Clogged Kitchen Drain

[Gradient]

Originally Posted by maverickfhs
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Do you have any recommendation for the snake? Just anyone from HF or Walmart or has to be something special? Thank you

I'd use a Drain Auger, like this or this.

 

[wog]

There is your cleanout,back it off and snake it down, then leave open and slowly run water to see if it backs out. If it backs out hit it with snake till it will drain. Good luck!

 

[PandaBear]

My inlaw had this problem once, and they ended up with a plumber coming in with a 60 feet snake going from the roof vent and then cut out a section to install a trap opening for future plumbing need.

 

[maverickfhs]

Originally Posted by wog
There is your cleanout,back it off and snake it down, then leave open and slowly run water to see if it backs out. If it backs out hit it with snake till it will drain. Good luck!

Sorry being completely newb, can you please explain it? Should I just insert the sake inside the pipe or crack that cleanout nut and insert the snake inside it?

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted by maverickfhs
Do you have any recommendation for the snake? Just anyone from HF or Walmart or has to be something special? Thank you

I bought something like this. I got mine from Home Depot. It was a good physical workout using it.

 

[walterjay]

You can try snaking it out. If that doesn't work it could be grease clogging the thing. When you remove the snake the grease just closes in on the hole you made. In such a case you may have to have it professionally jetted clean with a jetter. Had to do mine last year. 22 years of grease build up. It was a terrible mess of a job.

 

[PimTac]

That square end fitting is your clean out access. Normally you can put a large wrench on that square end. It looks like the sheet rock might hinder that a bit. At least you have one.

The snake is the appropriate tool for this job. You can rent one instead of buying one.

 

[maverickfhs]

Originally Posted by PimTac
That square end fitting is your clean out access. Normally you can put a large wrench on that square end. It looks like the sheet rock might hinder that a bit. At least you have one.

The snake is the appropriate tool for this job. You can rent one instead of buying one.


Thank you, so I'll remove the P-trap and insert the snake into the pipe going into the wall OR remove square fitting and insert snake into it? What would be the recommended and right way for a snake?

 

[PimTac]

I would go with whichever route is easier for you. The clean out would be easier to run the snake through though. This assumes the fact that the clog resides beyond that point.

You might try one of the liquid drain clog busters first. Follow the instructions on the bottle and give it the maximum time to work.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

Originally Posted by maverickfhs
Originally Posted by BlueOvalFitter
Look outside at the wall opposite of your sink and there should be a wall clean out. Go to any hardware store and buy a BLOW BAG. You can run it down the wall clean out. If there's not a clean out there, there is a vent stack protruding from the roof. Run your BLOW BAG down that pipe. This should unclog your drain pipe.
If that don't work, call a plumber.
https://www.acbyj.com/blog/unclog-drain-with-blow-bag



Are you talking about the highlighted area/lug right next to the pipe going inside the wall?

Yes, that's the clean out you need to open up and do whatever option you chose to do to clean the line. BE CAREFUL when you open it. There might be a little bit of water there!

 

[JTK]

If a plunger or snake doesn't work, try sucking out the piping with a shop vac.

Sorry if I missed it, but do you have access to the drain line from the basement? Reason I ask is I've been down this road with our kitchen sink a few times over the years. Plunging won't clear it, nor will a snake. The sink drain line runs down into the basement then has two very long ~20ft runs with very little slope to them before it dumps into the main drain stack. I installed two clean outs. Luckily it's all plastic. All I have to do is unthread the caps on the cleanouts and suck out all the loveliness with the shop vac. Stinks like holy heck, but makes the pipes clean as a whistle.

I would highly suggest scrapping the garbage disposal. There's a reason they're referred to as a plumbers best friend. All the slurry they produce is nothing but cause more risk of clogged pipes.

 

[maverickfhs]

Originally Posted by JTK
If a plunger or snake doesn't work, try sucking out the piping with a shop vac.

Sorry if I missed it, but do you have access to the drain line from the basement? Reason I ask is I've been down this road with our kitchen sink a few times over the years. Plunging won't clear it, nor will a snake. The sink drain line runs down into the basement then has two very long ~20ft runs with very little slope to them before it dumps into the main drain stack. I installed two clean outs. Luckily it's all plastic. All I have to do is unthread the caps on the cleanouts and suck out all the loveliness with the shop vac. Stinks like holy heck, but makes the pipes clean as a whistle.

I would highly suggest scrapping the garbage disposal. There's a reason they're referred to as a plumbers best friend. All the slurry they produce is nothing but cause more risk of clogged pipes.

Thanks for the valuable help and advise.

Is the shopvac usable after it? Think I can stick the vaccum inside the cleanout hole and see if it helps.

Going to try insta seal clog cleaner and see if it helps? I was reluctant to use cleaner.

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted by maverickfhs

Is the shopvac usable after it? Think I can stick the vaccum inside the cleanout hole and see if it helps.

Going to try insta seal clog cleaner and see if it helps? I was reluctant to use cleaner.


Just make sure you've got the shop vac cleaned out and setup for wet use as you're going to need to hose it out afterwards.

The issue with trying it at the cleanout through the wall is, the shop vac will probably just suck air from the vent side. Those cleanouts are typically designed to route a snake downwards. The upward direction is towards the vent that pokes out your roof.

 

[Aredeeem]

Geez Maverick you kept a lot of us busy all day long. Well done!

 

[maverickfhs]

So I have been pouring boiling water and using plunger at the same time.

Seems to be helping with the drain flow, at least with all the feedback and help from all of you, think I am on the right track.

Really appreciate all the help. If plunger and boiling water doesn't completely solve the problem, then next is insta seal, followed by snake.

Thanks again all, sorry for being a noob and asking too many questions. Appreciate it.

 

[2heeldrive]

I worn several of these out in my rental properties. The only drain it won't clean in the main line. In my experience it is the horizontal pipe from the trap to the wall. Too bad you can't take that apart. It's usually full of hardened grease that can be scraped out.

I would be tempted to cut the pipe between the trap and the wall to get in there. You could put it back together with a rubber coupling.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-PowerSpin-Plus-57043/303644607

 

[maverickfhs]

Originally Posted by twoheeldrive
I worn several of these out in my rental properties. The only drain it won't clean in the main line. In my experience it is the horizontal pipe from the trap to the wall. Too bad you can't take that apart. It's usually full of hardened grease that can be scraped out.

I would be tempted to cut the pipe between the trap and the wall to get in there. You could put it back together with a rubber coupling.


https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-PowerSpin-Plus-57043/303644607



I'll be honest I literally was about to the cut the pipe from trap to the wall yesterday. Then convinced myself to ask and proceed with caution. Wish that pipe would have been removable and it would make cleaning helluva a lot easier.

 

[wog]

Yes back plug out, and push wire(snake) down drain ,when you hit something,spin wire to push through it. When you feel you got it try water slowly. When you break clog you may hear it takeoff down the line. After you run it and it is flowing,fill both bowls and let em go. The slug of water will carry leftover loose muck go down. Bon apetite.

 

[BlueOvalFitter]

In my 31 years of being a journeyman plumber I have never seen or heard of so many ways of how NOT to clean a pipe clog! I never had to do many plumbing jobs because I was a pipefitter and a certified welder. But, I still held a journeyman plumbers card and knew all of the Southern plumbing codes. SMH!

 

[PandaBear]

One thing my dad taught me when I was a kid, was to use powdered laundry detergent, pack the drain with it, then pour hot water down to melt it in high concentration. This only works when it is not completely blocked of course.