I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

On 1/7/2011 6:24 PM, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

BTW, I also poured a pint of Pequa drain opener in the pipe, which also
trickled out at the same rate. I let it sit for 2 or 3 hours, but still
the same results.

On Jan 7, 5:24*pm, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?


Ventilation?

-C-

On 1/7/2011 6:27 PM, Country wrote:
On Jan 7, 5:24 pm, wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?


Ventilation?

-C-
Showing my ignorance here, but I'm not sure. The pipe goes in the wall
and behind cabinet a foot or so and down from there. The bathroom's
right above the kitchen, so it's possible there's a vent pipe that ties
to the bathroom. Just guessing.

On 1/7/2011 6:49 PM, Pete wrote:
On 1/7/2011 6:27 PM, Country wrote:
On Jan 7, 5:24 pm, wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?


Ventilation?

-C-
Showing my ignorance here, but I'm not sure. The pipe goes in the wall
and behind cabinet a foot or so and down from there. The bathroom's
right above the kitchen, so it's possible there's a vent pipe that ties
to the bathroom. Just guessing.

Showing my ignorance here again, but even if there was no vent pipe, I
don't understand how that could be a factor in this case. I've removed
the p-trap. I would think that with the pipe under the sink wide open,
lack of a vent pipe wouldn't impede the water flow.

On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:29:17 -0500, Pete wrote:

On 1/7/2011 6:49 PM, Pete wrote:
On 1/7/2011 6:27 PM, Country wrote:
On Jan 7, 5:24 pm, wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?


Ventilation?

-C-
Showing my ignorance here, but I'm not sure. The pipe goes in the wall
and behind cabinet a foot or so and down from there. The bathroom's
right above the kitchen, so it's possible there's a vent pipe that ties
to the bathroom. Just guessing.

Showing my ignorance here again, but even if there was no vent pipe, I
don't understand how that could be a factor in this case. I've removed
the p-trap. I would think that with the pipe under the sink wide open,
lack of a vent pipe wouldn't impede the water flow.

A flat wire snake just poking a hole through gunk might end up with
the results you describe.
A typical spiral wire snake shouldn't.
Have you snaked while the drain piping is loaded with water, or poked
a hose running with water while pausing your snaking?

Seems odd to me. You're right about venting. If the drain is open
it's to the kitchen, it's vented.
When you say the snake came out of the end, you mean in the basement,
right?

--Vic

On 1/7/2011 7:55 PM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:29:17 -0500, wrote:

On 1/7/2011 6:49 PM, Pete wrote:
On 1/7/2011 6:27 PM, Country wrote:
On Jan 7, 5:24 pm, wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?


Ventilation?

-C-
Showing my ignorance here, but I'm not sure. The pipe goes in the wall
and behind cabinet a foot or so and down from there. The bathroom's
right above the kitchen, so it's possible there's a vent pipe that ties
to the bathroom. Just guessing.

Showing my ignorance here again, but even if there was no vent pipe, I
don't understand how that could be a factor in this case. I've removed
the p-trap. I would think that with the pipe under the sink wide open,
lack of a vent pipe wouldn't impede the water flow.

A flat wire snake just poking a hole through gunk might end up with
the results you describe.
A typical spiral wire snake shouldn't.
Have you snaked while the drain piping is loaded with water, or poked
a hose running with water while pausing your snaking?

Seems odd to me. You're right about venting. If the drain is open
it's to the kitchen, it's vented.
When you say the snake came out of the end, you mean in the basement,
right?

--Vic

Yes, the snake came out in the basement. It's a cable snake with a half
inch spiral wire end. I've snaked it with water in it. In fact, I had
the snake all the way through to the basement and filled the pipe at the
same time (with an inverted elbow piece). I pulled the snake back out,
and the water still drizzle out in the basement. I'm thinking gremlins.

On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:29:17 -0500, Pete wrote:

On 1/7/2011 6:49 PM, Pete wrote:
On 1/7/2011 6:27 PM, Country wrote:
On Jan 7, 5:24 pm, wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?


