Blocked vent?

Would a blocked exhaust vent prevent a sink or tub from draining completely?

I have a small bathroom and the sink and tub do not properly drain.
The toilet also flushes but very very very weak.
Cloudy/dirty water does flush, but takes 3 or 4 flushes to get anything else down.


Would a blocked vent contribute to this?

Any other suggestions?

A clogged drain would cause those symptoms.

Hi Redwood.
You cought the tail end of my other post from yesterday.
As you mention, a plumber probably wouldnt have to remove that stuck plug.
Made me think of an alternante!

I removed the trap under the sink and was able to snake it the length of the coil(25 feet). I did pull out some rusty/muddy hairball concoctions, but then it seemed good to go.
I reattached the sink trap and filled the sink and hit the drain stopr release.
water filled the trap and then haulted.

It doesnt make sense that it wouldnt at least go down to the bloackage does it?
I am having a mental block about the flow process.


Anyway-I was just thinking if the vent was blocked would that have to deal with it?

I only spent 15 minutes while I was at the house today.
Everything went quickly and nicely.
Hmmm, if the vent doesnt have anything to do with it- I will TRY and snake it some more.

I was also thinking since the toilet is NOT flushing nicely the blockage could be more related to that since that is the last thing in line.

Tub, sink, Toilet, main waste line.

I may pull up the toilet and go after the main 3 inch pile that way.
Is this a wasted effort?

You may have gone up the vent...
That happens...
Or, you may not have gone far enough...
Or, you may have gone through the clog and not broken it up.
Really, Hand snakes don't do all that great a job...

In any case its still clogged.

Or you may have pushed the clog a bit further down the pipe.

Redwood said:

Or, you may not have gone far enough...

Really, Hand snakes don't do all that great a job...

Click to expand...

If he went 25' he went far enough. On the contrary hand snake's work best 99% of the time for lav's, K.s.'s, and bathtubs.Every time there is a clog you don't have to pull out the big dog. Leave the trap on and enter thru sink strainer or overflow, really RW it's not that hard.




Here I'll show you.



Union Made

Master Plumber 101 said:

If he went 25' he went far enough. On the contrary hand snake's work best 99% of the time for lav's, K.s.'s, and bathtubs.Every time there is a clog you don't have to pull out the big dog. Leave the trap on and enter thru sink strainer or overflow, really RW it's not that hard.



View attachment 5310
Here I'll show you.


View attachment 5311
Union Made

Click to expand...

Thing is if I leave the trap in, I ALWAYS get redirected to the vent(upward)
I had to pull the trap to get the hand snake to go downward.

I will try resnaking.

Will post update tomorrow.

I guess you already figured out the advice he offers is a little off!


The drain drops down to the tee where the plug was then goes across the basement how far before going into a larger pipe?
Does the tub join into that same line?

ThePhanatic said:

Thing is if I leave the trap in, I ALWAYS get redirected to the vent(upward)
I had to pull the trap to get the hand snake to go downward.

I will try resnaking.

Will post update tomorrow.

Click to expand...

I rarely have to pull the trap. If you keep getting redirected it's possible there is a blockage directly below inlet of tee. What I do is with the trap on, run the hand snake, RW.. to the tee than slowly reverse the direction you are turning, it may take a few times but beats taking the trap off and making a bigger mess. This works most of the time.If it is a 3" or 4" branch line a larger machine obviously is needed.

Master Plumber 101 said:

I rarely have to pull the trap. If you keep getting redirected it's possible there is a blockage directly below inlet of tee. What I do is with the trap on, run the hand snake, RW.. to the tee than slowly reverse the direction you are turning, it may take a few times but beats taking the trap off and making a bigger mess. This works most of the time.If it is a 3" or 4" branch line a larger machine obviously is needed.

Click to expand...

I almost always pull the trap to snake a line.
It allows usage of a larger, stonger cable to facilitate better cleaning of the drain.
Pushing a 1/4" cable through a trap is something that I would only do on a tub drain where the trap can not be removed.
You rapidly learn to do this kind of thing when you have to guarantee your work for 6 months.
I enjoy a callback rate of less than 1%, maybe I do something right.
I've never made a mess that a spray bottle of Simple Green and a couple of cotton rags couldn't take care of...

Master Plumber 101 do you really show up at a customers house to clean a drain holding onto a hand snake? I would suggest investing in proper equipment or referring it to someone that has the right equipment.

drain

I take exception to the comment that a plumber would not pull the plug. I would ALWAYS pull the cleanout plug, if there is one, if the stoppage is below that point. Going through the drain or removing the trap might be the first try depending on how quickly it backed up. For that I would use my Ridgid cordless drain cleaner snake as a first option. A small hand snake can pass through a stoppage without clearing it. A plugged or missing vent can only cause the sink to not drain, if there is also a plugged or poor flowing drain line. In that case it is a symptom, not the problem.

You guys are cracking me up..

MP101 and REDWOOD, Thanks for your advice.

As you can tell I am NOT a plumber.
Just a guy trying to do a job.
I have done some cool stuff over the last 2 months plumbing wise though.
Tiled a bathroom(over concrete slab), leveled it out first, Replaced a broken toilet flange, installed shut off valves for the water supplies in the room since none existed(guess they werent available in 1950...lol), added a new toilet, and a new sink.
The sink had the same issues as the other I just completed repairing at the house being sold.
The extension pipe from the wall corroded.
Anyway- I feel more confident about my skills and would just like as much support as possible.

I am definately a do it the best I can guy.

