Hi, I am wondering if anyone can help me figure out what to do next:

I have a sewer gas smell in my bathroom. I had the toilet replaced with a new flange and wax ring. That didn't take care of the problem, so I got up on the roof and flushed the vent pipe with the garden hose. It caused the water to shoot up through the sink in the stinky bathroom. I continued to run the hose until the water coming up the sink was clear with no debris. Does this mean the clog is somewhere between the sink drain and the sewer? Normally the sink drains a little slow, but not too bad, which is why I originally thought it was the toilet. I have cleaned all the traps. Thanks for your help.

Sounds like the water diverted itself to the sink due to a clog between the main sewer and the pipe running into you bathroom. There's probably a "Y" connection that leads the waste from the toilet and the sink/shower drains into the main pipe.

A good drain system has cleanouts located in places that are easy to access. These cleanouts allow access to the pipes so you can auger the pipes to clear away clogs.

Leading from a sink to a drain pipe in the wall, you will usually find a trap made of special materials that can be easily disassembled for cleaning and augering. Traps are usually P-shaped, so that a slug of water forms a seal at the bottom; this seal prevents gases from entering the room.

So if you can find a long enough auger, you can get to the main pipe and flush out the clog.

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I got up on the roof and flushed the vent pipe with the garden hose. It caused the water to shoot up through the sink in the stinky bathroom.

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Hi Ellen,
Dabba was right. You have a partial blockage downstream from the lavatory sanitary tee. The drain will accept the lavatory discharge but when you run a hose down there you load up the system. The answer would be to send a snake down the same roof vent you hosed out.
Put out enough cable to reach the base and 16 feet more. Flush with your trusty garden hose. Good luck, Tom

DaBaAd,

Thanks for your help. Would I insert the auger under the sink? How long would the auger need to be? Is this something you think an amateur could do or should I call a plumber?
Thanks again!

Good morning Ellen,

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Would I insert the auger under the sink?

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No! The snake should go down the same vent you hosed out.

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How long would the auger need to be?

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Long enough to reach the base of the vent and 16 feet more.

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Is this something you think an amateur could do or should I call a plumber?

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It depends upon how handy you are and if you have some help. You will need to rent a sewer machine, (see image) and take it up on the roof. A boy friend or a neighbor helping would make the job go easier but going it alone would be a chore for a lady. Let me know what you decide. Good luck, Tom

Speedball,

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to the hardware store to rent an auger this morning, I'll let you know how it turns out!

Ellen

Speedball and DaBaAd,

Thanks for the advice! Today I rented a sewer snake--we took it up on the roof (no small feat!) and were able to remove the blockage. After that we were able to run the hose down the vent pipe again with no back up into the smelly sink. Thanks so much for your help, you saved us the expense of calling a plumber!

Ellen

Glad to hear you got this taken care of.

No prob Ellen,
Glad we could help. More problems? We're as close as a click. Cheers, Tom