Hi Tom and all others actively here. How would be possible to open the drain before desperately having to hire someone cut off ABS(?) pipes somewhere possible at basement ceilling. Time Frame: 2 weeks hopefully to resolve this. I would post photos if possible. No all others sinks clogged except these 2 in these kitchen regular dual sinks and with dishwasher hose connected on 45 degree at the horizonal section.Here is the story:
Day 1, slowly draining at about 1L/hour, used plunger at sink basin for 5~10 minutes, found 2 of 5mm L X3mm W X 2 mm high black/green jelly like pieces of scum pumped up to the sink basin, removed the U trap underneath the sink basin to see nothing there; Used a wire to snake up to the T junction that is vertically up to the vent(?) and down to the basement. Put back the U trap to see it worked worse at 1L/3 hour. Pour grease cutting powder over night to see it did not help after pouring hot water.

Day 2, Noticed the volume from the blockage to the sink basin is about 3 litres by pouring 3L hot water into to see standing water after over night draining,bought a 15 feet snake auger, removed the U trap and inserted the snake from there, at about 7 feet, touched the blockage and pulled up white degergent powder like solid scum,hair and fibres. Snaked in for 4~5 times more, attempting to get all of them out, but failed with nothing out there, even with snaking up to 10 feet or more(could not get further in, because the snake is weak and unable to drill further down). Did some experiements to see what can dissolve those: 1. Sodium solution only. 2. White vinger of 5% only. 3. Drano Max Gel like solution only. 4. Grease cutting power solution(as day 1) only. Over night, all 4 results turned negative.

Day 3, Use Drano Max Gel like solution to repeat twice a day following its instructions, attempting to dissolve hairs/fibre and scum, the 3 lithers of voulme above 2 did not change

Day 4, do not open the drain, continue the experiemtn with another brand of Drano like solution,and hope a couple more bottle of Drano Max Gel like would work and now I am near the end of world.

What I am wondering:
A. Only my first drill touched the blockage, the following drills actually snaked into the upward/vent pipe and did not help
B. Those solution are just waste of $ and time, they will not help
C. This can be a over long time blockage, a pipe engineering is needed.

Appreciate your analysis and advices.

This sounds like many, many years of putting stuff down the sink that should not have been disposed of this way. And am surprised that your clog is still there after all you have done. If you have snaked it down past the 15 feet mark and clog still there then it's too far down for you to be able to dislodge.

Do you have a septic tank or are you on regular city sewer? Clog could be so far down your line from years of build up you won't be able to reach it.

Many years ago I lived in a rented home that was built back in 1900 in Prescott, Az. The blockage was so far down the line that the rotorooter people had a hard time finding it. Oddly enough they told me they were out to that property on a sort of regular basis to remove this same blockage every few years. The problem came from the medical facility that was next door using the same city sewer pipe and improperly disposing of things down the toilet.

I'm no fan of putting harsh chemicals in your drainage system, ( besides, the only work in TV ads)

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bought a 15 feet snake auger, removed the U trap and inserted the snake from there, at about 7 feet, touched the blockage

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Ahh! But it wasn't the blockage you ran into. After 5 or 6 feet you hit the tee that connects the horizontal drain in the wall to the vertical roof vent.
If you've snaked from the trap and nothing cleared then the blockage is farther on down the line.
This can only be reached from the kitchen roof vent. And here's how
Rent a sewer snake from Home Depot or your local Rent All, your 15 footer ain't going to reach it, and send it down to the base and 16 more feet. That should clear your clog. Good luck, Tom

Your clog is not so far down the line that you can't reach it. If that were the case your entire home would back up. I agree with Tom's thinking. You have so much stuff in there now I would be hesitant to do the snaking myself, too much chance of a chemical burn. If you can see your drain pipes from below look for an existing clean out cap, rod from there. No clean out, then cut the pipe and install one. Tom's idea about the vent stack is well worth trying. Get a snake long enough to reach roof top to basement floor plus 20'

This really belongs here:

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Originally Posted by Tech4life

Regular city sewer, no big trees around in this 25 yrs 2 storey house we just moved in. I strongly believe the clog is built up from too excessive useage of dishwasher detergent powder: white scum like mud that I pulled out at the 1st snaking. However no any more luck to get any more from 2nd to N snaking. And as Tom said, that could be a long time build up far dwon the line.. :-(. Will try that Drano solution and to see my expeirment in 4 hours. Thank you and will report further.

