Here are a few photos worthy of the Plumbing Hall of Shame. This is original construction underneath my kitchen sink.
The original disposer was a Badger 5 and was replaced by a professional back in 1997 after the grinder rusted and allowed big chunks of crap to clog the drain. (I opened the plug on the trap and pulled the stuff out manually -- at least the clog was easy to reach).
Over the last couple of days, the drain became slow and today it plugged. The plunger was nearly useless because of a third pipe that connects upstairs to the boiler pan. Even though I was plunging and pulling back sharply, I'm sure I was sending water up that third pipe rather than directing it toward the clog, wherever it was. Finally got it moving somewhat, waited for the sink to drain, then poured a big kettle of boiling water down it. It all went down. Thinking that the drain was clear, I filled up both sides of the sink and then pulled both plugs at one. The sink backed up again to about where it was after attempting to plunge it, draining very slowly. My last attempt before reaching for the phone was to block one end of the sink with the plunger and turn on the disposer. The disposer pulled down all the water, and apparently provided the force needed to clear the drain. It has recovered for now, but we'll be watching it.
The work under the sink was done by a local plumbing company (still in business today) back in 1986. All 76 units like mine are configured similarly underneath. Note the loops in the copper lines that connect the hot water to the dishwasher (right) and the cold to the outside faucet (left). You can see the drain from the boiler coming out of the outside wall and joining the kitchen drain. I don't know who came up with the idea of running the boiler drain underneath a kitchen sink, but I think there should have been a better way.
By the way, we never pour grease down the sink. We do use the disposer frequently, and the dishwasher runs a full load almost every day.
achutch
The original disposer was a Badger 5 and was replaced by a professional back in 1997 after the grinder rusted and allowed big chunks of crap to clog the drain. (I opened the plug on the trap and pulled the stuff out manually -- at least the clog was easy to reach).
Over the last couple of days, the drain became slow and today it plugged. The plunger was nearly useless because of a third pipe that connects upstairs to the boiler pan. Even though I was plunging and pulling back sharply, I'm sure I was sending water up that third pipe rather than directing it toward the clog, wherever it was. Finally got it moving somewhat, waited for the sink to drain, then poured a big kettle of boiling water down it. It all went down. Thinking that the drain was clear, I filled up both sides of the sink and then pulled both plugs at one. The sink backed up again to about where it was after attempting to plunge it, draining very slowly. My last attempt before reaching for the phone was to block one end of the sink with the plunger and turn on the disposer. The disposer pulled down all the water, and apparently provided the force needed to clear the drain. It has recovered for now, but we'll be watching it.
The work under the sink was done by a local plumbing company (still in business today) back in 1986. All 76 units like mine are configured similarly underneath. Note the loops in the copper lines that connect the hot water to the dishwasher (right) and the cold to the outside faucet (left). You can see the drain from the boiler coming out of the outside wall and joining the kitchen drain. I don't know who came up with the idea of running the boiler drain underneath a kitchen sink, but I think there should have been a better way.
By the way, we never pour grease down the sink. We do use the disposer frequently, and the dishwasher runs a full load almost every day.
achutch