I was given advice to use a rubber connection to connect a messed up wall conection to the trap, but it didnt sound good to me.
I spent an hour or so and go the mess apart to get the job done right.
Same thing here.....

I want to run through for the clog.
I picked up a slightly more industrial snake. actually hooks to my drill for quicker application.
MAY ALSO HAVE MORE CLEANING POWER(Hopefully).

I will post an update later.

BUT about the clean out plug.

As a home owner, I would surely like mine to work and be removeable in case I needed to access it.
If they are frozen in place, couldnt you drill it out.
I am just thinking if I put a giant hole in the center/side ir multiple holes to allow me to remove it.
Is this at all an option?

I would then reinstall a nice new one and the new home owner would have easty access in the future.

Opinions?

For now- I am gonna liquid wrench it while I finsih the cleanout of the 2 remaining rooms.

Somone suggested giving the actual plug about a minute worth of steady blows with a 3 pound happer?
Maybe to loosen the joiint...

Good/Bad idea?

As far as I am concernded- I will try the plug a bit more while vising the house for other stuff.
If all else fails, Friday we will have a plmber come in...

Its not about the money so much as trying to do it, so I have the knowledge and experince for next time.
MANY things I know how to do are from doing it the harder way the first time...

2 Basic questions a drain cleaner needs to know...
What drains are affected?
How far do I have to snake?
Got any answers?

There was a time that I thought buying a sewer cam was a frivolus expense. Not any more

I consider it to be one of the most valuable pieces of equipment a company that does drain cleaning and repair could own...

I'm kind of an all or, none kind of guy myself.

If you are going to do something you either need to be able to do it all or, don't do any of it...

If you are going to do drain cleaning you should have all sized of snakes available, jetters, and cameras...

When you find a line with a problem you should also be prepared to to fix it whether it is in a wall ceiling floor or even underground....

If you are not ready to take the next step why bother with the first step!

Redwood said:

I almost always pull the trap to snake a line.
It allows usage of a larger, stonger cable to facilitate better cleaning of the drain.

Click to expand...

RW, hand snakes work just as good on lavs and ks's, if you pull the trap every time you make a bigger mess. Your Crazy! Time is money, right?

I'll tell you what Hack Plumber101...
I'll use one of these and you keep using your handsnake...



I assure you I don't have the time to waste...
It's called Getting it Done!
Time is money!
I can't afford your slow work habits... I'm non-union... I have to work!

Hello everyone checking in on this post.

I have an update.

The soil/waste lines run TUB, SINK, TOILET.

If you recall The TUB and sink are completely blocked with NO drainiage at all.
The toilet was a bit on the weaker side.
I tried snaking the sink(with trap removed)- seemed much more efficient.

I also tried snaking the tub overflow with NO! success.

I have a pipe cap in the basement but could NOT!!! get it loosened.
So when I tried back today I tried it again with no improvement.
I then pulled the last (bigger waste pipe) end cap(clean out plug)
I was able to get this one free with a little negotiation with my tourch.

Hmmmm, No block at all.
I run the kitchen sink and it drains right into just below the opening,
NO PROBLEM and no backup.

So it has to be in the line from the Sink and Tub minimum since they are both completely blocked.

I pull the trap under the tub and re attempt to snake it.
I get to a tough spot and try the suggestion above, reverse-forward- reverse forward.
I feel something coming back with the snake.
Its "clinking"...

I get this HUGE ball of hair, and inbedded in the coil of hair is about a half dozen hair pins, a dangling earing with a cup shape to it- well rusted, and a baby spoon. I was like COOL- I got it!

BUT since its open- let me try again...
I then get to the same spot and its difficult to advance again.
Same thing back and forth again and again....

This time it yeilds a similar size hairball(i am talking the size of a hamster easily! Mixed in the hairball thsi time was another earing, a bunch of brush bristles, and another half dozen hairpins.

Ok let me keep going till I get through this.
Same thing AGAIN.
Huge hairball - brush brisltes and a silver ring.

The next time was my last!
I was able to smoothly go the distance all the way to the open cleanout plug.
I still ran it back and forth a while with no bloackage.
I figure I got it - so I seal everything up nicely.
Cap it off and run the tub.
It drains! YEAH!!!!
Guess this old lady never heard of a strainer!!!

Anyway, figuring I was all set I put the sink trap all back together and run the sink- STILL BLOCKED!
You GOTTA be kidding me.

I take it apart and Snake than for a bit and FINALLY get it clear(just regular gook compared with the tub.

I wish I had pictures...

Actually I wish I had a video of my face when I reeled that catch in....
A freakin SPOON!

Anyway- All put back together!
The tub drains slower than my tub at my house.

BUT drains none the less.
Like I said its for a sale anyway-
Let them check the vent or use some liquid plumber now that the big clog is free...

Thanks for the input.

Oh- When I stopped by my wife's uncle to borrow his older pipe style snake he asked why I didnt just cut a gap in the pipe and use a rubber boot that tightens to both side of the gap to create a nice flow.

Would this have worked?

Would have been easier to get out the stuff I had to deal with, BUT then again, I didnt know exactly where the clog was located...
Thoughts.

Redwood said:

I'll tell you what Master plumber 101

I assure you I don't have the time to waste...
I can't afford anything I'm non-union... I have to work!

Click to expand...

I can assure you Hackwood, you can get the same result's using a hand snake on a lav or bathtub if you know how to work it. The acception would be on KS's if someone put's something down the drain they shouldn't have.