Dirty water comes up from my mother's sink drain, even when the faucet had been turned off for days. Management told her that the pipes were clogged by grease thus causing the water to come up from the sink drain. Help. Can grease cause water to come back up even without using the faucet? They are asking my mother to pay for damage done to neighbor's ceiling. Thank you!

Water doesn't flow up. There is something higher up than your mom's sink causing the water flow. However, the blockage is below you mom's sink.

Is this a multi-story structure? Does she have an upstairs that drains into the same lines?

Rgds,
Stew

Stew,
Thank you for your response. She does live in a multi-story structure; there are floors both above and below her. I don't know anything anything else about their plumbing.

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Originally Posted by orky

Stew,
Thank you for your response. She does live in a multi-story structure; there are floors both above and below her. I don't know anything anything else about their plumbing.

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Sorry for butting in Stew. There must be a major leak in the waste vents to flow down into the ceiling below unless the mom is having major overflow issues at the sink and possibly the tub or toilet in the bathroom. This is a proprietors issue from what the description sounds like. JMO, nm

No, you're not butting in. I agree.

I was curious as to whether she had upstairs neighbors, as there must be something causing the water to flow up.

Also, since she has upstairs neighbors, and it appears there is a blockage below her, the source of the clog is indeterminate. That is to say, the clog is either from her, or anyone above her, as many floors as there are that feen into the same line.

In short, it is the propietors issue, as you stated.

Stew

orky, I would strongly guess they feel your mom will simply pay. Ask them if your mom's attorney can handle this issue of mom having to pay for common use piping . Typically the housing authority requires the owner of the building to maintain the building and the owner of the units are required to maintain inside the unit. Ask them when they [1] are going to fix the problem so your mom does not have to clean this filth anymore? And [2] how much are they going to pay your mom for cleaning it? And [3] are they going to come in and sanitize your mom's unit?
Then call the local housing authority and complain.