Last Updated on January 27, 2024 by Jeremy

If you ever wondered about your sink drains in an RV, some plumbing systems have unique PVC setups, designed and rigged with what is called an RV waste water valve, which is a waterless trap made and designed by the brand HEPVO (pronounced Hep-V-O).

HEPVO is the world’s most amazing waterless drain waste valve, and is a unique self-sealing valve in which prevents the escape of bad sewer smells in the air from waste that gets disposed down your sink drain. It also “actively maintains the pressure equilibrium in soil and waste installations” according to their website.

Pictured below, the HEPVO valve is the perfect design for RVs and camper vans, as it has a design that is made for space-saving applications, plus it performs successfully in moving vehicles making it one of today’s most trusted products in the plumbing market.

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Product Name:

Product Website: HEPVO Waterless Valve

Pricing: $29.99 (Website Pricing)

Personal Rating: 9.5/10

How Product Works

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What is labeled as a dry sealing valve, this particular HepvO valve, utilizes a type of membrane which creates an airtight seal between the drainage system and its living space. The self-sealing valve opens when the pressure of water is forced upon it when emptying, in turn, making it close to form a tight seal after the water has drained under normal conditions.

If the HepvO waterless trap is installed in your unit, especially your RV, camper van, 5th wheel or travel trailer, it avoids a problem of the water seal freezing, as well as evaporation in warm weather or when not in use for an extended period. This is especially handy as it would lead to odors escaping the vehicle.

This particular RV waste water valve is used instead of a P-Trap, which is common in many bathrooms and kitchen plumbing applications. It protects the living space from stinky smells and foul odors which occur from your gray water tank, black water tank and even the campground sewer system from back pressure.

Example Videos / Images of Product

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In the video below, have a look at how this particular waste water valve works in action:

As you can see, if the water flows easily through the product, the rubberized flap opens when there is pressure, and when the water has stopped, it naturally goes back to a closed position.

When compared to that of a P-trap, have a look at how they compare side by side, and what happens when sewer smells can escape from each:

The P-trap (pictured as the black ABS pipe above) will essentially drain the water from your sink, and the sewer odor will get “trapped” in the P (or bottom part of the pipe). Whereas the HEPVO (white PVC pipe), the water flows around the elbow, and through the self-closing trap, in which blocking the sewer smell from coming back.

Not only is that a good thing for sewer smell, its also effectively a good space saver.

FAQs, Specs & Features of the Product

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So what are users of this product already asking? Well, let’s check out some FAQs:

• HepVo is a new product to me – how can i be confident that it will give a good installed performance?

  • HepVo is relatively new to the North American Market but it is not a new product. It has been in high volume production in the UK since 1997 and it is widely used in Europe, Austrailia and the Far East. It has attained numerous international approvals against very demanding standards and has achieved an enviable track record of trouble-free performance. There are over 5 million installations worldwide including more that 1 million in North America.

• Will HepVo block easily for example if fat is discharged through it?

  • No. Extensive testing has shown that is less prone to blockage than traditional water seal traps. Note: Becase the “straight through” design of HepVo it does not trap debris discharged through the waste fixture care should be taken with jewelry and other valuables.

• Can I use acidic drain cleaning chemicals?

  • HepVo is resistant to standard caustic-based drain cleaners. It is also resistant to acid-based cleaners with concentrations up to 10%. When flushing with higher concentrations of acid based cleaner, the value must be removed before the operation. After any maintenance, it is recommended that the valve is flushed through with clean water.

Available in two different sizes, 1-1/4″ & 1-1/2″, the benefits of the HEPVO waste water valve include:

• -Vertical & Horizontal Installation
• -No Foul Odours
• -Hygienic
• -Space Saver
• -No “Gurgling” Noises
• -No Limescale
• -Easy Flow
• -Occasional & Different Climate Useage
• -Performs Under Back Pressures
• -Copes With Food Waste

Pricing, and Option to Purchase

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What do you get? Well, there are 2 options.

The first is a 1.25″ Valve. Part # 5716 (mfg part# BV1B/UA-1-1/4″).  It is priced at $29.99 on their website, it is made of polypropylene and includes a self-sealing waste valve, angled adapter, and an in-line adapter.

A 1.50″ Valve is also available, part # 5717 (mfg part# BV1B/UB/UB-1-1/2″) and is priced the same amount, as well, includes the same pieces.

We offer an identical product through our online store, but there are other options available.

Final Thoughts

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After explaining this one-of-a-kind replacement P-trap RV waste water valve, its safe to say, from the FAQs and video that its a simple product to do its job.

Personally, if you don’t have one of these you’re really missing out. There are a number of extremely awesome benefits in owning one of these products, and you can even be more appreciative that it comes with downloadable installation instructions.

Are there any bad features that come with this product? Well yes, I can think of one thing I’ve had to do a couple of times after 2 years. Contradicting to one of the frequently asked questions, you do have to clean it out if there is fat dumped down the drain.

Technically they are correct in “NO” you don’t have to clean it out, but when you have discarded food down the drain as well as grease that accidentally goes down the drain, you do have to clean it out with an all-purpose cleaner and a rag. Total time it took me was less than 5 minutes. Check out the video below to see what I’m talking about:

If you enjoyed this review of the HEPVO RV waste water valve, I’d appreciate your feedback by leaving a comment below! Until then…

Cheers!