# Quick floor drain question



## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

We work out of Pontiac Michigan area. I was always curious, when the older floor drains were installed why do they put that weird floor drain cover or adapter on the top of the floor drains that only has an 1.5" hole in it. Wish I had a pic but maybe someone knows what I am referring too. 
Thx for the replies.


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## plumberinlaw (Jan 13, 2010)

Are you talking about bell traps? How old are the houses pre 1940?


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## PLUMB TIME (Feb 2, 2009)

Either a bell trap ^^^^ or if solid with 1 1/2" threaded opening they put a stand pipe in to prevent backup.


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

Mr Plumber said:


> We work out of Pontiac Michigan area. I was always curious, when the older floor drains snip>
> 
> *Are you speaking of a LA P-trap. The 1-1/2 tapping w/ brass plug was for snaking without going through the trap. The other tapping in the body was for a float ball check to prevent back flow of sewerage through the drain.*


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## Standard Drain (Feb 17, 2016)

I have racked up quite a kill count of those brass plugs. Kinda fun now


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## PLUMBER_BILL (Oct 23, 2009)

Standard Drain said:


> I have racked up quite a kill count of those brass plugs. Kinda fun now


*I don't understand your "kill count" on the brass plugs. I presume you mean chopping them out -- I hope your not one to leave the drain open.
We always carried a 1-1/2 tap to clean up the threads. In later years we would replace the brass with plastic where needed.*


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> Mr Plumber said:
> 
> 
> > We work out of Pontiac Michigan area. I was always curious, when the older floor drains snip>
> ...


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## justme (Jul 4, 2012)

PLUMBER_BILL said:


> Mr Plumber said:
> 
> 
> > We work out of Pontiac Michigan area. I was always curious, when the older floor drains snip>
> ...


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## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

Here is a picture. This is what it looks like when you take the cover off or sometimes there is no cover.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

Condensation trap

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## Roto-Rooter (Jan 31, 2015)

Bell Trap. The ring holds water and the Bell on the bottom of the grate sits in the water trapping it.


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## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

Drain Pro said:


> PLUMBER_BILL said:
> 
> 
> > I've never seen one of those.
> ...


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

Mr Plumber said:


> Here is a picture. This is what it looks like when you take the cover off or sometimes there is no cover.




That I've seen,however there still trapped under the ground.


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## plumberinlaw (Jan 13, 2010)

Drain Pro said:


> That I've seen,however there still trapped under the ground.


around here those go straight into crock, the only trap is the bell. no storm cleanout


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## Roto-Rooter (Jan 31, 2015)

Drain Pro said:


> That I've seen,however there still trapped under the ground.


Some back here are that way also. Didn't need it. Takes a C/O away because they make good ones.


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## Mr Plumber (Oct 20, 2011)

Seems like every one we snake is busted. Keep pulling up sand and pee gravel.


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Mr Plumber said:


> Seems like every one we snake is busted. Keep pulling up sand and pee gravel.



Or has a belly in it


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Of course it's broke. You can't rod it without removing the garbage In the trap with a vacuum first. Clay traps aren't made for 3/4" cable. I'll use the 5/16" or a shovel-I have no patience for 4" clay traps.


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## cable or root (Oct 7, 2015)

KoleckeINC said:


> Of course it's broke. You can't rod it without removing the garbage In the trap with a vacuum first. Clay traps aren't made for 3/4" cable. I'll use the 5/16" or a shovel-I have no patience for 4" clay traps.


Thought we were talkin ci floordrains? I ca usually get a 4" pear with a leader finger through a 4" clay trap.


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## KoleckeINC (Oct 22, 2011)

Well your hired Our area has standpipe assemblies over 90% of the traps.


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## sethro1981 (Oct 31, 2016)

Mr Plumber said:


> Here is a picture. This is what it looks like when you take the cover off or sometimes there is no cover.


ive seen those style of floor drains but im not sure what they are called or what the differences are


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## draindit (Nov 5, 2016)

Bell trap. classic!


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## sethro1981 (Oct 31, 2016)

draindit said:


> Bell trap. classic![/QUOTE





draindit said:


> what are the differences with the bell trap and why did they use them some of the time and not in other houses around the same age they usually dont have the side hole that ties directly to the line do they? ive seen some with a washing machine standpipe up top


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## Toli (Nov 7, 2015)

No ptrap needed.


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## Drain Pro (Nov 3, 2013)

Toli said:


> No ptrap needed.




P traps are good for business. More stoppages. 


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

Haven't seen one around here. How do you cable it?

I take it the top comes off and you run a cable down the middle?


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## Toli (Nov 7, 2015)

fixitright said:


> Haven't seen one around here. How do you cable it?
> 
> I take it the top comes off and you run a cable down the middle?




Yup. 

Around here you find them in old farm houses. They'd run a 4" clay tile line in and cut a whole in the top of it where ever they wanted a floor drain.


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## sethro1981 (Oct 31, 2016)

Toli said:


> No ptrap needed.


nice thanks


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## Roto-Rooter (Jan 31, 2015)

I personal like them being a sewer and drain cleaner. Easy access to sewer or drain line and NO TRAP to mess with


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## plumberinlaw (Jan 13, 2010)

If they won't open with k50 with 5/8 then it's time to break the floor and replace the bell trap after the line is open.


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## GAN (Jul 10, 2012)

Installed before proper venting of traps came into the codes. After that when all traps were required to be vented, most areas made them illegal.

Here is Illinois listings http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/077/07700890ZZ9996deR.html


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## SHEPLMBR70 (Feb 25, 2016)

Mr Plumber said:


> Seems like every one we snake is busted. Keep pulling up sand and pee gravel.


 Some of the older ones here in rural VA are just drains going into a pit of gravel then down into the ground. First time I ever saw it was when I was renting an older home.


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## fixitright (Jan 5, 2012)

I've had a few customers want a drain to pit cleaned.

Had to explain that there was nothing to clean that a excavator wouldn't fix.


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## OpenSights (Mar 23, 2015)

They call those dry wells out here. Washers and kitchens hooked up years ago kill the system.


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## ace4548 (Feb 10, 2015)

Bell traps are illegal here. Why is it you don't see these anymore? Did it not keep sewer gas in as well? If the bell breaks etc. I would think not using a ptrap in some circumstances would help a lot.


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