[Elib]

Hello --

I've been battling a slow kitchen sink drain for some time now. After watching someone successfully unclog a sink drain with a hose and a blast of hot water, I tried it a few times to no avail. Every time I think I fix the drain, I close the pipes up and it's slow again. I read somewhere that a gurgling sound means it's a grease block, and it does gurgle when it finally drains out.

It does occur to me that perhaps my drain is OK, but the venting is not. I notice some bubbling in the drain, and when I am pumping water directly into the open pipes, it drains fine.

All other drains in the house are fine. I'm in an apartment building on ground floor.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
-Eli

[ballengerb1]

Your venting may be partially clogged. It is usually the landlords responsibility if a vent needs to be rodded so check with him. Before you go too far try this. Mix a half cup salt, half cup baking soda and half cub of white vinegar. Mix and pour into the drain. Allow to sit over night and then flush with a bucket of the hotest water you can get. If it was your drain and not the vent your problem should be gone.

[speedball1]

"I read somewhere that a gurgling sound means it's a grease block, and it does gurgle when it finally drains out."

No, a "gurggle" indicates that the sinks attempting to vent through the trap because the vent's blocked. Balengerb was bang on when he fingered the kitchen vent. If your landlord won't snake out the vent click on back for instructions. Good luck, Tom

[Elib]

Your venting may be partially clogged. It is usually the landlords responsibility if a vent needs to be rodded so check with him. Before you go too far try this. Mix a half cup salt, half cup baking soda and half cub of white vinegar. Mix and pour into the drain. Allow to sit over night and then flush with a bucket of the hotest water you can get. If it was your drain and not the vent your problem should be gone.

I'll give it a try!
Is that enough liquid to get past the little trap under the sink and into the pipes? I don't have a u-bend, just a simple trap, and I think it's bigger than a cup and a half.

Thanks for your time, and I'll let you know if it works.
-Eli

[Elib]

No, a "gurggle" indicates that the sinks attempting to vent through the trap because the vent's blocked. Balengerb was bang on when he fingered the kitchen vent. If your landlord won't snake out the vent click on back for instructions. Good luck, Tom

I see.
Where can I find instructions on snaking a vent? All I see under the sink is a single drain pipe sticking out of the floor of the cabinet.

If I can, I'd rather learn how to fix the problem myself.

Thanks again to all for your time.
-Eli

[speedball1]

No problem Eli,

The kitchen vent's the pipe sticking out of the roof just above the kitchen sink. Rent a sewer machine and send it down the vent until you reach the base. Now put out 25 feet more to clear the drain line as well. Flush the pipes out by running a hose down the vent for a few minutes. Good luck, Tom

[ballengerb1]

Elib, you mentioned ground floor so I guess this is a multi story building. This probably isn't something real safe for you to try and your landlord needs to be notified of the issue first. Did he already refuse to snake the vent?

[Elib]

Thankfully, no, I am unable to deal with this at the moment, and I have yet to contact the landlord. I probably won't attempt anything like what speedball says. I don't even know what the vent looks like. I thought maybe there was a way I could reach the vent from inside the apartment, but there is no sign of it (like I mentioned, I only see one pipe under the sink, and it goes straight down).

Unfortunately, I'll probably have to leave this to a professional.

Still, thanks for the helpful tips, and I'll remember that mixture for next time I have drain problems.

[ballengerb1]

The vent starts inside the thickness of your walls and goes up to the roof. When it comes through the roof it looks like a 4 " grey pipe sticking up a foot.

[speedball1]

"I only see one pipe under the sink, and it goes straight down)."
If the pipe goes through the floor and not into the wall then you do not have a vent you have a "S" trap. Since there is no vent the gurgle's normal for a "S" trap. NEW GAME PLAN! Now you can get at the clog from the inside. Remove the bend of the trap and send a snake down under the floor for about 25 feet, less if you have no basement and are on the ground floor.
Good luck, Tom

[pitzel23]

I just dealt with the same problem and was at my wits end. The drain was not plugged, nor was the vent plugged. I finally decided that the trap below the left hand sink was too far from the vent as it was 5 feet plus. I was able to reduce this to about 4 feet by moving the trap to the left hand sink and sure enough, it drains perfectly. Hope this helps. Al

[speedball1]

I read somewhere that a gurgling sound means it's a grease block, and it does gurgle when it finally drains out. It does occur to me that perhaps my drain is OK, but the venting is not. I notice some bubbling in the drain,

BINGO! That's what it sounds like to me too. Rent a sewer machine, (see image) from your Rent all or Home Depot and snake the kitchen roof vent. Put out enough snake to reach the base and 15 feet more . Good luck, Tom