My name is JC and I just moved into a house and I have been finding a lot of problems with various items but now it is the plumbing. I hear noises in the kitchen drain when the washing machine running. I noticed the washing machine is on the same drain line as the sink. Is there a way to stop the gurgling noise. Also when ever I run water in the sink I hear noise as if the water is having trouble draining. It looks as if the vent pipes are open but what is making this noise.

speedball1

Hey JC,
Looks are decieving. You need to snake out both the washer vent and the kitchen sink vent. The gurgle you hear is the washer venting through the water in the kitchen sink trap. This is no big deal and If you wish to do the job yourself it shouldn't take much over a hour. good luck, Tom

jc8906

The washer is in the basement and I noticed that the drain line was put in after the original plumbing. There is what looks like a vent line next to the drain line but it has been cut and it just there. I am going to have to do some more looking but I do not know where the vent lines are. I think there is only one vent line. In the bath room when I run water in the sink I can hear the water going out in the basement main drain. What will I have to do to correct these problems?

speedball1

Hi JC,

"There is what looks like a vent line next to the drain line but it has been cut and it just there."
If the vent doesn't revent back into a dry vent or go out the roof then you have a direct open connection from your house to the sewer. This is unsafe and will allow sewer gas to excape into your house. Sewer gas is a health hazard to your family and the methane contant is explosive. Call in outside help at once to bring your home up to code. At the same time he can clear the clogged vent. Good luck and keep me informed. Tom

jc8906

The vent line leads to the roof another vent line had been hook up. I do not know why the first vent line was cut and there is no sewer line open just an open air vent.

speedball1

If you have a vent such as you have described, ("There is what looks like a vent line next to the drain line but it has been cut and it just there." ) Then you have a direct open connection from the city sewer to your home. This open vent will exhaust sewer gas from the open end. Either revent back into a dry vent, run it out the roof or cap it off. good luck, Tom

jc8906

You told me in one of your replies that I needed to snake out the vent. I am going to do that and if I do not find anything clogging the vent do I need check all the individual vents? Should every sink and toilet be vented? Plumbing is something that I know nothing about so I will give you as much information that I can about the problem.

speedball1

"There is what looks like a vent line next to the drain line but it has been cut and it just there."
I'mv still waiting for a explanation of this. Do you have a vent that's not connected? Waiting on you, Tom

jc8906

I think it is but I am going to have to snake it out to make sure. What they may have done was cut the vent line that was going to the kitchen and reattached it somewhere else. There is not sump pump in the basement and the washing machine has to pump 5 feet up to a drain. Is it necessary to install a sump pump.

speedball1

. Is it necessary to install a sump pump?
Not unless flooding's a problem.