Following the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in early 2003 in Asia, where about 8,100 people were infected and more than 770 died, with half of the casualties in Taiwan and Hong Kong, and other similar events in other parts of the world, the operational performance of drainage systems in high-rise residential buildings gained international attention. It’s evident that ensuring proper functioning of the drainage system is critical to preventing infectious diseases from spreading into a building.
How can you avoid drainage system failure with empty traps, resulting in exponential risks to inhabitants and damage to builder and building reputations?
The depletion of trap seals in particular is likely to spread airborne diseases inside a building, introducing a potential route for an infection outbreak. Trap seals in drainage systems act as an integral part of the hygiene system in high-rise buildings, and provide an essential barrier to minimise the possible infection risk due to the transmission of contaminants from the drainage system.
Most of the time, the depletion of trap seals is caused by improper design of the system and installation defects, but it can also result from inadequate maintenance of existing systems. The type of system selected and the design itself are therefore of utmost importance to ensure proper functioning of the drainage system.