Plumbing issues: sink still not draining after replacing drain pipe

[Leros]

I've been battling with my apartment management for over a month trying to get my drain fixed. My kitchen sink would drain very slowly, backing up into the sink. They would send maintenance out, he would clear the pipe with a wire and things would be ok for about 2 days. This was repeated weekly for 7 weeks. They kept blaming it on me using the garbage disposal.

Last week, they came out and replaced the entire drain. Instead of going down into the foundation, the drain now goes over to the wall. I'm not quite sure what they did, but I can tell that the drain line runs horizontal for at least 5 feet. The sink worked great until I washed a load of dishes. Now my sink is backing up again, just like before. The thing is, I haven't used the garbage disposal at all since the new drain was put in.


This is very frustrating. I live in an apartment, so I'm not allowed to fix it myself. But do you guys have any input on this?

 

[Bignate603]

When he went at it with a wire how deep was he going to get to the clog? Was it just a foot or so or was he jamming a pipe snake way deep into it.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
When he went at it with a wire how deep was he going to get to the clog? Was it just a foot or so or was he jamming a pipe snake way deep into it.

He used a coat hanger actually, so not much further than 3 feet or so.

That part of the pipe was completely replaced. I have a hard time thinking that a 1.5" pipe could get clogged that fast.

 

[JDMnAR1]

Silly question, but did you try some Drano? If all he used was a coat hanger, he didn't do much more than push the clog down a little further most likely. If you only experienced issues when running the dishwasher, chances are the clog is far enough down where it takes a devent volume of water before it becomes an issue.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: JDMnAR1
Silly question, but did you try some Drano? If all he used was a coat hanger, he didn't do much more than push the clog down a little further most likely. If you only experienced issues when running the dishwasher, chances are the clog is far enough down where it takes a devent volume of water before it becomes an issue.

About 5 containers of drano have been used in the past 7 weeks.

 

[bctbct]

What did they attach the new drain pipe to?

 

[Bignate603]

When you washed dishes did you wash any junk down the sink? When he used a coat hanger did he get anything out of the pipe?

 

[Iron Woode]

hire a real plumber and give the bill to the landlord.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
hire a real plumber and give the bill to the landlord.

Plumbers won't come here unless the landlord calls them. The lease specifically says it too.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: Bignate603
When you washed dishes did you wash any junk down the sink? When he used a coat hanger did he get anything out of the pipe?

I scraped my plates off into a trash can. Then I rinsed my plates off in the sink, using a strainer to catch the bits of food. I'm sure that some food got into the pipes from the dishwasher.

I wasn't around when he used the coat hanger, so I'm not sure.

 

[rhino56]

sounds like the dishwasher needs a vent. is there a little cap thing on your sink like where a sprayer would be? if not try that.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: rhino56
sounds like the dishwasher needs a vent. is there a little cap thing on your sink like where a sprayer would be? if not try that.

Would that cause my sink to back up for days after running the dish washer? Its been two days since I ran it, and I'm still backed up.

 

[darkxshade]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: Bignate603
When you washed dishes did you wash any junk down the sink? When he used a coat hanger did he get anything out of the pipe?

I scraped my plates off into a trash can. Then I rinsed my plates off in the sink, using a strainer to catch the bits of food. I'm sure that some food got into the pipes from the dishwasher.

I wasn't around when he used the coat hanger, so I'm not sure.

It's usually not the food bits that clog the pipes, it's the grease that stick to the side of the pipes and hardens when you run cold water down the drain. When my pipe got clogged, the maintenance guy(I live in an apartment) came up, removed the pipes right under the sink, stuck a rag into the hole in the wall pushed it all the way through with a stick into the larger main pipe. I wouldn't suggest doing that though but just giving you an idea of how I got mine cleared.

 

[rhino56]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: rhino56
sounds like the dishwasher needs a vent. is there a little cap thing on your sink like where a sprayer would be? if not try that.

Would that cause my sink to back up for days after running the dish washer? Its been two days since I ran it, and I'm still backed up.

it shouldnt no, sounds like a blockage somewhere else down the line. how old is the place?
if it has old cast iron pipes for drains they may need replaced. you could try some drain cleaning stuff from home depot, look for the kind that has acid in it, boric i think.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: rhino56

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: rhino56
sounds like the dishwasher needs a vent. is there a little cap thing on your sink like where a sprayer would be? if not try that.

Would that cause my sink to back up for days after running the dish washer? Its been two days since I ran it, and I'm still backed up.

it shouldnt no, sounds like a blockage somewhere else down the line. how old is the place?
if it has old cast iron pipes for drains they may need replaced. you could try some drain cleaning stuff from home depot, look for the kind that has acid in it, boric i think.

Its about 40 years old. The pipes under the sink are plastic, as are the new pipe. It looks like the old drain went into a metal pipe in the floor.

The old pipe went straight into the ground under the sink, the new pipe goes 5 feet over, then into the wall. I'm sure where it goes from there.

Would a blockage further down the line affect my shower, because that drains just fine. I can drain a bath full of water in about a minute.

 

[rhino56]

if you add more water to the sink will it go back down to a certain level or just get higher?

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: rhino56
if you add more water to the sink will it go back down to a certain level or just get higher?

The sink drains, just slow.

I can run the sink for about 1 minute. I can hear the drain filling up with water. Then it starts filling up the sink. If I stop, it drains out, just slowly. Say 1" of water would take 15-30 seconds to drain.

But I can't run the water for more than minute without it backing up.

 

[darkxshade]

The only other suggestion I can provide you is to hire a well endowed male porn star to clear out those drains.

 

[huberm]

is the drain vented properly?

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: huberm
is the drain vented properly?

I'm not sure. How would I be able to tell?

 

[NoShangriLa]

Depends on where the clog is, but it could be that there is a clog near the kitchen sink. Undo or cut out the kichen sink p-trap and make sure that it is clean. Run a snake into the trap arm if needed.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: huberm
is the drain vented properly?

I'm not sure. How would I be able to tell?

It is nothing have to do with the vent. The vent is there to make sure that siphoning affect doesn't happen so that there is water seal in the trap. Sewer gas anyone?

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
hire a real plumber and give the bill to the landlord.

Plumbers won't come here unless the landlord calls them. The lease specifically says it too.

seriously? If I were a plumber and you called me I'd show up...money is money. Your getting reimbursed is between you and your landlord, not me. Do you live in a government project?

I'd rent a drain snake from Lowes or a tool place and snake your drain.

Maintenance in your rental resorting to a coat hanger is pretty fucked up though. Most would not make it past the trap in length or flexibility.

In one place I rented I really fucked up the drain when I used the disposal to grind up a whole bag of rotted celery that was left in my fridge when I moved in.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Depends on where the clog is, but it could be that there is a clog near the kitchen sink. Undo or cut out the kichen sink p-trap and make sure that it is clean. Run a snake into the trap arm if needed.

That was completely replaced and the problem still persists.

 

[rhino56]

yeah sounds like clogged pipes down the line somewhere, put hot water into the drains as best as you can, then the home depot stuff, let it sit for about 15-30 min, follow with hot water.