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Tech, I think both Tom and I would agree, stop with the chemicals and rent a snake.

Thanks all you three's prompt answers. That collaborate my worries. House is 20+ yrs old, no big tree around, regular city sewer. We just moved in. I strongly believe the excessive usage of dishwasher detergent power has build up there as my 1st successful pull-out was such white scum like mud,plus hair/fibre etc. Just a little hope on the chemical solutions to avoid pipe cut off inside basement ceiling. Oh,I noticed previous owner must have a cut-off and make-up on the basement ceilling at exactly underneath the sink location, as there is a squre joint and fresher painting here. Hmm, will see the vent on the roof and bet my last hope on the chemical as long as it would not have much damages to the pipeline.
Have a nice weekend and oh, yes, I will check for any more advices on this.

"as there is a squre joint " sounds like you may have found a clean out cap. Does it look anything like this Genova Products 41640 - 4"Pvc S&Drain Fitting Cleanout

Using Draino will hurt your skin and eyes much more 6then it will hurt the pipers. Having said that if the "square joint" looks like this, (see image) then it's a clean out tee. If you open it up and snake down from there it will have 6the same effect as snaking from a roof vent. Be sure to put out enough snake to reach the base and 15 feet more. However if the cleanout tee isn't on 56the kitchen stack you may still have to snake from the roof. Good luck, Tom

I have wished to find such a clean out Tee somewhere. But every thing is covered inside the basement ceilling and I have to imagine how the pipe is routing inside the ceilling,I did not said it clearly, previous owner cut a square of 1 feet X feet off and then sealed it on (thus a "square joint") on the ceilling, sorry about that, but this encourage me to re-open the ceilling (drywall) and get into to see if there is such a TEE, if there is not, I might install one. I will look around to see if there is such TEE down the line near the kitchen drain.

Thanks

Hey Tech,
Leave the ceiling alone. You'll find no clean outs on any horizontal pipes. Cleanouts are only located on vertical stacks and cutting one in is a hassle and a half and if the stack should drop, when you have the stack open, pulling what branches it connects to then you will see damage and expense 5that you wouldn't believe possible. Take my word on this! Better to snake from a roof vent then to have your drainage end up in your lap.
It sounds like the former owner fixed every thing up nice. I wouldn't tear into it.
If you have a clog or blockage snake it from the trap or a roof vent but unless you're planning on remodeling your house and replacing the drainage, leave those pipes alone. Good luck, Tom

Day 5, Based on Tom and others advices,prepared for snake from roof and new findings/judgement,and get to know there is a most strengthest chemical solution in Home Depot that will damage the pipe if over use or have them sitting there for a long time.

Findings/Judgements:
1. sanke from roof is not feasiable,the kitchen vent's furthest side is 3"(7cm) away from drywall of the house rear and runs 3" upward and then bends into drywall,upward all the away and then out in roof around 5' away from the sidewall of the house(not the rear wall). In short the vent is not straight up to the roof.

2. down in the finished basement,the downward drain ABS (recall at the TEE, upward to the vent,3" downward to basement) is hidden inside the ceilling and finished wall! Ceilling is composed of drywalls nailed/screwed to the 7" beams. Finished vertical surface of the basement is 3" out from the basement concret wall surface and may happen to hide the ABS pipe, because the basement total wall thickness happens to be 3" more than that of the up level

3. 2 cleanouts found on the ground of the basement but there are all near the side wall of the house rather than in the rear wall of the house.. and >10' away from the rear wall.

4. My experiment shows that some chemical solution does dissolve hair, but unfortunately fails in fibres(construction fillings, that I pulled out in day 1 or 2)

My thought: snaking from roof is not feasible or too difficult thus:
A. cut off the ABS vertical section somewhere near the TEE which is up to the vent, down to the drain pipe and snake down... or even
B. on the basement ceilling, re-open the ceilling that former owners had ever opened to see the details and then cut pipe off , snake...

Will decide the final action plan soon, so please continue to feed your thought or advices, but as Tom said, chemical seems not the way to go.

Thanks

[QUOTEsanke from roof is not feasiable,the kitchen vent's furthest side is 3"(7cm) away from drywall of the house rear and runs 3" upward and then bends into drywall][/QUOTE]By "bend" do you mean 90 or 45? I've been around a long time and have never ran into a roof vent I couldn't snake unless they were all revented in the attic and came out of the roof with one pipe. Youhave more then one roof vent don't you?
What are you trying to tell me in #2? That there pipes behind the drywall in the basement? Of course the stacks come down the basement wall before connecting to the main.

