Slow kitchen drain
#1
09-03-20, 03:43 PM
Join Date: Sep 2020
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Slow kitchen drain
Ok. We have a septic tank in case that’s important.
the kitchen sink recently started backing up. I dumped a ton of drain cleaner down there. Just about every brand and type there is. Even thought it might be dead bacteria in the tank so dumped septic shock last and waited a day or two but still no change. I snaked the drain as best I could but eventually hit a bend that I could not get past. You can hear the snake hitting on the joint. So I noticed there is an air admittance valve. Bought a cheap one to replace. Still backing up so I bought an expensive one. Still backing up.
if I remove the valve the drain works better but only to a point. If I throw too much water at one time like a load of laundry or dish washer it will overflow at the point where the valve SHOUKD BE. If I only use the sink at half flow I can use it without issues (except for not having the valve.)
the kitchen sink recently started backing up. I dumped a ton of drain cleaner down there. Just about every brand and type there is. Even thought it might be dead bacteria in the tank so dumped septic shock last and waited a day or two but still no change. I snaked the drain as best I could but eventually hit a bend that I could not get past. You can hear the snake hitting on the joint. So I noticed there is an air admittance valve. Bought a cheap one to replace. Still backing up so I bought an expensive one. Still backing up.
if I remove the valve the drain works better but only to a point. If I throw too much water at one time like a load of laundry or dish washer it will overflow at the point where the valve SHOUKD BE. If I only use the sink at half flow I can use it without issues (except for not having the valve.)
#2
09-03-20, 05:47 PM
You definitely have a clog. Removing the AAV is allowing it to drain a bit better, but there's still a clog.
Snaking a drain line is more of an art than science. You'll probably need to figure out how to get the snake past that elbow, or get a professional in. The second problem with kitchen drains is that it's usually grease that causes the clog. A small-headed snake will often just poke a hole through the grease, without really clearing it.
If you turn the sink on full blast, how long until it starts backing up? This will give you a clue as to how close or how far away the clog might be down the line.
Lastly, myself (and most others here) don't recommend chemical drain cleaners. They rarely work and cause a hazard when you do have to snake it as you want to be sure not to get that in your eyes or on your skin.
Snaking a drain line is more of an art than science. You'll probably need to figure out how to get the snake past that elbow, or get a professional in. The second problem with kitchen drains is that it's usually grease that causes the clog. A small-headed snake will often just poke a hole through the grease, without really clearing it.
If you turn the sink on full blast, how long until it starts backing up? This will give you a clue as to how close or how far away the clog might be down the line.
Lastly, myself (and most others here) don't recommend chemical drain cleaners. They rarely work and cause a hazard when you do have to snake it as you want to be sure not to get that in your eyes or on your skin.
CasualJoe
voted this post useful.
