Let me start by saying that I don't know a great deal about plumbing, so hopefully this makes sense. I just bought a house which has the clothes washer in the basement. Directly above on the main floor is the kitchen. The kitchen sink drain pipe takes two 90 degree turns and then comes through the floor into the basement and empties into the main sewer line in the basement floor. The clothes washer has a standpipe connected at the same spot in the main sewer line as the kitchen. If you put water in the sink and then drain it all at once, it comes flowing out of the standpipe and onto the floor (and quite a bit of water). If you just run the tap without all the volume of draining the sink then it has not problem. The standpipe has a trap situated about 4" off the floor and the standpipe rises about 30" above the trap. Could there be something blocking the sewerline? Anyhelp would be appreciated. Thanks.

P.S. When the washer is draining it does not back up, only the sink water causes a problem.

Hi Josh:

Yup, sounds like drain is clogged.. may even be the main drain line starting to get fully blocked.

Are you on sewer or septic? If septic, it should have been pumped before you moved in..

You need to look for the main drain cleanout and try some tests to determine if isolated issue or whole house issue. The main drain line can be found in the basement at street side of building or if septic cleanout may be inside or outside back near foundation wall. The brass or plastic cleanout plug should be about 4 inches across.

If possible, you want to remove the plug and then flood the system with water from sinks/toilets and washing machine if possible. See if water backs up/out of the main drain cleanout. If it does, then need to snake the drain line with an electric snake (see pic). If cleanout is brought to grade outside, then may only hear water backing up drain and then will flood inside... still a main issue here.

This being new home, you may have protection against such things... if main clogged, call real estate agent and see what she can do... may be able to be reimbursed for damages.. and may even be able to squeeze money for future repair of outside pipe IF ROOTS PRESENT... that would be an old issue that should have been revealed at time of sale... many pretend it is first time issue, but usually isn't, AND good plumber/drain guy can tell you.. ok?

Get back to us with information/answers to my questions... see what else we can think of... MARK


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You have a partial blockage in the drain line. It will allow a small volume of water to pass but will back up when a larger volume is discharged. The solution would be to snake the line from the kitchen roof vent. Put out enough cable to reach the base and 15feet more. Good luck, tom

Thanks Mark, I am on a sewer system. I could not find the cleanout, I am wondering if where the kitchen sink/washer drain is the cleanout access. I have included a picture for you to look at. The ABS pipe on the right is the stackpipe for the washer and the copper pipe on the left is coming from the kitchen sink. The cast iron (?) pipe it hooks into on the bottom goes directly into the concrete floor of the basement. Anyway, have a look and let me know what you think. I thought about pulling the copper pipe off and having a look in the cast iron pipe. There is a piece of rubber flex hose between the copper pipe and the cast iron section. Thanks again.

Here is a link to the photo:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2175/...g?v=1205707437

Hi Josh:

Again, thanks for pic. It helps so much!

First of all... the main drain cleanout. City sewer it is, so it should be on street side of house 2 feet inside or outside foundation. Otherwise, follow the largest plumbing pipe you see in the house into the floor and see where it leads you. That large pipe should have a cleanout just before it goes into the ground (stack cleanout)? Look around.. there is a main drain cleanout somewhere there. You really need to rule out the main drain.

If can't find main cleanout, can still tell if main drain by flushing all toilets and turning on all sinks, the washing machine, etc. and seeing if floods out the standpipe. IF this overflows the standpipe, then you will definitely need to find the main drain cleanout, so can snake the main drain.

But for now, the picture you posted showed a flexible connector at the drain pipe (as you also stated). I would remove this connector and see if the pipe above it is flexible enough to shift aside maybe 1/2 the pipe width or so..? Then flood the drain with a hose... confirm it backs up here. Then with the hose keeping drain line semi-full of water snake the drain from there... when hit the blockage, water will react by bobbing and gushing and finally a good woosh sound once you clear it (washes blockage out better then just drain cleaning without water). Trick with drains is going in and then pulling snake back out in case something on end... if not, in/out, in/out, etc. until you clear block (I don't think that sounded good... did it? ;) ).

Anyway, that is way to go if NOT main drain line. Flood the place, see if overflows the standpipe. If only sink and washer involved rent a 3/8" electric snake (see pic#1) with various heads if possible and snake from the flexi connector (be careful not to let the pipe drop off the bottom pipe... unless you support with blocks? ). If main drain, rent the larger cable machine and FIND THAT CLEANOUT!! ;) (see pic.#2... pics. Aren't to scale... but you get the point)

Hey, let me know... Mark

If this helped, please RATE THIS ANSWER... Thank you. Mark

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Sounds and looks a venting problem. From the picture, it looks like the system has been modified since it was originally installed. The ABS section looks like its been adapted to what was once a cleanout. Curious how you made out with this repair.