Ventilation?

-C-
Showing my ignorance here, but I'm not sure. The pipe goes in the wall
and behind cabinet a foot or so and down from there. The bathroom's
right above the kitchen, so it's possible there's a vent pipe that ties
to the bathroom. Just guessing.

I don't know if this is related to your problem, or not, but every
fixture in your house has a vent to the roof. They combine the
fixtures in one bathroom, and for this reason and others try to put
the various sinks, toilets, showers on top of each other, so that most
houses only need one or two such vents. That's why you have those two
little pipes coming out of your roof. They are not chimneys for the
mice's fireplace, like so many people think.

Showing my ignorance here again, but even if there was no vent pipe, I
don't understand how that could be a factor in this case. I've removed
the p-trap. I would think that with the pipe under the sink wide open,
lack of a vent pipe wouldn't impede the water flow.

I see in a later post that you pour the water in when the pipe is
disconnected and there is no trap between the pipe and where you put
the water in. I guess that should duplicate the purpose of the vent
and it's not the vent.

On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:24:08 -0500, Pete wrote:

I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

I've never been in this situation, but my ugess is you need to attach
something bigger to the snake, like a sponge, or something that will
fill the pipe and not just push a hole through which gets filled up
again as the snake passes through.

I don't know anything about pequa.

Oh, yeah, ventilation. Somehow snake the pipe to the roof. Or from
the roof??

They used to sell a garden hose attachment that swelled up as a ball
and was supposed to fit tightly in a pige. I don't know if you need
that or not.



I don't know what happens if you attach a sponge and then the sponge
comes off!!! In the middle of some pipe. LIke I say, I've never
done this.

Perhaps there is cooking grease gumming up the pipe. This would allow snake
to go through but retain water. Maybe hot water would flush it open?

They used to sell a garden hose attachment that swelled up as a ball
and was supposed to fit tightly in a pige. I don't know if you need
that or not.

I still see that stuff in hardware stores. You may also need to buy an
adapter to connect garden hose to the kitchen faucet.

If this still doesn't work, you could call a plumber with a drain pipe
camera, or use a pressure washer with a jetter hose.

On Jan 7, 3:24*pm, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

http://dezndt9i6z9ef.cloudfront.net/...mage_13513.jpg

"Molly Brown" wrote in message
...
On Jan 7, 3:24 pm, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

http://dezndt9i6z9ef.cloudfront.net/...mage_13513.jpg

+++++++++

And, that is a photo of .....?

On Fri, 7 Jan 2011 20:21:55 -0500, "RogerT"
wrote:

"Molly Brown" wrote in message
...
On Jan 7, 3:24 pm, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

http://dezndt9i6z9ef.cloudfront.net/...mage_13513.jpg

+++++++++

And, that is a photo of .....?

Good question!

"RogerT" wrote in message
...
"Molly Brown" wrote in message
...
On Jan 7, 3:24 pm, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

http://dezndt9i6z9ef.cloudfront.net/...mage_13513.jpg

+++++++++

And, that is a photo of .....?

That is a picture of a spade blade used on the leading edge of a snake. Far
more effective that the corkscrew type.


--
Colbyt
Please come visit http://www.househomerepair.com

Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?
Hi,
Order of trouble-shooting is from top to bottom. Checked vening yet?

In article ,
Pete wrote:

I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

WAG here, but are you sure you're interpreting what you're observing
correctly? Perhaps you cleared the clog, and when you pour water down
the open pipe under the sink, it now runs right through and down the
wash basin in the basement. By the time you get to the basement, it's
gone, so you don't see it. Meanwhile, there's a slow leak in the
bathroom upstairs, the one that connects, IIRC, to the kitchen sink
drain, and it's *that* water that's trickling out at the rate of 1 quart
per ten minutes as you mentioned in a later post.

