air and water are released simultaneously with the help of a trap arm.
How does a trap work in plumbing?
When water flows through the sink drains, a trap is engineered to hold a little amount of water in the bottom of the curved piece of the plumbing drain trap.
The water that the curved portion is holding, shuts the drain pipe and prevents sewer air from entering your home from the drain.
The trap is not only present in the bathroom sink, even the porcelain construction of your toilet includes an inside trap. It is also present in bathtubs, and showers.
The traps function the same way to prevent sewer gas from mixing into the air you breathe.
Needless to say, a trap has a vital role in the plumbing system of the house. It basically ensures that the sewer air doesn’t mix into the air of the bathroom. The trap keeps you safe from breathing in the unpleasant and toxic sewer gas.
However, the traps tend to catch objects of any shape dropped down the drainpipe since they are a localized low-point in the plumbing.
So, you will have to be extra careful so that you don’t drop hair, food waste, or other debris down the sink, toilet, or bathtub.
Nowadays, two shapes of trap are mostly used. They are S-shaped traps and U-shaped traps. The U-shaped trap is also referred to as the P-shaped trap, and it is the most used trap in the United States.
Unlike the S-shaped trap, the U-shaped trap doesn’t need any overflow to function. So, the U-bend trap is more preferred for its effective and efficient prevention of sewer gases from escaping and entering your bathroom.
How long can a trap arm be?
How long a trap arm can be varies depending on the size of the pipe. If you have a pipe of size 1-1/4 inches, the trap arms’ can be 30 inches long. The length of the trap arm for the 4-inch pipes can be 120 inches. However, the minimum length of a trap arm should be twice the diameter of the pipe.
Having the right-sized trap arm is very important. This is due to the fact that the right length of the trap arm will ensure that the vent and drainage system works properly.
The perfect length of the tarp arm is different for different sized pipes. There is a minimum and maximum length for the trap arms. Let’s take a look at what the maximum and minimum length of a trap arm should be.
Minimum trap arm length:
Unlike the maximum trap arm length, there is a perfect equation for what the minimum trap arm length should be. Basically, the minimum trap arm length is two times the diameter of the trap arm pipe.
If the diameter of a trap arm pipe is 1.5 inches, its minimum length is 3 inches. Then again, if the trap arms’ diameter is 4 inches, the minimum length is 8 inches. This goes for every diameter of trap arms, even if it exceeds 4 inches.
Maximum trap arm length:
There are fixed maximum trap arm lengths for different trap arm pipes. The trap arm length maximum length doesn’t have a fixed increase rate with respect to the pipes’ diameter.
The maximum length of the trap arm for pipes of 1.5-inch diameter is 42 inches, whereas the maximum trap arm length of 3-inch diameter pipes is 72 inches.
The maximum length of the trap arm pipes of 4-inch diameters should be 120 inches.
No matter how much the diameter of the trap arm pipe exceeds over 4 inches, the maximum length of the trap arm will be 120 inches.
Lengths Of Trap Arms:
| Trap Arm Pipe Diameter (Inches) | Length Minimum (Inches) | Length Maximum (Inches) |
|---|---|---|
| 11/4 Inches | 21/2 | 30 |
| 11/2 Inches | 3 | 42 |
| 2 Inches | 4 | 60 |
| 3 Inches | 6 | 72 |
| 4 Inches | 8 | 120 |
| Exceeding 4 Inches | 2 x trap arm pipe diameter | 120 |
How is trap arm length measured?
To measure the trap arm length precisely, you will have to do it in the right way. It is not as difficult as it may seem. You can do it with just a measuring tape and a marker.
Let’s have a look at how the trap arm length is measured.
Locate and mark the trap weir:
Since the trap arm is connected to the trap weir, you will have to locate the trap weir first. The trap weir is the part where the trap shifts from vertical to horizontal.
After finding the point, mark it using any marker so that measuring the trap becomes more convenient.
Mark the starting point of the vent:
The trap arm connects to the vent on the other side, so you will have to find the vent connection in the plumbing system. Then, precisely
Measure the trap arms’ length:
Now that you have marked the starting and ending part of the trap arm, it’s time to measure it. To measure it, hold the measuring tape on both ends of the trap arm and properly see the markings to find the exact length.
What happens if the tarp arm is too long or too short?
The main function of a trap arm is to pass the water and sewer air simultaneously through the vent and drain. It joins the trap to the drainpipe and vent.
If the trap arm is too long or too short, then the connection between the vent and the trap won’t be good enough.
So, sewer gas can escape into the bathrooms’ air and water can also leak in the walls when the trap arm is shorter or longer than necessary.
What is the minimum and maximum slope of the trap arm of a plumbing drain?
The concept of the minimum slope of the trap arm of a plumbing drain is quite simple. If the diameter of the pipe is less than 3 inches, the minimum slope should be 0.25-inch per foot.
Then again, if the pipes’ diameter is more than 3 inches, the minimum slope should be 0.125-inch per foot.
The maximum slope of a trap arm of a plumbing drain depends on the diameter and length of the trap arm pipe. The longer the pipe, the lower the slope of the trap arm, and vice versa.
However, a slope of more than 0.5-inch is not recommended as the water will flow very quickly and will not take the solid particles down the pipe with it.
What can happen if the slope of a trap arm is too steep?
If the slope of a trap arm is too steep, liquid can generate a suction effect when it pours down the steep slope. As a result, the water will be sucked out of the trap. The empty trap will allow sewer air to mix into the air that you inhale.
In addition to that, the water will go to the drain very fast leaving the solid particles behind if the slope is too steep. In that case, the solid items will get stuck on the trap arm pipe.
Final Thoughts
The trap arm pipe makes sure that the trap and the vent function properly as it connects them. However, the length of the trap arm needs to be precise to prevent sewer gas and water leakage. The slope of the trap arm also needs to be perfect so that dirt and food items don’t clot its pipe.