Drain Problems

[mjarrels]

I have a 120 year old house that I rent to others... Many upgrades throughout the years... Darn kitchen sink keeps clogging up... No roof vent pipes in the house... I took the PVC trap apart today and cleaned... no problems... All PVC under kitchen pipes look brand new and are clean inside... Toilet and showers work fine... I really can't afford a $200.00 or more plumber bill right now... any ideals? Dang kitchen drains is still stopped up!

mark

 

[ultrarunner]

My biggest problem with Renters and Kitchen Sinks is Grease.

Renters have ruined all of my Cast Iron Pipes because the they pour drain acid down the pipe to clear the grease... which only eats out the pipes from the inside. I just finished a replacement this weekend and one more to go.

At least the ABS pipe isn't effected by the Acid...

I think you will either need to run an auger or get one of the "Balloons" that attach to the end of a garden hose to push the obstruction free.

I finally ended up buying a used commercial sewer rooter and a hand held ink snake... they paid for themselves in no time....

 

[Diesel-ME]

I have a 120 year old house that I rent to others... Many upgrades throughout the years... Darn kitchen sink keeps clogging up... No roof vent pipes in the house... I took the PVC trap apart today and cleaned... no problems... All PVC under kitchen pipes look brand new and are clean inside... Toilet and showers work fine... I really can't afford a $200.00 or more plumber bill right now... any ideals? Dang kitchen drains is still stopped up!

mark

You already have the answer - "No roof vent pipes in the house..."
You have to have good venting on the kitchen sink to avoid that slow build-up of crud as well as the short-term clogs. If it's not possible to add a real vent then maybe install an air admittance valve (if it's legal or you don't care (hey - it's your house!). Just google air admittance valve to see what I mean.

Good luck, Paul

 

[CATMAN]

Is there a vent built into the sink with a chrome cover on it? I'm no plumber, but what I've seen on "This Old House"; you still have to have an open vent above the sink "trap". I just looked under my kitchen sink and my vent line tee's off with one hose to the dishwasher and the other hose goes to the garbage disposal (which is ABOVE the sink trap). The actual vent itself up on the top of the sink itself(beside the vegetable sprayer). Does any of this sound similair to your set-up?

Special Note: That vent line has a constant downward slope TO the garbage disposal so no liquids ever SET or ACCUMULATE in the vent line!​

Hope some of this helps, It just a guess on my part.

 

[JB4310]

Mark,
Can you follow the pvc pipe to the main sewer or does it go under a basement floor, you might have some galvanized or cast iron drain pipe that does choke off from the inside.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

AAV's are about $10 at Lowes.
it may be as simple as adding one behind the trap.

 

[ultrarunner]

Is there a vent built into the sink with a chrome cover on it? I'm no plumber, but what I've seen on "This Old House"; you still have to have an open vent above the sink "trap". I just looked under my kitchen sink and my vent line tee's off with one hose to the dishwasher and the other hose goes to the garbage disposal (which is ABOVE the sink trap). The actual vent itself up on the top of the sink itself(beside the vegetable sprayer). Does any of this sound similair to your set-up?

Special Note: That vent line has a constant downward slope TO the garbage disposal so no liquids ever SET or ACCUMULATE in the vent line!​

Hope some of this helps, It just a guess on my part.

I think the part you mentioned is a vacuum breaker or anti-syphon. It's purpose is to prevent a backed upped waste water from flowing into your clean dishwasher and contaminating it.

They sure can be a pain in the rear... especially with rentals. I no longer have any dishwashers or garbage disposals in mine... just too many tenant caused problems.

The easiest solution, if it is possible, might be to just run a new ABS line and abandon the existing?

 

[CATMAN]

Thanks Ultrarunner for the explanation. Good thing I put my disclaimer in there "I'm no plumber"

 

[mjarrels]

Well... $80.00's latter and the drain line is now open. Plummer bill wasn't as bad as I thought.

mark

 

[Nissan197]

What was the problem? Did the plumber tell you?