Have strange plumbing problem. When the upstairs kitchen sink is half full or full and you pull the drain plug to let the water out the basement shower backs up and it smell quite rotten down the finished basement.Yet when you let the water out of the kitchen sink very slowly no backup. This has been an issue for sometime now. Had a plumber in about 2 years ago and he snaked from the basement toilet to the outside sewer about 50 ft he said no blockage, why do I have the same problem still. Yesterday was the last time had the issue (March 15/2018). Any answer is appreciated

Thanks

Please clarify. The snaking 2 years ago solved your problem? Do you have an outside or inside cleanout? Is this a NEW incident? Regardless, a problem needs to be addressed and I would recommend snaking from the upstairs through the entire drain to the main. You wouldn't be the first to snake from below a blockage and find nothing only to have a problem still, that gets worse later. Snake the entire line and be sure of clearing any blockage no matter where it is. Probably best to snake from the roof vent. Clogged roof vents are as bad as main drain blockages. In addition, just because there was NO blockage downstairs in the main two years ago doesn't mean there isn't one now, or maybe more than one throughout your system.

My suggestion may change depending on your reply, but generally I would say it's time to snake again, until the entire line is found to be clear. Over time and with use, main drains can become blocked AGAIN. The more family units the quicker it can become blocked. It's an ongoing problem for some. This sounds like a two family unit with a shared main.

If your original problem was not solved then get a new guy. The whole system should have been checked before he left last time and if it was then you simply have a new problem to deal with.

I await your reply.

Hi guys!

Srt4, you have a PARTIALLY blocked drain pipe. Here, when you use a relatively large amount of water from the sink the drain line gets overwhelmed and backs up into the lowest fixture of the house, i.e. the shower drain in the finished basement.

To determine if this is an issue with a small BRANCH drain pipe that only serves the kitchen sink and the bathroom group or if this is a MAIN drain pipe that serves the entire home you will need to do some tests, OK? Here, fill a tub upstairs and then let it drain (have person in basement as person upstairs lets the tub drain) and see if water shows up in the shower. If it does, it is certainly seeming to be a MAIN drain issue. Another way to determine if this is a MAIN drain issue is to fill the washer machine drain and see if the water from the washer flows out the shower drain when you drain the washing machine. If water backs up into the shower drain when doing both these tests then the MAIN drain line needs to be snaked to clear the partial blockage. If water does not back up and out the shower drain when you drain the tub or the washer machine then the BRANCH drain that connects the shower and the upstairs sink needs to be snaked.

To determine if this is an issue with a BRANCH drain, fill the sink and then have someone let the sink from upstairs drain and then you watch the shower drain. When water backs up into the shower have the person upstairs STOP the flow of water out the kitchen sink and then you FLUSH the toilet in the basement bathroom. If water from the toilet backs up into the shower then the BRANCH drain from the bathroom is clogged and you will probably need to lift the toilet and snake only a short distance from the toilet to say the foundation to clear the partial blockage. If water does not back up into the shower when the toilet is flushed then someone has most likely connected the shower drain and the kitchen sink drain together somehow and you will need to snake the shower drain through the PTRAP for 10-15 feet, snake the drain through a cleanout at the base of the kitchen sink pipe for 10-15 feet, or snake the drain through the kitchen sink drain at the sink or from the kitchen sink vent out the roof (if roof is relatively flat).

Start with the basic tests I mentioned. Post back as needed.

Mark

As stated above, you have partial drain blockage. Your kitchen drain shares drain with downstairs shower, thus the back up showing up downstairs, inside the shower. You will have to snake that drain. You will have to access it from shower drain downstairs, either from shower clean out ( if you have one ), or through shower drain itself.

It is on uncommon to snake kitchen drain once a year. It is the dirtiest drain in the house and needs to be cleaned periodically

Let us know how you did

Milo

Hi, no the snaking 2 years ago did not solve the problem and the cleanout is in the basement very accessible, the house is a ranch style and only 9 years old and wife and I live in it and sometimes the grand kids have a sleepover.Thank you for your prompt reply

If it is only 8 years old house, than I would have video sewer video inspection done. Such back ups should not happen in such a short time after the new plumbing was installed.

Milo

Thanks for getting back to us. Assuming you are not a Do It Yourselfer, I would first make a list of 3 or 4 fairly well established local contractors, and call them and get an idea what they charge and will follow up on. More experienced DIY's know how to go about locating and dealing with mainline and fixture blockages, so you will have to rely on an experienced guy/contractor to do it for you. We all have our methods, but for you my original suggestion stands, a full snaking from the roof vent, a total of the height of your home, and the length to the main sewer from your home typically 60 to 80 feet. (Bet it's NOT 50!)

Only then can you observe through your lowest clean out if all the other fixtures are free flowing or if they need specific attention. Kitchens are notorious for clogs, as well as showers, sinks, and tubs just from hair and gunk, as the others have said, but your issue can be solved best by knowing the costs of such a project, and what a thorough job entails. After that its just minor maintenance barring any big events like floods, or KIDS dropping stuff, or leaves and dirt debri in air vents. That you have an accessible clean out is great news as you can observe for yourself how each of your sinks, tub and shower drains is functioning, and that a full or partial blockage is the culprit, and that may well save a FEW bucks, but that has to be verified, but after nine years a complete job is suggested, by a guy who guarantees his work with a call back within a reasonable time, and won't leave until your whole system gets a thumbs up.

This is a good site to get you familiar with a few insights and tips, to choose and deal with contractors and plumbers.

Cost of Sewer or Drain Cleaning - Estimates and Prices Paid

There are also YOUTUBE videos to watch.

Costs can vary by location, and circumstance, so please read the article and explore the LINKS it contains. Last question for now, is this septic or city sewer we are talking about as I assume from what you wrote that it's a city sewer system. It's an important difference for sure.

You may decide to do this yourself. It's only a matter of having the proper stuff, and a willingness to do it, but whether you do or call a pro please keep us appraised of the outcome and ask any questions you come up with. Matter of fact look into your clean out and tell us what you observe, please. (Got rubber gloves?)

Thoughts?