Rene T
Site Team
We've had people in the past ask what members do to winterize their home when leaving for a extended period of time like snowbirding to a warmer climate. One of the concerns is that the water in their traps will evaporate and when they come home , the stench may be overwhelming from sewer gases. I conducted a informal test.
I found two pill bottles about 1-1/2" diameter (almost the same size as drain piping) and cut the tops off. I filled both of them up to just about full and marked the full line. In one of them I put in a tablespoon of vegetable oil and I placed both bottles on a shelf. This was on 9/12/15. After only 5 weeks, I just checked the water level on both bottles and I found this. The bottle with only water, the level had dropped 2" just from evaporation. The other bottle with the oil, the level didn't drop at all.
So if you're wondering on what to use in your traps and your toilet to prevent evaporation, go with vegetable oil. It works. I know it will stop evaporation from the house side of the traps but may not from sewer side unless you dump in enough so that it flows over to the other side of the "P" trap. You also may need to put a couple of ounces in your toilet. This may be useless information for some people but just thought I'd pass it on. Have a great day.
I found two pill bottles about 1-1/2" diameter (almost the same size as drain piping) and cut the tops off. I filled both of them up to just about full and marked the full line. In one of them I put in a tablespoon of vegetable oil and I placed both bottles on a shelf. This was on 9/12/15. After only 5 weeks, I just checked the water level on both bottles and I found this. The bottle with only water, the level had dropped 2" just from evaporation. The other bottle with the oil, the level didn't drop at all.
So if you're wondering on what to use in your traps and your toilet to prevent evaporation, go with vegetable oil. It works. I know it will stop evaporation from the house side of the traps but may not from sewer side unless you dump in enough so that it flows over to the other side of the "P" trap. You also may need to put a couple of ounces in your toilet. This may be useless information for some people but just thought I'd pass it on. Have a great day.