Kitchen Sink Blues
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Kitchen Sink Blues
It will drain but slowly. I can run a pencil sized water flow and all is fine but no more than that.
Last two days I've been putting that powder stuff mixed with warm water.....the bacteria are supposed to eat the clog. Well, they ain't hungry. I can run the faucet for about 20 seconds (gallon) before it slows down. I'm thinking it is where the washer drain joins the kitchen drain that the problem is. Not sure.
Bought a quart of Liquid Plumber Gel today, hate to use this stuff. I'm afraid it will loosen up just after the sink and plug it completely.
Maybe just pour a little in there and see what happens?? Only weird thing I can think of that I put in there lately is some raw egg whites.
Thanks
Last two days I've been putting that powder stuff mixed with warm water.....the bacteria are supposed to eat the clog. Well, they ain't hungry. I can run the faucet for about 20 seconds (gallon) before it slows down. I'm thinking it is where the washer drain joins the kitchen drain that the problem is. Not sure.
Bought a quart of Liquid Plumber Gel today, hate to use this stuff. I'm afraid it will loosen up just after the sink and plug it completely.
Maybe just pour a little in there and see what happens?? Only weird thing I can think of that I put in there lately is some raw egg whites.
Thanks
#2
If your not going to snake the line you can try plunging it. The trick to plunging the kitchen sink is that you need to tape the roof vent for the kitchen. other wise you will not get good suction while plunging.
Only do that if you are able to climb the roof without killing yourself. You may have a ranch or a 3 story mansion. I dont know so be careful if you chose that option.
Try plunging with out closing the vent.
You need to fill the sink up with water to plunge.
Mikie NJ
Only do that if you are able to climb the roof without killing yourself. You may have a ranch or a 3 story mansion. I dont know so be careful if you chose that option.
Try plunging with out closing the vent.
You need to fill the sink up with water to plunge.
Mikie NJ
#3
Member
Thread Starter
I tried the plunger thing last night....eewwww. No joy. Today I've been running hot water to get rid of the Liquid Plumber that's in there.
Here's a crude picture of what I have:
Doing more careful checking, it will take just under 3 quarts. Not knowing the ID of this pipe, black stuff, how far do you think it is going? To the vent 'T'?
After running more water I'm gonna try and get the trap off and see what I have.
Thanks
Here's a crude picture of what I have:
Doing more careful checking, it will take just under 3 quarts. Not knowing the ID of this pipe, black stuff, how far do you think it is going? To the vent 'T'?
After running more water I'm gonna try and get the trap off and see what I have.
Thanks
#4
You need to tape the vent with duct tape if the clog is after the tee. Otherwise no suction. If its before the tee you should be able to get it. Its probably 1 1/2 pipe.
Or get a handheld power snake. You can rent from the home store.
Its only 2 ft to the tee?
Mike NJ
Or get a handheld power snake. You can rent from the home store.
Its only 2 ft to the tee?
Mike NJ
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Yes, 2' to the 'T'. Then it goes in the floor and then 45' to the main drain. This is a mobile home so to get to the pipe under the floor would take massive demolition.....don't want to go there.
I have a paper here somewhere that tells the volume of a pipe but I can't find it.
Goofy neighbors feed the yapping crows and they like to eat on my roof. I just hope they aren't hiding their chicken bones down my vent.
I have a paper here somewhere that tells the volume of a pipe but I can't find it.
Goofy neighbors feed the yapping crows and they like to eat on my roof. I just hope they aren't hiding their chicken bones down my vent.
#6
Member
Thread Starter
According to this calculator, if the pipe is 1.5" it will take about 8' to hold 3 quarts. This isn't good.
http://www.handymath.com/cgi-bin/cylinder.cgi
http://www.handymath.com/cgi-bin/cylinder.cgi
#7
Member
Thread Starter
I don't know! Went on the roof with my snake thinking I could run it right down seeing it is a fairly straight shot, two 45s for the offset. No joy. There are small nails in the vent, horizontally, to prevent anything big from getting in there. So much for the crow's chicken bones theory.
Taped off the vent with 200 mph duct tape. Plunged the s out of the thing for half an hour, no luck there.
