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Kitchen sink doesn’t drain

BUIC | Posted in General Discussion on January 5, 2008 10:12am

  Help! plumbing isn’t my strong suit.

  I’ve been in this house 20 years.  Cape with a kitchen, dishwasher, 2 baths, basement laundry.

  A few days ago I noticed the drain in the kitchen sink making a gurgling and / or popping noise occasionally.

  Two days ago it took 20 minutes for 2″ of water to finish draining. That never happened before. 

  A little later the upstairs toilet was flushed and caused the kitchen sinks’ trap water to be pushed up into the sink. That now happens every time the upstairs is flushed. 

  Now when I run water in the sink, 3/4 of the time it backs up and drains very slowly, 1/4 of the time it drains just fine. What the?

  Everything else in the house seems to drain okay.

  My uneducated guess is something to do with the vent line? but what?

  Anyone got an idea what might be going on and where to check first?

  Thanks, buic

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  1. plumbbill | Jan 05, 2008 11:13pm | #1

    The kitchen drains into the same line that the toilet is on, & there is a blockage of some sort between where the two tie together & before the other drains on the first floor tie into that line.

    Running a snake down from the toilet with as big as a bit as the pipe will allow will knock out the obstruction.

    what happens is something movable is not blocking 100%, but when the right flow hits it it floats up & causes more stoppage.

    Pipe mice (feminine hygiene products) are notorious for this.

    "Why do you hurt me when I do bad things to you?" My youngest son to his older brother

    1. BUIC | Jan 06, 2008 03:28am | #3

        I'll try snaking it out. I'll have to buy or rent something tomorrow.

        Any suggestions for what to use / ask for specifically?

        Thanks Dan too. If I have no luck in the morning, I'll be calling a real plumber!

      1. plumbbill | Jan 06, 2008 04:24am | #4

        Don't call a "plumber" call a rooter outfit ;-)

        If you don't have a "cleanout" then your best bet is to pull the toilet & run the snake through that.

        You want atleast a 1/2" cable with a hook jawed root cutter, but I would also get a "retriever" bit to use first, they look like a big cork screw.

        length, depends on how long the pipe is. Figure from the toilet to atleast outside the house.

        "Why do you hurt me when I do bad things to you?" My youngest son to his older brother

        1. BUIC | Jan 06, 2008 06:43am | #6

          Thanks...  buic

          1. plumbbill | Jan 06, 2008 06:45am | #7

            No problem, glad to help.

            Obviously I can't help down in the tav <GD&R>

             

            "Why do you hurt me when I do bad things to you?" My youngest son to his older brother

          2. dovetail97128 | Jan 06, 2008 10:23am | #8

            You could always buy a round , that would help .
            They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.

          3. BUIC | Jan 06, 2008 10:33pm | #13

              You and Dan nailed it.

              Tried to snake it from upstairs toilet and from the clean outs in the basement. Still wasn't right.

              Called roto-rooter and they cleared it. Blocked just as the line left the house.

              life is good again! 

              The bar bill's on me,  buic

            Edited 1/6/2008 2:35 pm ET by BUIC

    2. DougU | Jan 06, 2008 05:32am | #5

      Pipe mice

      You plumbers have all the cool sayings!

  2. DanH | Jan 06, 2008 03:20am | #2

    You got a "simple" clogged drain. Could be simple, or could mean that the main drain has collapsed out in the yard.

    Time to let your fingers do the walking, unless you know more about plumbing than you're letting on.

    If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader
  3. User avater
    JeffBuck | Jan 06, 2008 10:29am | #9

    could be a clogged drain ...

    could be a clogged vent.

     

    is a simple snaking doesn't help ... best to start at the top and work your way down.

    walk outside ... if U see a birdsnest on the vent popping outta the roof yer golden.

    Jeff

        Buck Construction

     Artistry In Carpentry

         Pittsburgh Pa

    1. DanH | Jan 06, 2008 04:33pm | #10

      A clogged vent may cause backups in a few rare "surge" cases but will still allow essentially normal flow. Tain't a clogged vent.
      If your view never changes you're following the wrong leader

      1. Sancho | Jan 06, 2008 09:13pm | #11

        I had a problem with my kitchen sink. Water was backing up. I could see it on the exterior of the house where it was leaking from the vent.

        My mentor who was a Plumbing /Electrical contractor (Mr P), told me it was a clogged drain.So He gave me a home recipe to fix it , I thought he was nuts but he used it and it worked great.1) Disconnect waste line from sink to the wall.
        2 )Put a mixture of baking soda and salt directly in the waste pipe.
        3) In the mean time boil lots of hot water on the stove
        4) Put a long funnel in the waste pipe and our the all the boiling water you got into the funnel stuck in the waste pipe.5) Then reconnect the drain pipe to the sink then turn on the hot water and let it run for a little while.Worked like a charm.

        Edited 1/6/2008 1:15 pm by Sancho

    2. BUIC | Jan 06, 2008 10:24pm | #12

        Thanks for the suggestion.

        I checked from the ground with a pair of binocs. and didn't see anything.  Got up on the roof and looked down the stacks, still nothing...buic

       

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