- Joined
- 22 Jan 2004
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 0
- Country
Hi, I've got a VERY slow draining kitchen sink !!!
To set the scene, the sink has a standard U-bend trap which then runs horizontally to a vertical down pipe. Approx. 18 inches below this another U-bend trap directly under the sink - the washing machine and dishwasher both empty into this through a one way valve - also enters this vertical down pipe which then flows out to the main 6 inch diameter waste. The down pipe that both these drain into has a screw cap on top level with the bottom of the sink.
The symptoms are that although the sink has always been rather slow to drain it has now taken to draining even slower. The waste from the washing machine and dishwasher are now tending to flow back up into the sink too.
I've put a considerable amount of caustic sink cleaners down the sink and after no joy, I've removed the cap from the vertical pipe and sent some down that too. I've also removed a large chunk of limescale build up from the sink U-bend. None of this has had anything but a minor effect.
When draining the sink I've found that if I unscrew the cap, there's a rush of air and the sink drains very quickly until the 'water' fills the vertical pipe and I have to replace the cap or flood the kitchen!
This all leads me to believe that there is a considerable blockage in the pipe connecting the joint kitchen waste to the main sewer line, as the toilet and bath on the floor above both have no problem draining to the same main sewer line. The line from the kitchen waste to the main sewer pipe is around 4 metres.
What to do next please?
many thanks . . . evan p
To set the scene, the sink has a standard U-bend trap which then runs horizontally to a vertical down pipe. Approx. 18 inches below this another U-bend trap directly under the sink - the washing machine and dishwasher both empty into this through a one way valve - also enters this vertical down pipe which then flows out to the main 6 inch diameter waste. The down pipe that both these drain into has a screw cap on top level with the bottom of the sink.
The symptoms are that although the sink has always been rather slow to drain it has now taken to draining even slower. The waste from the washing machine and dishwasher are now tending to flow back up into the sink too.
I've put a considerable amount of caustic sink cleaners down the sink and after no joy, I've removed the cap from the vertical pipe and sent some down that too. I've also removed a large chunk of limescale build up from the sink U-bend. None of this has had anything but a minor effect.
When draining the sink I've found that if I unscrew the cap, there's a rush of air and the sink drains very quickly until the 'water' fills the vertical pipe and I have to replace the cap or flood the kitchen!
This all leads me to believe that there is a considerable blockage in the pipe connecting the joint kitchen waste to the main sewer line, as the toilet and bath on the floor above both have no problem draining to the same main sewer line. The line from the kitchen waste to the main sewer pipe is around 4 metres.
What to do next please?
many thanks . . . evan p
