Blocked drain

[Arbu]

Hi, I'm trying to fix a blocked drain. When I run water down my kitchen sink it runs up into the bath. The attached picture shows my pipes. When I flush the toilet there's no problem so I think the blockage must be where I've drawn the red oval.

I've tried using a plunger, acid and an auger but the only result seems to have been to release a lot of detritus that now comes up into my bath along with the water. Can I unscrew the pipes in the photo to get at where I think the blockage is (once the water has gone down again)?

Thanks.

Untitled

• Arbu
• 20 Oct 2013
• 1

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

You can undo the pipe but for safety's sake, protect yourself, especially your face as you've used acid in there. That stuff takes no prisoners and it is your last pair of eyes!

Looks like the waste connection is too close to the branch from the WC, supposed to be 200mm under the centre of the WC branch to prevent crossflow blocking the waste connection. (Which is quite possibly what has happened....)

 

[Agile]

You seem to be lucky to have some compression fittings.

The blockage is probably where the pipe meets the 110 mm drain.

There is an inspection access and if you have small hands of a small child it may be possible to clear it from there with a suitably bent tool.

Tony

 

[Arbu]

Thank you both, v. helpful. I'll try the inspection cover first and will be sure to protect myself from the risk of any acid splashing out. The waste connection is only about 10cm below the centre of the toilet branch.

 

[Agile]

Yes, you could have some nasty stuff which has been forced into the opening.

I was going to comment on the spacing but thought that it would not help you deal with the blockage!

Tony

 

[i_am_fubar]

Are you putting the plug in the sink / bath when plungering the bath / sink? If not, the plunger air may just be coming up through the other hole.

If you have a buddy with another plunger, try doing both at the same time. But again, eye protection at a minimum. Ideally full face.

Fubar.

 

[Arbu]

Are you putting the plug in the sink / bath when plungering the bath / sink?

No, but have now tried this without success. Will see if I can find someone with another plunger, although it's going to be hard to persuade them when I tell them they need full face protection for the job!

 

[Arbu]

Bath is full of water from last attempt with plunger. I suppose I can open the hatch on the main pipe but not unscrew the pipes while it's in this state? Will be wearing thick rubber gloves.

 

[Agile]

Not just other plug holes to close off.

You need to close the basin/bath overflows! A softish bar of soap often plugs the basins. baths need a wet cloth held firmly over the overflow by your assistant!

Tony

 

[foxhole]

Boiling soapy water down sink, it almost certainly has a plug of grease causing back-up.
Would have been good to fill the bath with hot water as well, but you would need to remove what you have in there.
Used this method on a few like this where several plumbers failed to clear [had no access to pipework].

 

[Arbu]

Boiling soapy water down sink, it almost certainly has a plug of grease causing back-up.
Would have been good to fill the bath with hot water as well, but you would need to remove what you have in there.
Used this method on a few like this where several plumbers failed to clear [had no access to pipework].

OK, I'll have a few goes at that once the bath has drained.

Using the hatch on the main pipe is going to be difficult because it's very hard to reach the far screw and when I do get it undone the bolt is going to fall off and I'll have no way to put it back because I can't get my hand to that side at all. Plus I have to liaise with neighbours to make sure they don't use their drains at all. So if the boiling water and soap doesn't work I'll have to unscrew the pipes.

 

[Arbu]

The boiling soapy water has worked! Thanks to everyone, particularly foxhole. I did actually try a kettle full of boiling water before starting this thread but it didn't seem to help. Doing it with soap half a dozen times finally cleared it. So sounds like the blockage must have been fat, but there was no obvious source of this recently, must have been a long build-up over a period of years.