PLEASE HELP DOUBLE KITCHEN SINK CLOGGED

[Forgivenbygracee]

I FIXED IT!!!! I am so relieved and happy! My husband suspected possibly calcium build up in the pipes and so we poured CLR down the drain, let it sit over night and that did nothing. A guy was supposed to come and help tonight but never showed so I decided "what the heck" and dumped the last of the CLR down the drain (it was a BIG bottle). Last night when we poured it down, even though it didn't work, it was causing a bunch of calcium build up to come back up into the kitchen sink so we knew for sure there was at least SOME in there.
After I dumped the rest of the bottle down tonight, I decided to try plunging it to force it to the clog. I plugged one side with 2 wet rags and then a paint can over top then plunged away at the other side. All of a sudden it gurgled and went down! I thought maybe a pipe broke because I didn't believe it, but I fixed it! I'm not sure WHY that worked because I plunged before (though not with chemicals down the drain which I was nervous to do because of possible splash up), but it worked!

I'm still quite nervous to use the sink as I'm afraid it will back up again, but my hubby suggested doing either dish soap and hot water OR baking soda and vinegar to clean out whatever else is left in the sink pipes just to make sure it is out. Either way, it is fixed and I no longer have to wash dishes in the bathtub!
But now I have to make sure the pipes are on tight and have to fix a seal issue because of a slow leak from me taking it on and off, but that should be super easy.

 

[MKS]

Very good.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Forgivenbygracee]

Just another update, it is NOT fixed. It went back to being clogged the next day. We are having a plumber out tomorrow. I'm REALLY hoping he can get it fixed. I have continued doing dishes in the tub and it is no fun.

 

[CountryBumkin]

Bummer.
Is this your home or a rental?
I noticed in your pictures, that you have the polybutylene hose (PB) in your home. See http://www.polybutylene.com/poly.html
This is the piping/tubing used in homes in the early 1980's through the mid-90's and it is known to burst. There was a class action suite against the manufacturers several years ago. So if your doing any major plumbing work - you may want to have as much of this piping replaced as possible - just to be on the safe side.

PS. I don't want to overly alarm you. I have PB in my home now. I bought the home new. The PB has never burst in my house - but I am replacing it a little at a time.

 

[Flapper]

great now they have more problems to worry about

 

[CountryBumkin]

great now they have more problems to worry about

Better to know thy enemy

 

[Jacck]

I used Drain-FX on my slow or clogged drains. Heard about on Gary Sullivan. Bought it online - works like a charm. No need for chemicals and it's re-usuable. I use it like a maintenance tool now.

 

[Flapper]

I used Drain-FX on my slow or clogged drains. Heard about on Gary Sullivan. Bought it online - works like a charm. No need for chemicals and it's re-usuable. I use it like a maintenance tool now.

Is “Drain-FX” really that bad that you have to resort to dirty advertising methods?

 

[CountryBumkin]

I wouldn't rent the power snake, because for less than the price of renting that, you can buy a 25 foot manual snake that you keep as long as you want (because you own it). I don't see much improvement of a powered auger vs a hand auger; I think a hand auger is perfectly adequate.

How much better are powered snakes than hand snakes? I've haven't actually tried them so my opinion is just based on assumptions. I think I'd still want to try the hand snake, though.

It's poor forum manners to provide advise when you don't know if the advise is good. At least add to signature line that you are "Not a Pro" so people can understand that your advise is based on a small amount of (or no) experience. People come looking for "good" advise - not any advise.

Not meaning to pick on you - I do it too, just wanting to help where I can, and learn.