The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-10-04
SEWER DISCUSSION.
Traps and Ventilation Explained By
Competent Authority.

Competent Authority.
| By request the following has been
furnished by citizen well informed
on the subject -
The meeting on Monday brought
out questions from many, but the
chief points raised we're why put in a
running trap and a fresh air inlet.
"Are not the traps with or without
vents at each fixture sufficient =
Why should the foul air be allowed
to come out near the ground from the
| fresh air inlet q"
Decomposition occurs in street sew
er and house piping alike, but do you
want foul air from all your neighbors
in addition. to your own If not,
then the house trap is the best pre-
yentive know to-day. To ventilate
iyour soil pipe there must be current
of air. The decomposition form s
heated gas which has strong tend
ency to rise, but cannot unless there
is an opening at the lower end of the
line. The running trap closes the
lower end, therefore the fresh air in
let is installed, and fresh air comes in
allowing the heated foul air to rise
through your own line without the
addition OF that from The street.
If branch vents are not connected
to individual fixture traps rapid fall
of water will suck all water from a
trap in order that air may come in to
the partial vacuum, resulting in an
opening direct from sewer to room.
The fall is more rapid without the
house trap because of less resistance
at foot of line, thus making the dan
ger doubly great from chance of sy-
phonage and of sewer gas.
Your fixture traps may all be vented
but even SO grease and waste gradual
ly accumulates around the little out
let on top Of each trap till finally this
Is closed and you are liable again to
have your trap syphoned free for gas
II you object to the air inlet at the
foot of your line because foul air is
forced out when a closet is flushed,
you may have a New York City regu-
lation trap installed which has dia-
phragm in it. This diaphragm closes
when air pressure comes against it
from within but remains open at
other times.
8 How about ventilating the sewer
If each house has a running trap? :"
1T has been suggested that a stand
pipe be placed on Fort Nonsense. The
man holes in the street are practical
ly tight. The street mains are com
paratively small. 1t is Obvious to any
intelligent man that no circulation Of
air could be obtained through net
work Of small pipes up to this stand
pipe especially when no air is supplied
at intervals to the small pipes at their
distant ends.
In Orange the sewer has no man
hole ventilation and no house traps
are permitted. They yentilate through
each house: The other way is to have
perforated manhole covers and venti-
late in the middle of the road.
Will you take chance on the pub
lie sewer gas in your house where you
live and sleep and have the air COM
paratively confined, or will you allow
this gas to come up in the middle Of
our streets where it can be assimilated
by the atmosphere
These two alternatives present them
selves. Which will you have?
Submitted on request Of the Editor.
OSCAR B. SMITH, JR., B. So.
Note. The house trap should be
cleaned about once year, and there
fore must be accessible.
The frequent clogging Of cesspool
traps is largely due to backing up of
full cesSpools.
New work should be made to con-
form with the law.
Old installations, without doubt,
will have to be compromised accord
Ing 20 circumstances,