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Posted by tbasc@bellsouth.net on September 20, 2006, 7:32 am
Dan_Musicant wrote:
> 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
My guess: Old pipes and joints are weak. Slight movement opens the
joints. ( I watched a competent plumber work on neighbor's old system
and a joint far removed from the work opened up.
TB
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