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Sink/Garbage disposal backup The Other Mike 10-04-2006
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Posted by The Other Mike on October 4, 2006, 7:53 pm


Have a 2 bowl sink...one side has a disposal and the other doesn't.
We keep experiencing water backing up into both sides of the sink. I
took apart the plumbing underneath and there didn't seem to be any
clogs. If the sink is backed up, I'll run the disposal and water will
disappear from that side of the sink but come up the other side. The
only way to get the water down is to plug the non-disposal side and
use a plunger on the disposal side and do this about 1/2 dozen times.
It almost seems like there's some kind of vacuum occuring but I'm not
much of a plumber and don't know what to do. Any advice on what could
be happening?

Posted by Casino Knight on October 4, 2006, 8:40 pm


Its the sink line thats plugged. Snake it out


> Have a 2 bowl sink...one side has a disposal and the other doesn't.
> We keep experiencing water backing up into both sides of the sink. I
> took apart the plumbing underneath and there didn't seem to be any
> clogs. If the sink is backed up, I'll run the disposal and water will
> disappear from that side of the sink but come up the other side. The
> only way to get the water down is to plug the non-disposal side and
> use a plunger on the disposal side and do this about 1/2 dozen times.
> It almost seems like there's some kind of vacuum occuring but I'm not
> much of a plumber and don't know what to do. Any advice on what could
> be happening?



Posted by Lawrence on October 4, 2006, 8:41 pm



The Other Mike wrote:
>> We keep experiencing water backing up into both sides of the sink. there
didn't seem to be any clogs. If the sink is backed up, I'll run the disposal
and water will
> disappear from that side of the sink but come up the other side. The
> only way to get the water down is to plug the non-disposal side and
> use a plunger on the disposal side and do this about 1/2 dozen times.
> It almost seems like there's some kind of vacuum occuring but I'm not
> much of a plumber and don't know what to do. Any advice on what could
> be happening?

You say there doesn't seem to be any clogs but what did you actually
check? first of all, check the trap. it is the part underneath the
sink which is U-shaped and is designed to be easily dissasebled without
tools. It is A clog could be there but probably not. You check it
first because it is easy to check.

Downstream from the trap, underneath the sink, there should be a
fitting called a cleanout. It is designed so that you can check the
line for clogs without having to go through the sink or the trap. You
get a tool called a snake which is a flexible wire coil that can be
pushed through the line to check for clogs and to pull them out. Most
clogs are hair, food, baby wipes, sanitary napkins and the like.

I have cleaned a few lines out in my time and at one place I pulled out
seven such clogs, mostly hair. I have a 50 foot snake. At anothere
place we had to end up calling a real plumber who used a tiny camera to
look into the line. It was determined that the clog was tree roots
growning into the line between the house and the street. they had to
dig up the yard to fix it. good luck.


Posted by The Other Mike on October 5, 2006, 1:50 pm


I took apart as much of the plumbing as I could which includes the
trap. The trap goes up into another pipe which is about twice the
diameter of the trap pipe that goes straight to the basement...that's
where I stopped.

Another poster mentioned proper venting....where is this venting
done?? All the pipes under the sink run into that larger pipe which
goes to the basement with nothing that looks like a vent.

wrote:

>You say there doesn't seem to be any clogs but what did you actually
>check?


Posted by Lawrence on October 5, 2006, 5:01 pm



The Other Mike wrote:
> I took apart as much of the plumbing as I could which includes the
> trap. The trap goes up into another pipe which is about twice the
> diameter of the trap pipe that goes straight to the basement...that's
> where I stopped.
>
> Another poster mentioned proper venting....where is this venting
> done?? All the pipes under the sink run into that larger pipe which
> goes to the basement with nothing that looks like a vent.

there is a vent which is connected to the plumbing. It can be
connected almost anywhere but typically near the bathroom it connects
inside a wall. some call it a vent stack since it almost always exits
throught the roof and allows air into the system. If you look up on
your roof you will see an open pipe exiting the roof. the system will
not drain unless air can get into that pip. just like putting your
finger over the opening on a straw, liquid cannot escape. The vent is
usually just an open pipe so it is easy for an animal to get in there
and die or maybe build a nest. the vent can be snaked just like the
main line. You can also attempt to flush it with a garden hose. also,
when remodels are done and fixtures are added, sufficient attention to
increased venting can be overlooked. Try to snake the line under the
sink first. You can rent one at any rental store. I have had bad luck
with rentals and eventually bought a tool like this:

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200114874_200114874


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