At ISH 2023, burgbad has shown the prototype of a newly developed trap that will revolutionise washbasin drain technology. The innovative, odour-free system is positioned directly under the washbasin and drastically reduces the buildup and release of potentially harmful germs. Thanks to an integrated overflow valve, the trap means that even countertop basins can now be safely filled.
Hygiene is a central need when it comes to bathroom equipment and daily use. But the fact is that conventional U-shaped traps have certain areas that are difficult to get to and extremely difficult to clean – and where, over time, a dark, unpleasant-smelling biofilm can form over time. In the case of space-saving traps without an overflow aperture, there are even large areas that are totally inaccessible. The buildup of bacteria and the gel-like biofilm they produce – and therefore also the formation of aerosols during water usage – is thus system-related.
Our new trap from provides a solution. Besides significantly reducing the buildup of bacteria and the release of aerosols, it is also easier to clean, eco-friendlier and more space-saving than all previous systems. The need for an overflow aperture that unpleasant smells might escape from is eliminated. Perhaps the most obvious effect is that the additional overflow valve integrated into the cover of the new drain system means that now even countertop basins can be safely filled with water.
This soon-to-be-launched innovation is the result of a development process that lasted more than four years. The patent-pending solution is as simple as it is ingenious: The new trap is positioned directly under the washbasin. The water seal in the trap, which acts as a barrier to odours, is just 2cm below the plughole and therefore easy to keep clean. There is no longer any need for a space-consuming, difficult-to-clean U-bend. The fast-moving flow that results from the design of the trap ensures the necessary water pressure.
In addition, the new type of trap essentially only consists of a hole without any crosspieces that hair or other solid substances could get caught on. Blockages as a result of normal use are therefore practically ruled out. Above all, however, virtually no aerosols are produced because the standing water is merely displaced rather than being swirled up.
That means environmentally harmful drain cleaners can be dispensed with entirely. In addition, the trap cup is easily accessible, making it easy to retrieve small items like jewellery should they fall into the drain.
There’s a second innovation that makes the hygienic trap a real multitalent: instead of a simple, direct-drain cover, the trap can also be equipped with a cover that incorporates an overflow protection function and integrated closable valve. The valve opens automatically when a certain water pressure is reached. As a result, washbasins of all types can be safely filled without the need for an overflow aperture or the associated cavities, where dirt is particularly likely to accumulate. Thanks to this intelligent overflow protection, even countertop basins can be filled with water in future – an added convenience for lovers of elegant console solutions.
The integrated overflow protection comes with the added benefit of a self-cleaning effect: opening the closable valve produces a suction effect without the flow being slowed by the formation of a vortex – the water drains from all areas of the basin, leaving its surfaces clean.
In addition, our new trap is space-saving per se. Fewer components and direct drainage without a space-consuming U-bend result in a space gain of approx. 30% in the vanity cabinet. There is no need for a cutout in the upper pullout to accommodate the trap. In future, it will be possible to use the full width of the top drawer for storage.
“The trap is a genuine advantage for our customers, but also for us as furniture makers,” says Sabine Meissner, burgbad’s head of marketing and innovation, of the benefits the new development delivers. “The new drain system gives us more creative freedom by allowing us to create fillable countertop basins and gain extra space in the vanity cabinet. It’s also an ideal solution for applications in the hospitality and health sectors, where ease of cleaning and hygiene play a particularly important role.”
