Sink won't drain but there's no blockage?

[Softus]

I've asked the landlord to send a plumber round and they can sort it out between themselves, blockage or no blockage!

Blimey - why were you trying to fix this if it's a rented property?

 

[Londoner]

Because I assumed it was a simple blockage and couldn't be bothered with dealing with the landlord, plumbers etc.!

 

[Softus]

Because I assumed it was a simple blockage and couldn't be bothered with dealing with the landlord, plumbers etc.!

Don't take this the wrong say, but did you put something down the sink that led you to think that it might be a blockage?

 

[meldrew's_mate]

... the amount of water the went down the plug hole was roughly the capacity of the u-bend and pipes, then the sink started filling...

So you have a partial blockage at the final connection to the soil pipe, presumably your open pipe flow tests did not involve large amounts of water? If you disconnect just after the u-bend you should be able to blow freely down the pipe (not pleasant, and this blow job definitely does not mean suck). If not can you get access to the soil pipe connection? Dismantle and inspect here. Hair and stuff can hang-up on rough edges creating a seed for blockages. Clear it & smooth off the edges.

 

[Londoner]

Because I assumed it was a simple blockage and couldn't be bothered with dealing with the landlord, plumbers etc.!

Don't take this the wrong say, but did you put something down the sink that led you to think that it might be a blockage?

Nope. But as a lot of people have said, a simple blockage is the first answer that springs to mind when you sink backs up, and that's what I thought too.

 

[Nige F]

You`re a tenant Hoogstraten was right

 

[Londoner]

Just a quick follow-up to this.

I eventually gave up and asked the landlord to arrange a plumber. In the end he sent round a handyman who did exactly what I did: Used a plunger (didn't work), then took pipes apart and used unblocking tool (didn't work).

He then repeatedly added water to the sink and used the plunger to 'push' the water down the plughole. The water would drain very slowly away each time.

At this point, he noticed something odd with the washing machine, and decided to open the door. Water immediately poured out and flooded the kitchen! This was in fact the water he had been repeatedly 'pushing' down the plughole with the plunger!

Anyway, after some frantic mopping up of the foul smelling water, his next idea was to run the washing machine on a rinse cycle whilst blocking the plughole and overflow. I have to admit I was very skeptical about this but to my surprise, the force of the washing machine waste water did seem to do something. The sink is not fully cleared but it's certainly better than it was before. So I guess this means it was a blockage after all, and perhaps the reason I was able to pour water down the back pipe was simply because the open pipe allowed air to escape, whereas the closed system did not.

I dunno. Anyway running the washing machine and forcing the water through seemed to do the trick.

 

[Bahco]

Try fitting a separate standpipe for your washing machine and change the sink trap for one without the WM spigot.

 

[Softus]

Many thanks for the follow up Londonder - too many people don't bother.

And we're all learning, novices and professionals alike, so I'm sure that your information will be of use to many of my customers

 

[joe-90]

I told you pages ago it was a blockage.



joe

 

[Softus]

That irritating buzzing noise is back - anyone got a fly swatter?

 

[offshore]

I have the same problem, in a old terrace house I just bought, i.e sink backing up, slow drainage from sink and washing machine waste water overflowing from top of stand pipe. (and shorting out my electric) After putting in drain unblocker without joy I was convinced it was some sort of wierd inadequate victorian drain width problem but having read all the above I'll re-double the unblocking the drain efforts and rather than waste more of your time(s) I'll report back if i dont have any success. Cheers

 

[Softus]

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