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    MTColl28734's Avatar
    MTColl28734 Posts: 9, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Nov 15, 2008, 01:04 PM
    My sink SHOULD drain, but.
    I've run a fish tape (all I had handy) through every pipe associated with my kitchen sink: vent pipe, trap, feed into main house drain, the whole bit. Found some gunk, especially where the drain pipe takes a sharp 90 degree turn in the crawl space, but no solid blockage. Tried plunging it three times. Filled the sink with what I figure was at least a gallon of water and let it rip. Drained like a champ. The second gallon drained fine until the water level was 1/4" or so in the sink, then it stopped. And now so am I.

    No other drain in the house is blocked, so I am totally lost. I've thought about some dynamite, but it's hard to get and the collateral damage could be a problem.

    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I'm tired of taking dishes into the shower with me.
    afaroo's Avatar
    afaroo Posts: 4,006, Reputation: 251
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #2

    Nov 15, 2008, 01:27 PM

    You have a partial blockage in the horizontal drain line in the wall that won't allow the water to drain.
    The solution would be to remove the "J" bend from the trap and send a snake up into the wall, (see image) You will hit a bend about 8 inches in but once around that you only have to put out 6 feet more. After, flush with a tub of hot water, Good Luck.

    John
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    Milo Dolezal's Avatar
    Milo Dolezal Posts: 7,192, Reputation: 523
    Plumbing Expert
    		  
    #3

    Nov 15, 2008, 08:12 PM

    Afaroo is right: your clog is deeper than length of the snake you used. Snake it few feet more...
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
    		  
    #4

    Nov 16, 2008, 06:10 AM
    In addition to all the good advice let ne say that a electricians fish tape is just too small to clean out anything. It will simply punch through a clog without breaking it up. You need to get a regular drain snake. Good luck, Tom
    MTColl28734's Avatar
    MTColl28734 Posts: 9, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #5

    Nov 17, 2008, 04:24 AM
    Thanks for the input, guys. The blockage wasn't anywhere near the drain; it was 10-15 feet downline, in the long pipe that joins the sink to the main drain. I took my garden hose and sprayed it into the long pipe where I'd cut it Saturday. I then bought my shiny new snake into the pipe and pulled it out quickly. Sure enough, all manner of crud came out. Voilą! A clean drain.

    I also have three new cleanouts where there weren't any before. I put rubber sleeves with hose clamps over the places where I'd cut the pipe.
    speedball1's Avatar
    speedball1 Posts: 29,301, Reputation: 1939
    Eternal Plumber
    		  
    #6

    Nov 17, 2008, 06:10 AM
    Thanks for keeping us up to date. Tom
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