Certified Facility Manager (CFM) Practice Exam

What is a benefit of using a trap in a building's wastewater system?

1. It reduces water consumption.

2. It prevents blockages in the pipes.

3. It stops odors from escaping into occupied areas.

4. It simplifies maintenance of the system.

The correct answer is: It stops odors from escaping into occupied areas.

Using a trap in a building's wastewater system primarily helps to stop odors from escaping into occupied areas. Traps are specifically designed to hold a certain amount of water, creating a barrier that prevents sewer gases from entering the building. These gases can be unpleasant and potentially harmful, making the effective sealing of these gases crucial for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. The functionality of traps is vital in plumbing systems, as they are strategically placed in various locations, such as sinks, toilets, and floor drains. The water that remains in the trap acts as a seal, ensuring that harmful odors and gases remain within the sewer system rather than permeating into living and working spaces. This benefit is important for ensuring comfort and safeguarding health in occupied areas. Regarding the other options, while water consumption reduction, prevention of blockages, and simplifying maintenance are important considerations in wastewater management, they are not the primary function of traps. Traps do not directly reduce water usage; their design does not inherently prevent blockages in the pipes; and maintenance complexity can vary based on many other factors in a plumbing system. Therefore, the primary benefit of traps aligns with their role in odor control.