Can't get Kitchen Sink Unclogged. What's next?
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Can't get Kitchen Sink Unclogged. What's next?
I've had this problem 6 months ago, and i fixed it with the ridgid powerspin snake I purchased. It's just not working this time.
Double kitchen sink. One side has disposal.
Was working fine. Didn't grind up anything significant in the disposal.
Water does not drain from either sink.
I take off the trap, use my powerspin until it runs out of the snake. I'm not an expert, but it seems like it at least "penetrates" everyting. I can't feel a blockage and the end of the snake comes back pretty clean.
I am hand cranking the powerspin. and I did put draino in it for a little while
I put the trap back on, and pour about 2-3 gallons of water in the sink until both sides of the sink start filling up.
BTW, all the toilets, showers, everything else, works perfectly. And the previous owner left draino, so I suspect this has been going on for a while.
Any ideas on how to proceed?
Double kitchen sink. One side has disposal.
Was working fine. Didn't grind up anything significant in the disposal.
Water does not drain from either sink.
I take off the trap, use my powerspin until it runs out of the snake. I'm not an expert, but it seems like it at least "penetrates" everyting. I can't feel a blockage and the end of the snake comes back pretty clean.
I am hand cranking the powerspin. and I did put draino in it for a little while
I put the trap back on, and pour about 2-3 gallons of water in the sink until both sides of the sink start filling up.
BTW, all the toilets, showers, everything else, works perfectly. And the previous owner left draino, so I suspect this has been going on for a while.
Any ideas on how to proceed?
#2
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Try a plunger? Impact pressure at the point of blockage is only limited by your upper body strength.
Maybe you have a combination of stuck partial obstruction (e.g. half a chopstick) + debris that hangs up on that.
A snake is really good for extracting objects. You can bend the corkscrew tip out to form a hook - this may grab something it otherwise bypasses.
Maybe there's a useful cleanout buried someplace you haven't noticed.
Maybe you have a combination of stuck partial obstruction (e.g. half a chopstick) + debris that hangs up on that.
A snake is really good for extracting objects. You can bend the corkscrew tip out to form a hook - this may grab something it otherwise bypasses.
Maybe there's a useful cleanout buried someplace you haven't noticed.
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A litle more info. There was about 2 inches of water in both sinks last night. Overnight it drained. Of course putting 2 gals of water or so in the sink filled it back up.
So I guess I don't have a complete clog......but it still not useable like that.
So I guess I don't have a complete clog......but it still not useable like that.
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Try a plunger? Impact pressure at the point of blockage is only limited by your upper body strength.
Maybe you have a combination of stuck partial obstruction (e.g. half a chopstick) + debris that hangs up on that.
A snake is really good for extracting objects. You can bend the corkscrew tip out to form a hook - this may grab something it otherwise bypasses.
Maybe there's a useful cleanout buried someplace you haven't noticed.
Maybe you have a combination of stuck partial obstruction (e.g. half a chopstick) + debris that hangs up on that.
A snake is really good for extracting objects. You can bend the corkscrew tip out to form a hook - this may grab something it otherwise bypasses.
Maybe there's a useful cleanout buried someplace you haven't noticed.
I did not try to bend the head of the snake out (which I guess you mean unwind it a bit?). I can try that. I guess it is possible that the clog is beyond 25' (which I think is the length of the powerspin snake).
I put more draino in the sink and was going to let it sit until I got home from work.
I didn't think to try to locate any other cleanouts. There is one outside (4" pipe), which I think is for the main sewer line. I guess I should go down in the basement and see if I can snake up to the kitchen sink????
Last edited by cruiserparts; 03-14-08 at 05:50 AM.
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I had this exact problem in a house I used to own that was around 50 years old. I think I even had the same brand of snake as you. My sink drain ran across the basement wall for several feet, and at one point two sections were joined with a Fernco coupling. Over the years, kitchen grease and "stuff" had formed a gooey clog there. The head of the snake pushed right through the clog but would not remove most of it. I had to take off the Fernco and literally dig the clog out.
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That's just asking for it. But if all else fails. Keep a rag handy to block around the snake when sewage rushes down.
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Thanks for the tips. I chased the kitchen outflow, visually, as much as I could through the house. it was basically down and a straight shot to the main line.
I measured everything out and realized the snake was short of the main line, by about 8 feet.
So i went and bought a 1/2 inch by 50' snake and sent it down. I confirmed that it was in fact in the main line (by sound of scratching).
When I pulled it out there was a bit of grease and junk on the snake. Filled it with water and it was still clogged.
This made no sense there was no other explanation other than the block did not clear.
So I did it again. There were several spots where I felt an obstruction (after 25'), confirmed the snake had in fact hit the main line. When I pulled it out there was a bunch of grease and a large clump or something inside the snake.
The cleared it and now everything is working great. Thanks for the advice can encouragement.
I measured everything out and realized the snake was short of the main line, by about 8 feet.
So i went and bought a 1/2 inch by 50' snake and sent it down. I confirmed that it was in fact in the main line (by sound of scratching).
When I pulled it out there was a bit of grease and junk on the snake. Filled it with water and it was still clogged.
This made no sense there was no other explanation other than the block did not clear.
So I did it again. There were several spots where I felt an obstruction (after 25'), confirmed the snake had in fact hit the main line. When I pulled it out there was a bunch of grease and a large clump or something inside the snake.
The cleared it and now everything is working great. Thanks for the advice can encouragement.
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Right on.
And now we learned something about the problem. That is: drain temperature isn't hot enough to melt the fats going down. So maybe they liquefy at the sink, but after they've traveled 20' or so the fats are re-congealing, on the cool pipe walls. The thread helped sharpen my view about that.
Occasional flushing with full-hot water should melt that gunk before it clogs again.
And now we learned something about the problem. That is: drain temperature isn't hot enough to melt the fats going down. So maybe they liquefy at the sink, but after they've traveled 20' or so the fats are re-congealing, on the cool pipe walls. The thread helped sharpen my view about that.
Occasional flushing with full-hot water should melt that gunk before it clogs again.