Washing machine drain fills sink, but drains if I move pipe

[paulhick]

Hi all,

We live in a new built house (been here about 9 months) and for the last week or two have been having very strange goings on with some plumbing.

Started when our washing machine drains and the sink that is connected below filled with water. We've since had a lot of strangeness, with loud gurgling noises and water spurting out of plug holes, eg when a toilet is flushed a nearby shower sputters, or when a shower that normally drains fine suddenly won't drain.

The builder had been and rodded all the external drainage runs and claims they are clear, but we still have problems.

The weird thing is that if I wiggle the drain pipe from the washing machine sink where it connects to floor drain (rests on top of a rubber washer in a pipe set in the floor) there sounds like air suction/release and the sink above quickly drains fine.

The builder says we need to report a blocked drain to local council, but no neighbors (same builder, presumably same drain) have problems.

Anyone got any suggestions as to what the problem might be? I'm trying to be persistent that the builder send someone to check the internal plumbing, but if I can narrow down the problem it might be easier to get them out to fix.

Hoping for some suggestions, thanks.

 

[ReJect]

No air getting into waste pipes is your problem most likely.
Check with a decent plumber, (as many, but not all) builders know nothing much about plumbing or waste pipes and sewers.
Soil pipes need open vent stacks or/and air admittance valves.
Waste pipes (basins, sinks, baths, showers) need proper gradual fall and be fully supported at such.
Kitchen sink wastes, if they have an overflow, might depend on the overflow as a air intake

 

[just pumps]

If you have a manhole cover then lift it and see how long it takes a flushed toilet water to appear, lifting the cover might show the problem though, my money is on wet wipes.

 

[ReJect]

If you have a manhole cover then lift it and see how long it takes a flushed toilet water to appear, lifting the cover might show the problem though, my money is on wet wipes.

Wet Wipes, - or as I call them, Chamois Leathers.

 

[just pumps]

Wet Wipes, - or as I call them, Chamois Leathers.

Your first reply could well be correct the way new houses are thrown together however wet wipes cause so many problems and they may come from the neighbours which is even more annoying.

 

[ReJect]

Your first reply could well be correct the way new houses are thrown together however wet wipes cause so many problems and they may come from the neighbours which is even more annoying.

Just Pumps you actually could be spot on re the wet wipes. So common in use nowadays. I blame the female species.

 

[just pumps]

Survey I saw a few years ago pointed towards young male adolescents being the most to use them!!!!
What has the world come too ffs.

 

[paulhick]

By builder I mean a house building company, I'm assuming the plumbing was done by a sub-contractor.

No wet wipes have gone down any drain or sink while we've owned the house from new, and the problems have only started in the last couple of weeks.

There is a vent pipe that emerges in the loft, based on my non expert googling this is an air intake valve. Photo attached, but it's hard to access this (loft not boarded) and I don't know what it should look like. Looks off center to me, but I don't know what it should look like.

 

[just pumps]

Pull it off and see if it cures the problem

 

[paulhick]

Pull it off and see if it cures the problem

Hard to get to as the loft isn't boarded and there is thick insulation so I'm not sure where I could stand to get to it. I'll think I'll have try to get the developer to send a pro up there, but they seem reluctant to admit the problem is inside the house

 

[just pumps]

By builder I mean a house building company, I'm assuming the plumbing was done by a sub-contractor.

No wet wipes have gone down any drain or sink while we've owned the house from new, and the problems have only started in the last couple of weeks.

Sorry bud but unless you have had no family, friends or visitors you can't be certain also as I said it could be neighbours.

 

[paulhick]

I guess I'm going to have to get some boards from somewhere and get up in loft tomorrow morning and prod the valve, check if that looks obviously working or not. Any tips what I should be looking for?

 

[just pumps]

Just pull it off
Looks off centre because I think the plumber fitted a small one. They come in different sizes. Won't do any damage if you leave it off for now and get a new one later.

 

[foxhole]

Hi all,

We live in a new built house (been here about 9 months) and for the last week or two have been having very strange goings on with some plumbing.
Any pics of pipe work in kitchen , your description
Started when our washing machine drains and the sink that is connected below filled with water. We've since had a lot of strangeness, with loud gurgling noises and water spurting out of plug holes, eg when a toilet is flushed a nearby shower sputters, or when a shower that normally drains fine suddenly won't drain.

The builder had been and rodded all the external drainage runs and claims they are clear, but we still have problems.

The weird thing is that if I wiggle the drain pipe from the washing machine sink where it connects to floor drain (rests on top of a rubber washer in a pipe set in the floor) there sounds like air suction/release and the sink above quickly drains fine.

The builder says we need to report a blocked drain to local council, but no neighbors (same builder, presumably same drain) have problems.

Anyone got any suggestions as to what the problem might be? I'm trying to be persistent that the builder send someone to check the internal plumbing, but if I can narrow down the problem it might be easier to get them out to fix.

Hoping for some suggestions, thanks.

Hi all,

We live in a new built house (been here about 9 months) and for the last week or two have been having very strange goings on with some plumbing.

Started when our washing machine drains and the sink that is connected below filled with water. We've since had a lot of strangeness, with loud gurgling noises and water spurting out of plug holes, eg when a toilet is flushed a nearby shower sputters, or when a shower that normally drains fine suddenly won't drain.

The builder had been and rodded all the external drainage runs and claims they are clear, but we still have problems.

The weird thing is that if I wiggle the drain pipe from the washing machine sink where it connects to floor drain (rests on top of a rubber washer in a pipe set in the floor) there sounds like air suction/release and the sink above quickly drains fine.

The builder says we need to report a blocked drain to local council, but no neighbors (same builder, presumably same drain) have problems.

Anyone got any suggestions as to what the problem might be? I'm trying to be persistent that the builder send someone to check the internal plumbing, but if I can narrow down the problem it might be easier to get them out to fix.

Hoping for some suggestions, thanks.

Any pics of kitchen pipe work your description sounds a little strange .?

 

[paulhick]

Any pics of kitchen pipe work your description sounds a little strange .?

These two show where the washing machine connects to underneath sink (there is also a blanked off second attachment for another machine) and where that pipework connects to floor. It seems to just rest on top of a rubber seal, this is what I can lift to let air in/out.

Washing machine hose is on right, blank space for second machine on left, connection to overflow behind that and the trap drains out backwards then down to floor in second picture.

Most obvious problems manifest at that sink, but seems to affect whole house.