Sorry for the long text (please ask questions if needed):

I live in a NYC coop with 12 floors. The handyman came up to auger the tub drain because brown water was coming up (daily drain liquids/boiling water did nothing). It would pass the drain and then go down and over again. He went through the overflow area after removing the plate. He said he did not need to go through the drain at the bottom. He pulled out the spiral plug holder (which we don’t use) and there was a 3” X 2” circular plug of white/cream colored guck which squeezed in a paper towel felt like firm wax. He went in and out while pulling more guck until the auger went in with no pressure (about 4’). The running water went down with no problem. He let it fill for about a minute and it hardly filled and he said it was done. I hadn’t seen the water go down that well in years. He said if I didn't use the lever for the interior plug, he would remove the spiral metal thing so the guck would have less to build up on. I suggested we see how this goes and he left it as it was.

2 weeks later I am washing my hands in the b/r sink (right next to the tub) and I noticed the (now clear water) coming up. I watched and the water sat there. I shut the water to ask my wife if she had the kitchen faucet on (behind the wall in the next room) and the drain emptied and she said yes. I turned the b/r sink water on again and the tub drain filled again.
Off, down the water went and on it came up again. I did this until no water came up in tub and my wife said she shut the kitchen water off.

Testing time: When the b/r sink is on, no water came up in tub drain. When the kitchen water was on, no water came up in tub drain. When it was on AND the b/r sink water was on, the tub water came up (on the first auger visit, the brown water would not only be found in the bottom of the tub, it wouldn't go down).

The management will not pay for a plumber, or auger person. I am disabled and cannot afford to fight them. The handyman is nice and wants to help and when he came the second time he told me what I had been told for years, each apartment has 3 stacks (sinks, tub and toilet). He said the only thing he could do was go under each sink and auger them, but the board won’t give him time to do that. He said if I find an answer he will be willing to try and convince the board (they do not like me and feel I am a complainer) about what has to be done and try. He felt as long as they know the water went down the tub and the other stacks do NOT meet, he can do nothing else.

Anything I can tell him would be appreciated.

IF you need to know this if you go to the kitchen and turn on the water, 8 out of 10 times the water would collect (come up into sink). You would have to let the water on and then shut it off so water would leave drain (bubbles would come up). Otherwise you cannot place dishes in the sink (dirty water and you have to disinfect sink). Also, the toilet has a similar issue. It takes about 8 flushes (water from tank comes into bowl and it fills, but no whoooosh) to get the bowl to empty (whoooosh). Each time you flush you see bubbles come up from the bottom except when it empties. This has all been going on for years and the building has ignored us about it saying there is nothing they can do.

Please no need to tell me about venting, or about 5th (our) floor apartment design errors, or a video camera has to go into line to look for air, or defects (plumber wanted over a $1K to do that). Years ago they brought a 100' auger and did the tub to the basement. They said they had to go from there to the sewer line, but couldn't. Nothing changed.

if you go to the kitchen and turn on the water, 8 out of 10 times the water would collect (come up into sink). You would have to let the water on and then shut it off so water would leave drain (bubbles would come up). Otherwise you cannot place dishes in the sink (dirty water and you have to disinfect sink).
The "J" bend of the trap must be removed and a snake sent into the wall. (see image) You will need to put about 7 feet of snake out before you hit the stack.

the toilet has a similar issue. It takes about 8 flushes (water from tank comes into bowl and it fills, but no whoooosh) to get the bowl to empty (whoooosh). Each time you flush you see bubbles come up from the bottom except when it empties
I have one that most repair plumbers miss.. Look down at the bottom of the bowl. If there is a small hole, then that is a jet that starts the syphon action. If it's clogged the water will just swirl around and slowly go down leaving solids behind. Take your finger,(UGH! ) and run it around the inside of the opening. Over the years minerals build up and cut down on the syphon (flush) action. If it is rough or you feel build up, take a table knife and put a bend in it to get around the curve in the bowl and chip and scrap it clear. Next take a coathanger and clear out the holes around the rim. They start the swirling action. And last, check the water level in the tank. It should be 1/2" below the top of the over flow tube. And speaking of the overflow tube, Make sure the small 1/8" tube from the ballcock to the white overflow tube is connected so it discharges in it and that it's flowing when the ballcock fills. This is what raises the water level in the bowl. For a good solid flush they all have to work together.
If that don't fix your problem the toilet must come up and the drain snaked. Good luck, Tom

I received a reply to my question about tub filling with water after drain reamed and Speedball1 was kind enough to respond, however I don not know how to reply. I cannot find a link on response page.

I received a reply to my question about tub filling with water after drain reamed and Speedball1 was kind enough to respond, however I don not know how to reply. I cannot find a link on response page.


Don't know if this is how to respond? Handyman came up and said he did not know what J bend is, or where to find it? Under b/r sink, or kitchen sink. He also added that there was one connection to one stack and not 3 separate lines. He asked if the J was behind the tub where it connects to kitchen and then what is he disconnecting? If it is under a sink, why can't he insert auger into elbow bottom (if that is where image indicates)?

Sorry Speedball1 for my confusion. I happen to reach a plumber kind enough to speak with me. He told me J bend was sink elbow. He told me your image showed it with elbow removed. He said your advice was correct and the kitchen not b/r sink J should be augered, however he said it may resolve at stack, or not. In which case he would have to auger further into stack. Since b/r drain has always emptied and not kitchen, that elbow can be left alone. He added clear water coming up now in tub is still dirty because it comes into contact with drain below. Sound good? Thank you for toilet suggestions too. I appreciate it.