Hello! I'm looking for advice about some bathroom plumbing issues. We live on the ground floor of a condo building that has a cement slab. The tub in our bathroom has an extremely slow drain (ankles submerged during a shower). We've tried to snake the tub drain both through the drain and by removing the overflow plate. Neither way was very successful. Also, we just realized that if we fill the sink and then drain it, that action causes water to overflow from the tub...

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks so much!

Lulu

Could be a clogged vent pipe not allowing the drain to breath. Could be a clog down line from the tub. Are you on a septic system, or public sewer? If on septic system does the grey water go out to a different outlet than that of the septic tank?

We aren't sure, but imagine that we're connected to the city sewer system. Do you have advice for clearing a clogged vent pipe? There are 3 other apartments above us...

While a blocked vent will cause a fixture to drain slow and vent through the trap it very seldom will cause a blockage with a backup and that's exactly what you hgave4

"we just realized that if we fill the sink and then drain it, that action causes water to overflow from the tub."
This tells me that the clog's downstream from the junction of the tub and lavatory drain. The solution would be to snake from the lavatory roof vent, (put out enough cable to reach the base and 20 feet more) or go back down the tub waste and overflow and this time put out enough cable to reach the clog. Good luck, Tom

If you're renting in an apartment building, this probably shouldn't be your problem... the building owner/manager needs to call a plumber at no cost to you.

On the other hand, I could understand wanting to take care of it yourself!

Tom is an expert plumber, and his suggestion sounds right on... a blockage BEYOND where the sink and tub drains meet.

Do you know where the main waste stack is? Be sure to use enough snake to reach the main stack, and you should get the clog.

You may have trouble getting the snake past the trap in the tub... it may be easier to remove the trap from the sink, and go in directly that way, or there may be an access panel so you could do the same at the tub.

Good luck!

~aaron


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Thanks all. We actually just bought the place, so I believe it's our problem :) we'll try snaking from the sink...

If you snake from the lavatory trap you will have to navigate past, the bend in the trap tail, the 90 in the wall, the sanitary tee on the stack and the 90 at the base before you can even hit a straight stretch of drain that takes you to the clog. A easier way with less bends would to go down the lavatory roof vent or the tub waste and overflow. If you go down the vent or overflow you will have only one bend to get around. Your choice, Tom

Thanks tom. We've previously tried snaking from the overflow and didn't get too far. I thought the sink might be worth a try?

All you have in the tub waste and overflow is a return bend in the trap. Once you crank and work your way around that you'll have clear sailing all the way to the blockage. Good luck, Tom