Drain Cleaning

I need urgent help with cleaning the main drain

When I an running kitchen sink (upper level), the water is back flowing to the wer bar sink downstairs. The sink is filled with dirty water with very slow drainage.

Found something like this where the kitchen pipe comes down and (I think) meet the pipe from sink.
Gave a few turns and water drained out like magic. Hoping it will be better, turned a couple of more times and now water is blocked again

Is this a plug to clean the drain ? If so, how I open it ? After a few turns, nothing ?

 

If the water is pouring out of there when you pull the cap.... the clog is below that point. You can snake from that cleanout down.

I had a very similar problem today in my home. I have a general purpose snake that was able to use to grab an errant wad of paper towel that had gotten flushed down the toilet and was caught in a Y.

This is what I use for most of my home clogs. It's 25' long. There are longer ones. It's very basic but serves me well. RIDGID-Kwik-Spin-41348/203203829

 

The other option might be to open these clamps and clean ?

Forgot to mention, bathroom- both upper and lower, drains perfect

 

I'm surprised PJ's snake fixed his problem. In many cases when the clog gets in the main drain and stops you usually need the thick flat type of snake with the bullet end.

 

There is your answer. Yes, the square plug is called a cleanout. That's why it is there, so that you can open it up and snake the pipe. Like PJ mentioned, if you open up the cleanout and a lot of water immediately comes out, the clog is BELOW the cleanout, not necessarily above.

We don't know where all your pipes are so it's pretty hard for us to say why one fixture works and another doesn't based on one pucture. Maybe if you described it better we would understand what fixtures drain where... and if they all end up going down one pipe or the other in your photo.

One possibility is a poor connection between the cast iron above the fernco with the PVC below the fernco. That could be catching stuff and causing a slow draining clog. That bulge in the fernco doesn't look good. It's also not a shielded fernco, which it should be.

 

It's all in the handiwork.
I have bigger snakes but in a cramped area are a pain to use.


Based on your picture.... cleaning from the clean out plug should be fine.
Drains usually work ok. The water is draining... but slowly. When you flush the toilet... that large surge of water is what usually backs up.

 

Thanks, but the problem is I am not able to take out that plug no matter how many times I rotate it

 

Are you turning the square nut? The collar around it should not turn. If it does, it's not glued in and you should be able to yank it out of the wye.

 

You made it sound like you already had the plug out.
If not.... where was the water draining like magic from ??

 

Yes the square nut and no, the collar is not turning.

To the other question, water was draining from the drain after turning the nut a few times. Not sure if the movement loosened up some gunk Trying everything from detergent to vinegar to commercial cleaner.

 

The clean out plug is threaded and is about 3/4" thick, so you probably need to turn it about 8 revolutions before it comes out.

 

Keep turning it counter-clockwise. If it was stripped.... it wouldn't budge.

 

If there is a blockage it may have pressure behind it and that will cause the water to gush out as you unthread the plug. Be prepard for a lot of sewage water to hit you.