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Discuss Kitchen sink won't drain properly 2-3 weeks after cleaning waste pipes in the Plumbing Forum | Plumbing Advice area at PlumbersForums.net

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Hello folks,

My kitchen sink waste pipes, which also take the drain hoses from the washing machine and the dishwasher (see attached photo) are causing me a problem. Roughly once a year, it starts to backup, and I have to uncouple the trap from the horizontal waste pipe, and suck out the accumulated gunky water with the Vac. Recently it has started needing VAXing about every 2-3 weeks, as the sink gets slower to drain, until it is taking almost 30 mins, and the dishwasher waste pipe is overflowing onto the floor.
I have taken all the unscrewable pipework off numerous times, and it is fairly clean, and the water in the Vax doesn't have any noticeable gunk or items in it.
The vertical pipe on the left, behind the board goes down under the floorboards, and I suspect it runs straight along, until it enters the large bore pipe that runs into the outside drain. I have managed to get a snake about 2.5m down the waste pipe, when entering at the bottom unscrewable junction, below the power point, which would probably mean that I had hit the other side of the drainpipe, and it came out fairly clean, especially the spring end; unfortunately I can't get into to the underfloor waste pipe at the drainpipe end, as it is solvent weld.
Does it seem like there is a blockage in the system, if so, why is it fine for 2-3 weeks, after I Vax it, given that no food waste, meat fat, or anything that I think would be clogging it up is going down there, and the Vax water doesn't contain anything lumpy or gungy; or is there another possible reason that might explain this?
 

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Yes to much going down that size pipe everything going down there has the potential to cause a blockage and thats what your experiencing a build up of gunk 40mm pipe should only run 3m ? Falling all the way to drain it needs jetting through how you do it is your choice . Kop
 
It seems as though you have a problem downstream. Tell us more about the drainpipe and where the nearest inspection covers are.
 
It seems as though you have a problem downstream. Tell us more about the drainpipe and where the nearest inspection covers are.
I can't tell you too much about the drain pipe, as it has been boxed in, as the house has an extension that goes past the soilpipe. from what I can see that the waste pipe that runs under the floor comes out and runs towards the outside drain - you can just see a small part of the grey pipe in the attached photo, and it looks like it might be inclined slightly upwards. I can't lift the drain cover, at the moment, as the lid is stuck, I will need to clean it up and see if I can lift it.
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Yes to much going down that size pipe everything going down there has the potential to cause a blockage and thats what your experiencing a build up of gunk 40mm pipe should only run 3m ? Falling all the way to drain it needs jetting through how you do it is your choice . Kop
So it seems that there are 2 sections, the run under the kitchen floor from the sink, and then, after a 90' bend, the section from what was the outside of the house to the outside drain. I presume that it will ideally need jetting from both ends, although the kitchen end hasn't got great access, and it has got 2 90' bends in the first foot or so of pipe. Would a standard pressure washer be good enough?

As I am planning to get the kitchen, and it's plumbing redone this year, is there a better way for the waste to be plumbed, given that the 4-5m run from the sink to the drain can't really be altered?
 

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You could attempt jetting it yourself but beware it is a messy job disconnect the sink trap and washing machine stand pipe cap the connection off and jet down the other keep your wet vac handy . Best of luck kop
 
You could attempt jetting it yourself but beware it is a messy job disconnect the sink trap and washing machine stand pipe cap the connection off and jet down the other keep your wet vac handy . Best of luck kop

So if I can get hold of a domestic pressure washer, like a Karcher, do you know of a suitable jetting hose that will get around 2 90' bends in a standard 38mm waste pipe; that actual run is only about 3m from the trap to the soil pipe?
 
Karcher do such a hose for pipe clearing but you will have to look it up to see if it is long enough.
 
Karcher do such a hose for pipe clearing but you will have to look it up to see if it is long enough.
I've seen that, and there are some third party ones available as well, but I don't seem to be able to find out if they are suitable for waste pipes, especially with bends, or just drainpipes.
 
I've seen that, and there are some third party ones available as well, but I don't seem to be able to find out if they are suitable for waste pipes, especially with bends, or just drainpipes.
Really! Guess you didn`t try Karchers home webpage with their Live chat.
 
Really! Guess you didn`t try Karchers home webpage with their Live chat.
I did this morning, I couldn't find the pipe cleaning kit on the webpage, and despite numerous attempts, Live Chat was always unavailable, although you had to keep entering your details before they told you that!
 
In case anybody is interested, I bought a Deuba Drain Pipe Cleaning Hose, which came with a variety of adapters, one of which attached to the Karcher K2 I have. It managed to get around 2 90' bends with a bit of flexing beforehand and feed it in a good couple of metres; it couldn't manage a u-bend though.
It seemed from the details to be very similar to the Karcher one.
Details here DeubaXXL.com - https://www.deubaxxl.com/drain-pipe-cleaning-hose-15-m-flexible-jetter-tube-cleaner-unblocker/
Whether its use has solved my problem in the long term, only time will tell.
 

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