I guess I'll go up tomorrow, cut the nails then run the snake down and see what happens.
I just don't understand why this happened so suddenly. Raw egg whites?? This winter I could run the cold wide open (fearing the pipe in the ground would freeze) for 20 minutes and it went right down.
I'm running out of clean dishes and I sure would like to make me some shrimp salad.
Taped off the vent with 200 mph duct tape. Plunged the s out of the thing for half an hour, no luck there.
I guess I'll go up tomorrow, cut the nails then run the snake down and see what happens.
I just don't understand why this happened so suddenly. Raw egg whites?? This winter I could run the cold wide open (fearing the pipe in the ground would freeze) for 20 minutes and it went right down.
I'm running out of clean dishes and I sure would like to make me some shrimp salad.
#8
If you get the snake past the tee then you know its in the 2 ft section. If the clogg is past the tee them you need a long snake ir going from the roof.
Your calculation on how much water the pipe holds may not be accurate. There may still be water in the pipe....
All the mobile homes I worked in, the kitchen lines run from the front of the house all the way to the back wher the bathroom is. 80% of the time I would need to crawl under there, and cut the line to a workable snaking length. Then add a c/o when done, snaking in both directions.
Grease was always the culprit because the lines are never pitched properly in the mobile's.
Mike NJ
Your calculation on how much water the pipe holds may not be accurate. There may still be water in the pipe....
All the mobile homes I worked in, the kitchen lines run from the front of the house all the way to the back wher the bathroom is. 80% of the time I would need to crawl under there, and cut the line to a workable snaking length. Then add a c/o when done, snaking in both directions.
Grease was always the culprit because the lines are never pitched properly in the mobile's.
Mike NJ
#9
Member
Thread Starter
Calculator for Volume, Diameter, and Length of a Cylindrical Container or Tube
Yeah, I'm pretty careful with grease. I put it in a can in the fridge. Let the fun begin.
Yeah, I'm pretty careful with grease. I put it in a can in the fridge. Let the fun begin.
#10
I fell bad. I have snaked many a mobile home kitchen sinks. Its not fun because of the length, plus working under the mobile homes is not fun.
I could tell you stories of the things that attacked me under there. I did a sewer repair under one where the toilet ell broke. Raw sewage dumping under there for yrs. Could we say hazmat suit.
Days like that is when you feel you are not being paid enough, and just want to pump gas somewhere for minimum wage...LOL
Mike NJ
I could tell you stories of the things that attacked me under there. I did a sewer repair under one where the toilet ell broke. Raw sewage dumping under there for yrs. Could we say hazmat suit.
Days like that is when you feel you are not being paid enough, and just want to pump gas somewhere for minimum wage...LOL
Mike NJ
#11
Member
Thread Starter
Finally....FINALLY, we have success. Dumped 80 oz of Drano Max Gell in there....no joy. My plunger was from the 1800s and wanted to slide all over so I bought one of those new fangled plungers that are tapered on the bottom to fit the drain. What a difference. It took a while but it finally let go.
Thanks Mike!
Geezz, now I have to do dishes.
Thanks Mike!
Geezz, now I have to do dishes.
#13
Member
Thread Starter
ARRGGGG....it's doing it again. I so disgusted I could eat dirt.
Exactly. Not all the way but the horizontal is about 45'. So, if I were to call a plumber with a power snake, it would be 7' down the vent, 7' to center then a straight shot about 45' to the exit. Would that work or would he clean the first half then totally plug the second half when the snake got stuck?
Boy oh boy, I don't need this stuff with winter knocking on the door.
Thanks
All the mobile homes I worked in, the kitchen lines run from the front of the house all the way to the back wher the bathroom is.
Boy oh boy, I don't need this stuff with winter knocking on the door.
Thanks
#14
Hi again.
If he runs the snake through the roof vent he will be able to run water in the sink as he is snaking. This will be the best way to clear it.
I did not read through these old posts but if there are low spots ( bellies) in the line it will be prone to clogging.
Mike NJ
If he runs the snake through the roof vent he will be able to run water in the sink as he is snaking. This will be the best way to clear it.
I did not read through these old posts but if there are low spots ( bellies) in the line it will be prone to clogging.
Mike NJ