Lived in this house 23 years, bought it 6 years ago. 1913 built, it has
some problems.

The plumbing's old but it always worked until this summer. Some work was
done updating the downstairs shower, so I had to use the upstairs one
and found the drain clogged. Couldn't unclog it. It seems that the vent
to the drain is blocked about 3 feet above (!) where it meets the tub
drain. That's where a snake stops cold. So, I decided I won't be using
that tub/shower anytime soon. For now, it's just plain clogged and
drains very slowly. The toilet up there works OK, but the sink didn't
drain well a few times (while I was having problems with the tub this
summer) and then was working again (?!).

Under that bathroom the living room ceiling shows considerable damage
evidencing a flood in the bathroom (or that's what I always thought
caused it). Once or twice I may have witnessed water coming down from
that ceiling, but it's so long ago now I can't remember what happened.

Today, I finished installing a new sink in that upstairs bathroom (which
is over the living room). The sink isn't new, but it may as well be. I
got everything working fine, no leaks and find that the sink isn't
draining well (same as happened a few times earlier in the summer when I
was fighting the tub drain problem). I reach for the plunger today and
try to force the water down the sink. I hear something funny and try to
figure out what it is. It turns out to be water pouring down from the
living room ceiling again, seemingly the same place as it had before a
long time ago!!! Depressing!

OK, so I put a bucket down and mop up and think. I'm wondering what all
this means. I turn off the shutoffs for the sink and figure that sink's
out of commision until I either have the plumbing replaced in the house
or at least the drain from the sink (which will necessitate opening up
the bathroom wall and no doubt tearing open the living room ceiling and
doing extensive repairs). Sad, because I just this week finished my
first platering job ever - repairing a nasty botchup under the newly
installed sink.

Maybe someone has an idea exactly what's going on here. I'd appreciate
an explanation. When the other sink was installed there, it seemed to
drain fine (except for a day or two this summer, as noted). Is it just a
coincidence that the drain pipe busted now? Was it busted before and
miraculously stopped leaking? I'm just confused. I see no water or
leaking where the drain stubout connects to the drain pipe at the wall.
If I use the sink now, even without using a plunger, water starts coming
out of the living room ceiling.

Dan