How long for a toilet trap to dry up?

[Matt Fellman]

I was in a new construction house today and all three toilet traps were dry. The permit sticker on the electric panel was from 10/06 so I imagine the house could have been totally complete about a year ago.... and I guess none of the workers used the bathroom.

It just seemed odd that they were totally dry..... The only thing notable was that the heat was set pretty warm but there who knows if that was just recent. I can't imagine a starving builder would leave the heat on 70 for a year.

Anyway, does anyone have an idea how long it actually takes for a toilet trap to totally dry up? There's really no problem, I'm just curious....

[Bruce Breedlove]

It depends. Relative humidity of the ambient air is a huge part of the equation. A trap in Yuma, Arizona would probably dry up faster than one in New Orleans.

[Jerry Peck]

Months, not year(s).

As Bruce said 'it depends' ...

[Matt Fellman]

After thinking about it..... maybe the contractors just had several thirsty dogs :)

[James Duffin]

The contractor may have plunged the water out of the toilets. I do that every winter to the toilet in my pool house.

[imported_John Smith]

This should be a candidate for the old TV show "Thats Incredible". New construction that the workers werent using the toilet. Usually they use the bathtub, shower, kitchen sink. At least in Houston. I have seen some pretty disgusting stuff in new construction.

Remodels are even better. People freak when they see all of the cigarette butts, food wrappers, human waste etc, that their high dollar carpet layed on for the past 10 years.

[Jerry McCarthy]

The old saw that one requires a strong stomach to be a property inspecter holds much truth. I never was aware of the overall disfunction of the average American family until I began inspecting single/multi family dwellings.
Ah, the stories we could tell and education and accepted classic status levels have nothing to do with it.

[Jon Randolph]

[quote=imported_John Smith;30125]

New construction that the workers werent using the toilet. Usually they use the bathtub, shower, kitchen sink. At least in Houston. I have seen some pretty disgusting stuff in new construction.

quote]

Around here it's always Mountain Dew bottles.

[imported_John Smith]

Jon, they use the Mountain Dew bottles to keep beer in. It looks exactly like Mountain Dew. Its an old trick that drunks use. I guess when they are done with the beer they just use the bottle for human waste disposal.

[Jerry Peck]

Jon, they use the Mountain Dew bottles to keep beer in. It looks exactly like Mountain Dew.

I suggest you DO NOT drink anything yellow from a Mountain Dew bottle down here. :eek: