clogged drain, vent, something...update...think i got it

[salty87]

my kitchen sink, dishwasher, and washing machine all share the same vent.

when the washing machine drains, water backs up into the sink. this is new.

i've snaked (25') the washer's standpipe, the sink, and the vent...still have water backing up.

what's next...longer snake?

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

my kitchen sink, dishwasher, and washing machine all share the same vent.

when the washing machine drains, water backs up into the sink. this is new.

i've snaked (25') the washer's standpipe, the sink, and the vent...still have water backing up.

what's next...longer snake?

Yes, and main drain cleanout.

 

[v1_0]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

my kitchen sink, dishwasher, and washing machine all share the same vent.

when the washing machine drains, water backs up into the sink. this is new.

i've snaked (25') the washer's standpipe, the sink, and the vent...still have water backing up.

what's next...longer snake?

Pipecleaner.

A snake will clear any blockages. However, it may be that your pipes have build up in them, effectively making them into smaller pipes...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

Does it drain to a city system or do you have a separate tank for all that gray water? I agree that the pipes might need a good cleaning. If you can get a larger head for the snake???? I am willing to bet grease build up, the septic is not leaching out properly or the city system is clogged.

When your washer drains it is filling the pipes then it is making noise and not draining.

 

[salty87]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

thanks for the replies.

i'm on a septic tank. it was cleaned out prior to my wife and i moving in 5 years ago. there's only the 2 of us so i'd be surprised if it was full. we never get any wet spots in the yard or smells and the washing machine is the only thing that backs water up.

i'll run some near boiling hot water through and cross my fingers. trying to avoid too many chemicals with the septic system.

 

[salty87]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...UPDATE...worse now

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...UPDATE...worse now

ok, now we're getting somewhere...psych, not really. i'm at the 2 steps back part still.

anyway, after trying to open things up with steaming hot water this morning...we're 95% clogged now. water takes several minutes to drain whereas before it would drain immediately, but the washing machine would overwhelm the system.

i got a 50' snake, it wouldn't go down the sink drain (after the P trap) but i got it completely down both vents. the other vent is above the 2 bathrooms. the tubs have drained a little slow for a while. draino has worked in the past. i have visions of properly draining fixtures...

i also got the snake about 25' down the standpipe, seemed to hit a corner it couldn't make. the 50' snake is kinda dangerous inside anyway.

i've looked for the main drain cleanout, haven't found it. i don't like crawlspaces either, i'm 6'3"...it's not even close, lol.

there's a cleanout below the sink drain, i'll see if i can't get the snake down there. but, if i've already gone 50' down the vent i don't see how it will change things. i guess i'm not getting paid to think though, lol.

UPDATE II...50' down the cleanout to the kitchen sink and the snake came out dripping wet. i tried attacking things from the bathrooms but can't get access to the tub, drains block it. and when i try to go at it from the bathroom sink, the angle of the pipe directs the snake toward the tub and a dead end.

i haven't pulled out anything particularly gross....yet.

 

[rbh]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Had the same problem almost last month, when the washer drained it would come out the bathroom sink, plugged the sink drain when it started to come up and the washers pump blew whatever the obstruction was away thank god.
Try some compressed air with the drains closed and or draino.
remember that you do not put grease down into a septic field and you put those septic packs of bacteria in at least every two months.
good luck.
rob

 

[fat fanny]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

At this point you are going to have to check the septic tank level most likely full and or almost, If not the vent pipe exiting your house more than likely through the roof could be obstructed with bird nestings a snake and or shop vac can solve that issues pretty quick, Next you have to remember that water is gonna find it's path of least resistance so if one drain is pushing water out anothers drain it's just process of elimination and @ this point finding the drain pipes for the fixtures in question are in a crawl space thats where you should start. You will be suprised how simple plumbing work is to do once you you pay a plumber to fix something you could have done for 20.00 and he charges you 300.00 just to shimmy into a crawl space and disconnect some pires and shove a snake through unless it's old galvinized pipe that has 50 or 60 years of drain build up that hardens like rock if this is an uncomfortable thought try some CLR and just dump it into the drains in question and let them sit overnight this stuff does work but as far as draino goes it's the biggest fantasy plumbing fix known to man when it comes to issues like this. Now as far as the vents go most all houses share only one vent as long as thier all connected to a larger clear stack that isn't obstructed. But for your issue I'm betting one of your fixtures drains are plugged that you just haven't gotten to yet. Good luck !!!!!!!!!

 

[dwco5051]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Most modern septic tanks have a baffle just inside the tank where the house drain connects. This is a common place for blockage. If the original intaller inserted the drain too far into the tank it will end up too close to the baffle. Even if installed correctly it will sometimes be partially blocked at this point. If it was partially blocked before your running the snake through the pipes you may have broken up grease and crud lining the pipe walls and it lodged there making the problem you were having worse. If it was a recent installation by code there sould be a 4" pipe from an inspection port above the baffle to ground level or just below. If you can find this pipe open the cap and take a look down while a faucet is running. You should see a free flow of water into the tank. If not and a lot of grease and crud is built up there a few good pokes with a stick will break it up. At five years you are getting close to the time to have the tank pumped for solids. If worse comes to worse have the tank pumped and the baffle cleaned by the pros. It will just mean spending about $200 a year or so sooner than you would have to anyway.

 

[v1_0]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

thanks for the replies.

i'm on a septic tank. it was cleaned out prior to my wife and i moving in 5 years ago. there's only the 2 of us so i'd be surprised if it was full.

Has it been raining lately?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

Re: clogged drain, vent, something

I guess I am lucky to have 4" clean outs at both of my drain/septic systems. Just take your time and maybe some serious acid (sulfuric) drain cleaner but be very careful.

 

[salty87]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

the house was built in 81, pier and beam. plastic pipes inside the house, haven't looked under yet.

it hasn't rained lately.

snake has been down both vents, 50', kitchen sink, and about 25' into the standpipe.

i haven't figured out how to get the snake into the bathroom end of the house. i need to figure out how to get it down the bathtub or get it to make an impossible angle going thru the bathroom sink.

i know where the access is to the septic tank, still have found any cleanouts though. maybe i'll peak under the house. i'll give the standpipe another shot too.

if anyone knows how to get fairly big snake down a tub...i'd like to know.

thanks for the help

 

[fat fanny]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Most of the services (bathtubs, sinks ) will not accept a large diameter snake you will have to go with a smaller dia most are relatively inexspensive (harbor frieght) and work very well negotiating tight angled fittings (90's,t's and smaller dia. pipe but I warn you be carfull using any snake on plastic. You can try entering the tubs vent with the snake most are connected to drain straight shot directly down within 6 to 8 inches. But as said yesterday I think your gonna have to enter the crawl space to realy get anywhere with this issue.

 

[dolluper]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update....worse now

Have you got on the roof and snaked down the vent pipe yet....all the traps are clear of qbjects

 

[salty87]

think i got it

think i got it

i must have gotten it. there was never an AH-HA moment, no wooshing water sounds, nothing retrieved on the snake.

i was about to give up and call someone shorter and more motivated to crawl under the house. i thought i should try draining the washing machine again before calling. after emptying 4 loads of water, everything is draining as designed. the bathtubs 'seem' to drain faster too.

my fingers are crossed but i wouldn't be surprised if this is just a head fake...weekend plumbers rates coming up.

thanks, again

 

[j_martin]

Re: clogged drain, vent, something...update...think i got it

Good luck on that

I have a septic system also. I had a lot of this kind of trouble and it turned out that the main 4" pipe to the septic tank had a pretty good sag in it where it spanned the original dig for the foundation. The dip would hold water, and cooking grease would solidify there. About once a year it would plug up like yer talking. It always flowed, but things just didn't work right.

I dug it up and leveled it. I had added about 6 kids to the family, so I rebuilt and expanded the drain field at the same time. No trouble since. I Pump the solids out of the slightly undersized digester tank about every 4 years.

hope it helps
John