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3. 2 cleanouts found on the ground of the basement

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Are you saying the cleanout tees were laying on their backs in the floor and not on a stack?

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A. cut off the ABS vertical section somewhere near the TEE which is up to the vent, down to the drain pipe and snake down... or even
B. on the basement ceilling, re-open the ceilling that former owners had ever opened to see the details and then cut pipe off , snake...

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You're still going to cut into the vertical stack? BAD IDEA! However I might just have a out for you.(
Locate the vertical stack that drains the sink and drill.(not cut) a hole in the stack large enough to get your snake in. After you clear the blockage patch the hole with a saddle clamp. (see image) There! That should keep you off the roof and save your drainage from falling down on your head.
Good luck, Tom

Thanks Tom,

"the kitchen vent's furthest side is 3"(7cm) away from drywall of the house rear and runs 3" upward and >>By "bend" do you mean 90 or 45?
--elbow 45 degree into drywall, oh, yes, that seems the ABS pipe diameter is around 3",running against the drywall.

>> I've been around a long time and have never ran into a roof vent I couldn't snake unless they were all revented in the attic and came out of the roof with one pipe. Youhave more then one roof vent don't you?
---Tom, unfortunately, yes. 2 vents,and they each revented in the attic and come out of the roof,the kitchen vertical vent is about 14~16 feet away from them, these 2 vents on the roof are nearby 2 bathroom exhaust fan vents

>>What are you trying to tell me in #2? That there pipes behind the drywall in the basement? Of course the stacks come down the basement wall before connecting to the main.
--the pipe is hidden in the basement in the ceilling and finished wall,yes, the pipe is behind the drywall and must be above the ceilling(dryway nailed to the beam) if there is horizonal section after it comes down from upper level

>> 2 cleanouts found on the ground of the basement Are you saying the cleanout tees were laying on their backs in the floor and not on a stack?
--Yes. 1 in the basement floor or roughly 1" above the floor, the other one is 2" above the floor,

>>You're still going to cut into the vertical stack? BAD IDEA! However I might just have a out for you.(
Locate the vertical stack that drains the sink and drill.(not cut) a hole in the stack large enough to get your snake in. After you clear the blockage patch the hole with a saddle clamp. (see image) There! That should keep you off the roof and save your drainage from falling down on your head.
---That is really a good idea, I have been trying to avoid cutting,but not yet thought of drilling a hole and the saddle clamp, and keeping headache. Yes, that vertical stack is at least visible, though may have to remove a board nearby to make more space for the work place. Unlike the basement, the pipe is completely behind the drywall and can only guess how it might runs to connecting to the main drain..

Good one, Tom

The thing that I can't understand is why such a simple thing as a sink clog has become a major operation. Let me recap this so we can put this thread to bed. Tech~ You keep looking for a easy out. Ie: Load the drain up with chemicals and set back while they do all the work. You've been told time and time again that if you have snaked from the trap and that didn't get the clog that the clog will be found at the base of the vertical stack located behind the dry wall in the basement and the easiest way was to snake from the roof vent. For some reason you say it can't be done because of bends in the vent.
My response to that is that I have never found a roof vent that I couldn't snake from. So OK! You say the roof vent's not feasible and I'll accept that but then I gave you another option.
And that was to locate the vertical stack in the basement and if there's no clean out tee in the stack to drill a hole in it and snake from there, After, install a saddle patch over the hole.
What more can we tell you? Had you called in a plumber your clog would have been gone in a hour and here we have two pages of hassle and explanation of the problems you're facing. I just don't understand!
You've got the best solutions that we could give you. And here you are still talking about pouring chemicals down the drain.
I'm getting the feeling that we're just spinning our wheels on this.
We have taken you by the hand and have gave you all the solutions available.
Now I'm going to leave you with the only two options left:
1. Either follow our advice and clear the clog yourself, **OR**
2. Call in a drain cleaning company and set back while the clog is cleared.
We can do no more. Ya got our best shot, Good luck in whatever you decide. This thread has run on long enough! Tom

Tom, the clog was already opened. Previous message was just to say thank you and let you know the lessons I learnt. Did that confuse you? Sorry about that.

Glad you're up and running. Thanks for the update. Cheers, Tom