Yes. All shower drains within the United States must have a trap installed, and this is required by law not only in the United States but across the world. Most showers will automatically have these traps installed when they are fitted into the home.
The key reason why traps are required by law when installing a shower in the United States is that the trap is responsible for keeping hazardous gasses from rising into the home.
Though the curved shape of a drainage trap may look very unassuming, the shape actually plays a key role in helping to keep your bathroom safe from gasses. As we mentioned earlier, gasses travel upwards, subsequently.
Where Does The Shower Drain Trap Need To Be Installed?
The law stipulates that the shower drain trap cannot be further than 5 feet away from the actual shower drain inlet. However, where the trap is installed within that 5 feet is totally up to you.
What Do You Do If A Shower Drain Trap Isn’t Working Properly?
You may occasionally find that your shower drain trap encounters some issues, and it can often be difficult to figure out just how you are supposed to go about fixing any such issues. In some cases, you may even simply just need to clean out the shower drain trap.
If you suspect that your shower drain trap is blocked, then one of the best things you can do is to create your own drain cleaner to eat away at the dirt, clearing the blockage.
This should generally be your last recourse, as removing the drain trap can actually be very difficult, and may result in greater damage across the drains. Luckily, most drain traps can be uninstalled easily.