I own a top down duplex. I live in the lower unit, and a tenant lives in the upper unit. I have only owned the property for about a year. Something strange happens when the tenant upstairs takes a bath - I get water and grime backing up into my bathtub once the tenant pulls the drain plug. We've snaked the line and it did not help. I am thinking it could be because my bathtub drain is not connected to a vent outside. My plumbing was put in during the mid-60's. Suggestions?

Hi AB:

YUP... need to snake the drain better and then flush the drain line if possible.

Tell me...is there an accessible cleanout in the basement for this tub drain line..

If there is, great... want to access that cleanout, then use an electric snake (see pic.) with a cutter head on it and want to snake the drain until you can confirm that it has entered a larger drain pipe (toilet pipe? ). Then you will want to flush the drain line with a drain king sewer ballon tool (see pic.). Here, you hook a hose onto the end of the drain king tool, insert into drain line and then turn on the water to power flush the drain (ballon expands against the walls of pipe and blast water down drain... I use warm water).

The idea is to snake back and forth numerous times (not just once) then flush the drain a little to start (to confirm water flowing down drain), then want to flush full power for a few minutes. That should help reduce issues here.

IF there is not accessible clean out in basement... you may want to have a full size cleanout installed and then do what I just described.

Let me know what you think... MARK

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Hi Mark!

Will try this and let you know how it goes. I do not believe that I have a cleanout. The tub drain connects directly into the large sewer line. There is no p-trap and no vent. There are p-traps and vents on everything else but this bathtub.

There needs to be a ptrap and at the least an AAV (air admittance valve... see pic.) on that tub! It is against code not to have ptrap and vent and it allows sewer gasses into the house which is unhealthy for you and your family (never mind the methane gasses that can escape)!

You need to have a ptrap installed and a FULL SIZE CLEANOUT at the same time. This may in fact stop stuff from upstairs from coming into your tub!!

No exceptions to this rule!

Get back to me... MARK