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KellyG · Mar 9, 2008, 10:26 AM

Hopefully this is one of those questions with an obvious answer...

I have a two-side kitchen sink with a disposal on one side. The sink began to get backed up once in a while, then the other day as I was running the disposal, all the water and gunk and food backed up into the other side of the sink. When I turned the disposal off, the water leveled out to both sides of the sink and didn't drain at all until the next day.

This is what I've tried:
1. Drano - when the sink was empty, left it standing for 1 hour and then flushed with hot water. After a couple of minutes, it began to back up again and there was standing water until that evening (slow drain)

2. Took the pipes (all PVC) apart under the sink to make sure everything is clear; it is.

3. Seems the problem is either with the disposal, since that's when the backup starts (running the disposal) or further down the line outside the kitchen pipes.

HELP! I am now washing my dishes in the bathtub!

massplumber2008 · Mar 9, 2008, 10:37 AM

Hi Kelly

Problem is in the drain pipes for sure. I would like you to go purchase a hand snake from the local home supply store ( hand held should be a good start) and since you said you got pipes apart under sink it should not be hard for you to remove again and snake the drain line. I will tell you all you need to know to do that when you let me know you have the snake.

FOR NOW... fill both sinks with water to say 2 inches deep. Then with a friend's help... I want you to plunge that sink. HERE's the TRICK!

Have friend cover the drain over disposal with a towel (2 inches water in sink), then you start to plunge... it is all about the pull up here... not so much the push... but push, too. Get good suction.. and go for it... this should help... may even fix... let me know. Don't be afraid to try reversing sides... friend on sink side, you on disposal side with plunger... can't hurt. BUT start with you at sink, first. AND KEEP WATER IN SINK AT ALL TIMES YOU ARE PLUNGING.

If that doesn't do much go get that snake and get back to me so I can discuss that quickly... there is a vent on the sinks that can complicate snaking the drain... so, like I said, let me know what is happening... Mark

Oh!! AND WATCH YOUR EYES WHEN PLUNGING...MAY STILL HAVE DRANO IN THAT WATER!!! (WEAR SAFETY GLASSES IF YOU HAVE THEM).

lauyl · Aug 24, 2009, 10:58 PM

Massplumber2008 - thanks for your advice! I have been battling our clogged sink since thins morining. After drano and a snake still nothing. Then we got to plunging and plunging and plungind some more! And all of a sudden it worked! If it wasn't for your advice I would have given up on the plunging a long time ago! Thanks again!

massplumber2008 · Aug 25, 2009, 04:27 AM

Glad it helped! Thanks for letting us know!

relaxinto · Nov 10, 2009, 06:12 PM

massplumber2008... what about if there is a dishwasher on the same drain? (V= vent, D=dishwasher, S=sink, G=garburator). I have snaked, I have drano'd... someone clearly dropped in onions and potato skin... that much I can tell... but I can't finish the job.

V
l D S G
l l l l
l /--------------
l l
------- l
\_/

relaxinto · Nov 10, 2009, 06:13 PM

massplumber2008... what about if there is a dishwasher on the same drain? I have snaked, I have drano'd... someone clearly dropped in onions and potato skin... that much I can tell... but I can't finish the job. See diagram... (V= vent, D=dishwasher, S=sink, G=garburator).

V
l D S G
l l l l
l /--------------
l l
------- l
\_/

massplumber2008 · Nov 10, 2009, 06:16 PM

Hey Relaxinto:

Did you remove the plug from the bottom of the PTRAP.. If not, remove the plug and see if water drains from the sink(s). Be clear that water will drain out the PTRAp , for sure, but is the blockage BEFORE the trap or AFTER the trap?

Determine this and then get back to us.. O.K.?

MARK

.

relaxinto · Nov 10, 2009, 06:20 PM

Diagram didn't show properly.

relaxinto · Nov 10, 2009, 06:22 PM

Just one problem... we had a problem with the vent getting trapped behind a wall when renovating, and the solution was to trap it in the floor/basement ceiling which is now drywalled. I would have checked the trap but it means breaking the drywall. If pulling down some ceiling is the only solution to check the trap, then so be it.

Snemelka · Dec 29, 2009, 10:02 AM

Thank you both for posting this question and answer. I had the same problem, and the plunger solution worked like a charm--even after even lye and snaking didn't.

massplumber2008 · Dec 29, 2009, 04:30 PM

Always glad to hear an old post revived and still helping!

Thank you for posting!

MARK

jcrump55 · Feb 18, 2010, 02:22 PM

I have replaced the previous pipes with a disposal arm from the disposal and a flanged tailpipe from the 2nd sink to a center outlet continuous waste assembly. Per recommendation from a local hardware store rep, who also said he is a licensed plumber, I did this as a slight drop (hense using the disposal arm pipe) to the assembly. It is then tied directly into the P Trap and inlet pipes coming from wall through the back of the cabinet.
It has not resolved why water still stands in the disposal and in the new pipe. There are no blockages, but water will not drain. What am I doing wrong?

massplumber2008 · Feb 19, 2010, 05:53 PM

Jcrump...

What makes you think there is no blockage... certainly sounds like the drain is clogged? Post back and we'll see if we can help you to resolve this.

Let me know.. OK?

MARK

jcrump55 · Feb 20, 2010, 08:23 PM

Mark,
I appreciate the help. I found that the previous owner had not properly installed the pipe coming in from the wall and it had came lose. I called a professional yesterday and had them handle the repairs. Better safe than sorry.
Thanks again.
JCRUMP55