Hub Vs. No-Hub Floor Drain

Assessing the draining system needed for your house or garage is extremely important. If the wrong plumbing or drain head are selected, then the odds of it functioning properly are very slim. It may not seem like a big decision at first, but if flooding occurs, then you will wish you had spent the time properly selecting the drain and pipe system to fit your specific needs.

It can be a confusing choice to make as there are so many different options out there. If you ever have doubts about your selection or about your situation, consider calling a plumber who will be able to assess the situation and help you make the right choice.

Before making your selection, you need to calculate roughly how much liquid you expect your drain to evacuate and how much traffic this area will get. For example, if you are placing a drain in your garage, then you must consider potential flooding and water evacuation needs as well as how many times your car may be passing over the drain head.

These factors will help you determine if you need a hub drain or no-hub plumbing connection. The differences in these options are how they connect to the plumbing system and the effort and knowledge needed in order to install them.

The best way to explain a hub drain is to address which part of the pipe the hub is. Each pipe has female and male ends, and the female end of the pipe is the wide connector end, which is why their distinctive shape is often referred to as a bell.

Hub drains are usually easy to install because the diameter of the inner part of the hub pipe should be the same width as the pipe you wish to connect it to. The hub can be attached in various ways, such as soldering them together or using a rubber gasket. Hub drains can be selected with or without a drainage basket depending on what you need the drainage system for.

As previously stated, the hub of the pipe is the female "bell" end of the pipe, which leaves the male end of the pipe the no-hub end. The no-hub connection option is probably the most used by nonprofessionals due to the ease of installation. All that is needed is a no-hub coupling to attach the drain to the pipe. These can be found at any hardware store, so if you go searching for a no-hub coupling at Lowes, you are more than likely going to leave with what you need.

The watertight seal will occur once the coupling is in place due to its neoprene sealing sleeve surrounded by corrugated stainless steel with band clamps. You may need specific tools to tighten the shield into place, but once the shielded coupling has been installed, then the drain should be ready for use. If you doubt any part of your installation, it is best to have a professional look over your work.