It’s easy to overlook. That curved section of pipe under your sink — the one shaped like a “U” or “P” — just sits there, quietly doing its job. But when it stops working, you’ll notice fast. Bad smells, slow drains, even full backups can all start right there.

At Golden Valley Plumbing, we’ve replaced hundreds of P-traps around Sacramento, and here’s what we want homeowners to know: that little curve matters more than you think.

It’s not just a bend — it’s a barrier

The purpose of a P-trap isn’t just to connect pipes. It holds water, and that water creates a seal that blocks sewer gases from coming back up into your home. If it weren’t there, every time you opened your cabinet door, you’d get a face full of sewer smell.

It also catches small debris — food scraps, hair, rings — before they go deeper into your plumbing. That makes it your first line of defense against clogs.

When things go wrong

Here’s when we usually get the call:

• The trap has dried out from lack of use — and now the kitchen smells terrible.
• The plastic fittings have cracked or slipped, slowly leaking into the cabinet below.
• Someone installed it wrong — upside down, misaligned, or with the wrong slope — and it never drained right.
• A garbage disposal was added but the trap wasn’t adjusted, causing backups or odd smells.

We’ve seen brand-new kitchens with loose traps that barely hung on. And old ones that were so packed with sludge, nothing moved.

What we do when we replace it

If we’re called in for a disposal or sink issue, the P-trap is one of the first things we check. We look for proper slope, solid seals, and signs of wear or buildup. If it needs replacement, we use high-quality fittings, make sure it’s seated correctly, and confirm the drain is flowing clean.

Sometimes the fix takes ten minutes. Sometimes we find a bigger problem behind the trap — like an improperly installed garbage disposal that’s been straining the whole line.

Bottom line

That curve under your sink is a simple part with a big job. If your kitchen smells off, the drain’s slow, or you’ve got moisture in the cabinet, don’t ignore it. In Sacramento, Golden Valley Plumbing is ready to check it, fix it, and keep your plumbing flowing (and smelling) right.