Blocked waste pipe?

[pinheadplanet]

Hi

I have a waste pipe which has started to back up a bit and cause overflow. The pipe drains from the kitchen sink and draining board, each has it's own trap (these are clear), then down towards the outside of the house. In the middle of the sink and the wall outlet is the washing machine drain that drops into this waste pipe, it is this one that is backing up and overflowing as it is the lowest point.

Initially I cleared out the pipes using Caustic soda and boiling water and got a load of black slim and white powdery/grainy gunk out and as far as you can see down the pipes with a torch they are clear BUT there are 2 90degree corners before going outside where you cannot see.

Having undone the waste pipe for the washing machine and blowing hard down it (sealing it my end) it does seem that there is still some restriction. I think essentially this should just be an empty pipe about 4 or 5 metres long and therefore I shouldn't get any restriction when blowing down it.

Yet I can't quite believe that the 4 metres of pipework I can see are spotless and there is a blockage in the bit I can't see, having got so much crud out already.

What do we reckon?

Thanks in advance

 

[Newboy]

Where does the waste pipe go to outside?

 

[pinheadplanet]

Just feeds out into the drain. I have remove the feed pipe so I can see all the crud coming out

 

[Newboy]

What type of drain - through a grating / collar etc. ?

 

[Newboy]

If it feeds through a grating then a worm will be your easiest first try.

http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awin...p://www.screwfix.com/p/drain-unblocker/11325?

 

[pinheadplanet]

just been up to wickes and bought this

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Drain-Cleaner-4-65m/p/500594

same thing. About to give it a go.

BTW pipe feeds in along the side of the house to the downpipe from the guttering

 

[Newboy]

How old is the house? (and a photo of the downpipe connection might be useful)

 

[pinheadplanet]

It's 1930's but has new pipework.
I've managed to get the worm all the way through so it's sticking out the other end.
Hasn't pushed any gunk through with it but certainly drilled through some as the corkscrew is gunked up.
Going to see if I can pull it back out now
The pipe has 'eaten' about 4 metres of worm

 

[Newboy]

Welcome to the wonderful world of plumbing (and just one of it's delights!)

Generally a few pushes and pulls will help to loosen the accumulated gunk - the flush through with plenty of water, fill the kitchen sink and let it go rather than just running a tap.

 

[pinheadplanet]

Before I tried the worm I tried the blowing method a few times. This is the crud I managed to blow through

 

[pinheadplanet]

White granular hard stuff, I'm assuming washing powder (even though we've used liquid detergent for years)

I've put the worm through a few times, back and forth quite vigorously. I've tried filling the sink up and then releasing it but it still backs up the downpipe from the washing machine a bit. To be honest there's about 4 or 5 metres of 40mm pipe that is near horizontal from the washing machine to the outlet outside.

 

[pinheadplanet]

What could I use to keep the white crud from building up again?

 

[oilboffin]

Usual crap you get in a waste pipe it's just a matter of staying with it till you clear it unless you replace the pipework.

 

[JohnD]

does anybody tip cooking fat down the sink, or wash up greasy pans without wiping them off first?

Looks like a fatburg


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/enormous-fatberg-length-two-buses-4571824

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Looks like fat to me. You don't have to tip large quantities down the sink, even small amounts from rinsing off plates can build up, soon as it starts to cool it will solidify again. All the worm has done is drilled a hole through the middle of the blockage, to be honest, I think your best bet right now would be to renew the pipework. You'll never get it completely clean again now.