On Fri, 07 Jan 2011 21:05:10 -0800, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
Pete wrote:

I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

WAG here, but are you sure you're interpreting what you're observing
correctly? Perhaps you cleared the clog, and when you pour water down
the open pipe under the sink, it now runs right through and down the
wash basin in the basement. By the time you get to the basement, it's
gone, so you don't see it. Meanwhile, there's a slow leak in the
bathroom upstairs, the one that connects, IIRC, to the kitchen sink
drain, and it's *that* water that's trickling out at the rate of 1 quart
per ten minutes as you mentioned in a later post.

ARe you saying I can't do all my repairs by myself? You might be
right so I guess in the OP's shoes I woudl plug the basement sink and
see how much is there when I got there.

On 1/8/2011 12:05 AM, Smitty Two wrote:
In ,
wrote:

I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

WAG here, but are you sure you're interpreting what you're observing
correctly? Perhaps you cleared the clog, and when you pour water down
the open pipe under the sink, it now runs right through and down the
wash basin in the basement. By the time you get to the basement, it's
gone, so you don't see it. Meanwhile, there's a slow leak in the
bathroom upstairs, the one that connects, IIRC, to the kitchen sink
drain, and it's *that* water that's trickling out at the rate of 1 quart
per ten minutes as you mentioned in a later post.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm sure. I've used a pan in the wash
basin to catch what I'm putting in from above & used red food coloring
to make sure it's the same water. The water in the pan is the same red
color and the same amount as put in from the top.

I think I'll try that wire attached to the cable end mentioned by a
couple other posters.

Pete wrote in
:

On 1/8/2011 12:05 AM, Smitty Two wrote:
In ,
wrote:

I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the
kitchen disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in
the basement (where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe
that's fortunately runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of
only about 6 or 7 feet of pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy,
with the cable end coming out the end of the pipe with very little
gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe under the sink and it just
trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it 3 more times, and still
the water flow out the end of the pipe in the basement is about a
quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

WAG here, but are you sure you're interpreting what you're observing
correctly? Perhaps you cleared the clog, and when you pour water down
the open pipe under the sink, it now runs right through and down the
wash basin in the basement. By the time you get to the basement, it's
gone, so you don't see it. Meanwhile, there's a slow leak in the
bathroom upstairs, the one that connects, IIRC, to the kitchen sink
drain, and it's *that* water that's trickling out at the rate of 1
quart per ten minutes as you mentioned in a later post.
Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm sure. I've used a pan in the wash
basin to catch what I'm putting in from above & used red food coloring
to make sure it's the same water. The water in the pan is the same red
color and the same amount as put in from the top.

I think I'll try that wire attached to the cable end mentioned by a
couple other posters.

My bathtub drain goes almost horizontal quite a ways, and it accumulates
loose gunk that slows the drain. I get the same symptoms as you that
snakeing doesn't really seem to do anything. So I use something like
Drano, let it sit a while, then flush it and after a bit use a plunger
actively to loosen up the semi-released gunk and rinse it away. This
sees to work for almost alf a year at a time.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

On 1/7/2011 3:24 PM, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

Try a drain cleaning bladder like
http://www.harborfreight.com/medium-drain-cleaning-bladder-99942.html.
I had a kitchen drain clog that a snake wouldn't clear and this worked.

On Jan 7, 11:24*pm, Pete wrote:
I'm baffled. Kitchen sink backed up yesterday, so I removed the kitchen
disposal to snake the pipe. I also disconnected the pipe in the basement
(where I have a rubber boot connector to plastic pipe that's fortunately
runs over my wash basin). So I've got a run of only about 6 or 7 feet of
pipe that I snaked. Snaking went easy, with the cable end coming out the
end of the pipe with very little gunk. So, I pour water down the pipe
under the sink and it just trickles out in the basement! I've snaked it
3 more times, and still the water flow out the end of the pipe in the
basement is about a quart every 10 minutes. Any ideas?

I would get the garden hose and shove it down (or up) the pipe. Turn
the water on and keep shoving. Use hot water if you think there might
be a grease problem. Could be a bit messy though.