# Basic Plumbing Advice
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-plumbing-advice/753002
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [April 24, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-plumbing-advice/753002 "2016-04-24T18:36:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-plumbing-advice/753002/1 "2016-04-24T18:36:07Z")
I need to completely detach the P-trap under a sink. The far end of the P-trap (i.e., closest to where the drain pipe runs horizontal and disappears into the wall) has a threaded, plastic fitting that just keeps turning. I thought once it reached this degree of “looseness”, it would simply detach. But, it does not. I am hesitant to yank it off, but is that the correct thing to do? It feels like it should be yanked, but I have a gift for making things worse. Can anyone advise me? (If you can tell me how to post a picture, I will post ASAP.)
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### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-plumbing-advice/753002/2 "2016-04-24T20:44:48Z")
OK, I think the problem is that one section of pipe has a beveled edge that must get compressed into another as the screwed fitting compresses the two pieces together. So, simply unscrewing the fitting (or, perhaps it is a union?) is not enough. Problem solved. (I admit, I had to go look at a new flexible P-trap assembly at the hardware store to better understand what was happening.)
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### Author:  [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)
#### Post date: [April 24, 2016, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-plumbing-advice/753002/3 "2016-04-24T21:34:41Z")
The best part? Now you get to charge yourself $45 a half hour. 😉
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### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2016, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/basic-plumbing-advice/753002/4 "2016-04-26T06:35:40Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#):
>
> The best part? Now you get to charge yourself $45 a half hour. 😉
Not so unreasonable.
When I successfully finished a similar home repair, I figured that it would have been close to $200 to have hired someone (even estimating that the professional could have done it in half the time I took), so I went out and spent that much on a treat for myself (additional compute hardware).
Made me more willing to try future home repair projects.