Kitchen Sink won't drain. Tried different solutions.

[Gaven91]

Hi everyone,

The sink in my kitchen won't drain.

This is a new condo unit, it's been only 8 months. I'm not a pro, but I lived in apartments for more than 10 years and never had this issue.

My first attempt was to use a chemical. That didn't work.

Then I tried a plunger and snake, also didn't work. I noticed that the snake wouldn't go further than 4 or 5 feet. So I decided to take that U shaped pipe (sorry for the terms, I'm not familiar with the terms). The U pipe was clean, so I decided to try snaking from there, where I removed the U pipe. I noticed it wouldn't go more than 2 feet inside, right where there's a joint.

So I opened the joint and I noticed there's a tube inside, almost as large as the pipe. I'm not sure if that's okay o not, but I noticed that the joint was causing the blockage because of this tube inside. (picture attached).

Because of the tube, I can't snake it any further.

Is that normal to have a tube inside the joint? Also, any idea of what I can do to try fixing this issue?

PS: I picked as much dirty as possible from the joint, but it still not working.

Thank you.

 

[Twowaxhack]

That’s probably the trap weir. They probably didn’t cut it off and it’s extending into the cleanout opening.

I can’t for sure tell from your pics though.......

Its not the source of the obstruction in the drain. But it is keeping you from running the cable into the cleanout, if it’s what I think it is.....

Take a pic of all the piping under the sink showing all of it.

Is this a brand new building ? You the first occupant ?

 

[Gaven91]

That’s probably the trap weir. They probably didn’t cut it off and it’s extending into the cleanout opening.

I can’t for sure tell from your pics though.......

Its not the source of the obstruction in the drain. But it is keeping you from running the cable into the cleanout, if it’s what I think it is.....

Take a pic of all the piping under the sink showing all of it.

Is this a brand new building ? You the first occupant ?

Thanks for your prompt response.

Yes, this is a brand new building and I'm the first occupant.

I attached the picture you asked.

Thank you.

 

[Twowaxhack]

If it’s the trap weir then it’s a super duper long one .

I’m not sure what you have going on there really......

So there is a pipe inside of your cleanout opening that’s preventing your cable from entering the pipe.......that’s how I understand the problem. Is that correct ?

I think I’d call the builder that I bought the unit from....it should be under warranty. Unless you’re pouring grease down the drain, you’re not the cause.....

Are any of your neighbors having trouble ?

 

[Jeff Handy]

Looks like the waste arm is running uphill, might just be camera angle, or sagging only with the trap off.

What is that brass chunk inside the cleanout?

 

[Twowaxhack]

Almost looks like a chunk of 2x4

 

[Gaven91]

If it’s the trap weir then it’s a super duper long one .

I’m not sure what you have going on there really......

So there is a pipe inside of your cleanout opening that’s preventing your cable from entering the pipe.......that’s how I understand the problem. Is that correct ?

I think I’d call the builder that I bought the unit from....it should be under warranty. Unless you’re pouring grease down the drain, you’re not the cause.....

Are any of your neighbors having trouble ?

Yeah, I contacted the landlord and he's dealing with the building, however, they are not being really helpful. It's been more than a week that someone came to look at it and said someone else would come back.

And you're correct, there's a pipe inside the cleanout opening.

 

[Gaven91]

Looks like the waste arm is running uphill, might just be camera angle, or sagging only with the trap off.

What is that brass chunk inside the cleanout?

Looks like the waste arm is running uphill, might just be camera angle, or sagging only with the trap off.

What is that brass chunk inside the cleanout?

Honestly I don't know what that might be. Maybe food residue after the chemical I poured down the drain?

I just know I cleaned it as much as I could.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Yeah, I contacted the landlord and he's dealing with the building, however, they are not being really helpful. It's been more than a week that someone came to look at it and said someone else would come back.

And you're correct, there's a pipe inside the cleanout opening.

I’d call them back and give them one more opportunity to correct the problem or I’d have it corrected by my plumber and have the building pay me back.

Good luck.

 

[Duckbutter]

And you're correct, there's a pipe inside the cleanout opening.

This is NOT your fault or responsibility, call them again and tell them you will charge them for any needed repairs if they do not respond, you're without a kitchen that you paid for.

 

[Jeff Handy]

If the blue water line can be moved to the side, you could cut off that brass cleanout and replace with pvc, attached with shielded couplings.

There still might be something laying in that pipe, that you could try to grab and remove from the open end where the trap was.

It might be some kind of molding defect, hard to see what that thing is in there.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Looks like wood grain......looks to be the width of a 2x4.

 

[Gaven91]

Looks like wood grain......looks to be the width of a 2x4.

View attachment 29929

Not sure what a wood grain would be.

It's way cleaner than in the picture I posted, because I took that picture before removing the dirt.

 

[Gaven91]

This is NOT your fault or responsibility, call them again and tell them you will charge them for any needed repairs if they do not respond, you're without a kitchen that you paid for.

Thank you.

I hope the landlord can have this sorted out with the building soon, otherwise, they will have to solve this by themselves.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Not sure what a wood grain would be.

It's way cleaner than in the picture I posted, because I took that picture before removing the dirt.

the pic I posted is your picture that I zoomed in on.

It looks like wood grain to me, like part of a block of wood in the pipe.

 

[Gaven91]

the pic I posted is your picture that I zoomed in on.

It looks like wood grain to me, like part of a block of wood in the pipe.

I know it's the same picture. I was just saying I took that picture before cleaning the cleanout opening.

Regarding the pipe, it's not wood. It's metallic.

 

[Jeff Handy]

The point is, try to poke it with something to slide it out, or grab it from the open end with a coat hanger, etc.

If it can’t make the turn, it is easy to cut the drain line to extract that chunk, then add a shielded coupling to join it back up.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I think I’ve said enough. Good luck !

 

[Gaven91]

Thank you everyone. I will wait for the landlord to get back to me.

 

[Jeff Handy]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fernco-1-1...ded-Specialty-Coupling-PVC-Fitting/1000075351