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Trap seal
Trap seal is the water sitting in a P-trap that blocks sewer gases from coming up.
Why it matters
If the seal is lost, sewer gas can enter the home and create odors and health concerns.
Where people get this wrong
A dry trap can happen in a rarely used fixture. A siphoned trap can happen when venting is incorrect.
Real-world example
You walk into a basement bathroom you never use and it smells awful. It is not haunted. The trap seal likely dried out.
Where this hits your build
This term shows up during construction and affects decisions that are hard to reverse once the work moves forward. Understanding it now saves time, money, and frustration later.
Most people do not just struggle with terms. They struggle with the decisions tied to them.
See how HouseChalk helps with the decisions behind terms like this