Hi,

We recently moved our water supply (kitchen) against the wall, rather then in mid kitchen (old house) previously the kitchen had had an addition (not added by us) that left the sink sitting "kitty corner" off the north wall, we wanted to utilize more space so had a friend help move the plumbing to the nearby north wall (couple of feet) this also required re-routing the venting a tad~we decided to work with what we had as much as possible, so we just left the major upper half (to the roof) in place and re-routed the lower half. The new kitchen sink is not hooked up yet.

On the other side of the wall, is the already existing washroom, the washing machine has it's own vent (in line right after the washer drain stand pipe) when we went to do laundry and the washer drained, the water is trying to come up in the vent pipe in the kitchen (in spite of the fact that the washer has it's own vent pipe).

The sequence is washer drain stand pipe, washer vent pipe, through the wall to the kitchen to the main drain (and another vent pipe for the kitchen).

Does the fact that we have no sink/trap installed yet contribute to this problem?

We're afraid to finish installing the sink and sink cabinate (thus completing the kitchen) because then all those pipes will be closed off to us.

Due to a job layoff in the middle of this, we've now no funds to call a pro (large family, just doing the best we can with what we have kind of thing).

In a nutshell, our fear is that if we complete this project, we will discover that the water backs up into the kitchen sink.

Could we have an airlock somehow?

We're baffled.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Celticharper1

If it didn't back up in the old sink, it shouldn't now unless the open pipe is much lower. I think something was knocked loose or fell in the pipe during the work, and is now restricting the drain below the washer. Recently I rented a good manually operated snake from Home Depot for $20 for 4 hours. Even a child could turn the handle while Dad pushed the cable down the drain. Easier while the trap is off. Traps block foul, toxic, inflammable sewer gas, and resist snakes. They do not keep water from backing up. I would at least rubber band some plastic over the open pipe for now.

I have to go along with Lab man on this. Your fixtures may have separate vent but they both use the same drain line. Don't look up at the vents, They're fine, don't worry about "airlock", you don't have one. Instead look down at your drain that has a partial blockage in it and I can hear it crying out. "Snake me! Snake me!". Good luck Tom