Crazy drain problem

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Abalakov

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hi, having a bit of a struggle with my downstairs kitchen sink.

Whenever I drain a large volume of water from either the upstairs laundry or kitchen sink, which are side by side, the downstairs kitchen sink fills up with soapy water.

However, all drains in the house work properly and none are slow. In fact with just running water there is no problem

I had the downstairs kitchen line snaked with a 100' line,

I had the city use a camera and the pipe from the house to the street is clear.

I had a cheater vent installed under the downstairs kitchen sink.

I snaked the downstairs washing machine drain with a 50' line

No blockages on roof

The upstairs sink is a double and I make sure one side can breathe...still the downstairs sink backs up...yes old house some previous renos before I bought but have not had a problem in the last three years so makes me think it's something else...but now I have no ideas..

I am now snaking upstairs but I feel like I am wasting my time.

Any thoughts?
 

Reach4

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I had the downstairs kitchen line snaked with a 100' line,
How big was the head on that snake? It is the line from that kitchen where it goes down and then turns horizontal is where I expect you need some better cleaning.

Is the downstairs kitchen in the basement, and the pipes are under concrete?
 

Abalakov

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How big was the head on that snake? It is the line from that kitchen where it goes down and then turns horizontal is where I expect you need some better cleaning.

Is the downstairs kitchen in the basement, and the pipes are under concrete?

Thanks, he used many different heads-some made it farther than others. It is a basement but I think the pipes are all above ground.

So you think I should go back to that sink an snake some more?

Thanks for the quick reply!
 

Reach4

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Do you have a septic pit with a pump for the basement? Is there a floor drain for the basement, and has it not been backing up?

How visible are the waste pipes that service the downstairs kitchen sink?

I am not a pro. I have had a basement laundry sink below a kitchen sink back up. I cut out a section of drain pipe above the laundry sink to make for easy cleanout. I used a Brasscraft medium drain bladder on a garden hose that I shoved down as far as I could. Then I ran the water on max to the hose for a while. It unblocked things for me.

I then put back the section of pipe that I cut out with a pair of radiator-clamp type couplers.
 

Abalakov

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Thanks,

No back ups any where else in the house and the clean outs to mainline are clean. Another plumber friend said to try the same thing with the garden hose. I will try that next. Thanks for your suggestions. I will let you know how it goes
 

Jerome2877

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I would recommend a jetter to clean the line. Think clogged artery, a snake will poke a hole while a jetter returns the pipe to its original ID.
 
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SHR

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Your problem is not crazy or unusual for a kitchen sink drain pipe. You most likely have a grease and food waste gel like clog. When snaked, the snake pokes a hole in the blockage and as soon as the snake is retrieved, the hole fills back up. You can snake the line all day for a week but without professional equipment the clog will laugh at your efforts.

I had a call last Labor Day weekend Sunday night for a similar clog. The poor HO had many kids and her clothes wash machine also drained in to the clogged kitchen line. Dirty clothes were piled up everywhere and hundreds of dollars in new drain cleaning tools from HD were laying about. She had 3 "plumbers" attempt to open her clogged line and none were successful. She bought the hundreds of dollars of tools to assist them (some kind of plumbers, asking the HO for tools) and to attempt to open the drain herself. Fortunately she finally was referred to me and I was able to have her back to normal in short order. Sometimes DIY tools just will not do the job. Few DIYers like to spend money for someone to do work they want to do themselves but sometimes in order to get the job done, you have to.
 

Abalakov

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Thanks, I looked at the jetter and I can rent it for about $20. I have the gas pressure washer. I figured it was a clog like you say, but wouldnt I at least get some stuff on my snake when I removed it? The thing is clean....

But your right, I have been at it for a week with minor results. I will rent the jetter next and let you guys know, thanks for offering your suggestions.

ps I stuffed my garden hose in all the pipes and let her rip, everything flows fine...no probs, just when I let the sink or the laundry let the basin out it backs up, just about a cup of water before it drains.
 
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