Sink draining issues - bit confusing.

[seco services]

the set up worked before you said so leave it.

i would say the block is in the main vertical pipe from the waste.

does it go to a gully or drain outside ?

 

[MasterMark]

there's a discharge pipe (hidden behind skirting board) round the kitchen which then goes drains into a manhole of sorts. This is then pumped upwards (as the kitchen is in the garden level of an old victorian conversion) up away.

 

[seco services]

thats where i would say the problem may be in the pipe etc behind the skirting if it doesn't have enough fall waste will collect in the pipe.
go from there maybe it needs a drain augar up the pipe.

 

[matt1e]

Hi I presume you have checked that the tight hand trap isn't blocked because it is not too clear from your post.If not unscrew the u from the bottom of it to check for blockages (make sure you have a bucket under it)

matt

 

[wiggikins]

Do as seco suggests ,change set up to single trap 1 1/2 bowl kit

 

[MasterMark]

Matt - yes, the tight U-bend is clear (all the white pipes in the photo are clear)

Seco - that could be. But I took all the white pipework out and poured water directly into the pipe that leads behind the skirting board (the ribbed pipe you can see in the picture going straight down out of view) and it seems to drain away fine. Wouldn't this suggest that there's no problem further along?

 

[seco services]

yes if you say you poured water down the pipe and it flowed away ok.

can you get a hose down it and that will tell you if its clear if it don't back up with the flow from a hose

have you any other pics of this layout etc ?

is this pipe in to the manhole above the water level or below ?
if its below it will cause problems.

 

[MasterMark]

picture of the outside setup attached, but doubt that's much use.

can't get a hose in there I'm afraid - but the sink fills up immediately, so I don't think the water even has time to get to the manhole/drain outside. It just gets stuck in the u-bend straight away.

pipe is above the drain as you can see in the photo.

the manhole cover you can see - i think that's the discharge pipe from the dishwasher perhaps? It smells extremely bad, but not sure this is related.

Untitled

• MasterMark
• 30 Dec 2008
• 1

 

[seco services]

i know you say it seems to get stuck on the u bend but if its all clear there is no reason why it should it will vent ok to the sink and you say it worked and nothing has been altered.

have you not got an old w/m hose then you can connect it to the w/m tap and stick the end down the waste pipe.
i still opt for a blockage/part block

 

[MasterMark]

ok, well I'll try and get hold of an old hose tomorrow and check it out. I take your point re the blockage, seems the most likely reason as you say.

Thanks a lot for all your help Seco, much appreciated.

Happy New Year to you!

 

[seco services]

let us know what happens.

 

[kirkgas]

i wouldnt bother changing the set up because both traps must be clear as the water runs into one from the other so the prob is down the waste pipe, so either carefully pour drain cleaner down it or plunge it, if unsuccessful you need to investigate further down the pipe run

 

[mogget]

This problem could be caused if the other end of the pipe is under water - when you pour water down the pipe (minus the u-bend) the air can escape toward you. However if the U-bend is attached the air has to go downwards, just as the wind blows before a tube train arrives at an underground station. If the air can't get out at the other end there'll be no flow.

Note - I just read back through the thread and seco did mention this, so I think it's best checked.

 

[dal5band]

I think you have a partial blockage due to build up in the outflow pipe - probbaly at a low point or a bend at the botton. This will not show up with just pouring water from a jug. Fill both sinks with hot water and let go - this may help clear things and also try a plunger.


Just as an observation, bottle traps (like the one on the left sink) always give trouble - a P trap has a much better sweeping action.
You have one trap feeding into another - this will work but the flow is slower and may not flush out the pipe further down - causing a build up.
So in the long run, get rid of the bottle trap and just connect pipework directly into the P trap of the main sink.

 

[swbjackson]

there's a discharge pipe (hidden behind skirting board) round the kitchen which then goes drains into a manhole of sorts. This is then pumped upwards (as the kitchen is in the garden level of an old victorian conversion) up away.

I take it this manhole of sorts contains some sort of pump set. have you checked that this is working?

Mike