broken kitchen sink drain

**DaveBoy** · 09-18-2011, 07:12 AM

The drain leading from the kitchen sink is under a slab and is broken about ten feet from the sink. To avoid the cost and mess of jackhammering the slab and tearing up a nice new slate floor, I thought I might make a temporary fix as follows, at least until I gather the cash and courage to rip out the new flooring. There's a bathroom drain about eight feet away and I was thinking I ought to be able to connect the kitchen sink drain to the bathroom sink drain the same way two sinks are connected in a bathroom. I don't doubt this is a code violation for some reason, maybe because the kitchen drain pipe is larger than the bath drain pipe? The pipes leading from the traps into the wall for both sinks is the same size so the issue would be further downstream.

I can provide a small slope to the connecting pipe, both traps would remain and I could also vent it if necessary. Is this idea feasible?
Thanks, Dave

hj · 09-18-2011, 04:47 PM

HOW do you know it is broken? Pipes under concrete slabs are supported by the surrounding earth and SELDOM "break" unless it is caused by some more serious problem. IF you have drain that close, a plumber MIGHT be able to install a proper "permanent" drain.

**DaveBoy** · 09-19-2011, 08:56 PM

Two different companies "snaked" the line to clear it since it was slow to drain and the blockage is not in the trap. Both times the snake stopped, actually jammed - wouldn't go any further - at the same point, about ten feet in, and came out muddy. When water is run down the sink, the water level in the sink drops slowly and nothing comes out the other end into the main drain that leads to the sewer. I'm going to guess the "break" is actually a "rust through" and I may have to replace the entire line. The house is 55 years old and the pipes I assume are cast iron. One of the companies ran a camera down there and said it's "broken" though I didn't see the image they were looking at. Of course they want $3800 to fix it and I suspect once they get in, they'll try to nail me for a whole new pipe. Of course their estimate only goes as far as replacing the concrete in the hole, not repairing the slate floor - that will be on me.

hj · 09-20-2011, 06:25 AM

Before you do ANYTHING contact your homeowner's insurance company to see if it is covered by them. If they call it a "break" they may. If they say it is "deterioration" they probably will not, so I would not tell them the pipe has "rusted out". BUT, if they do cover it, they will pay for everything, except actually repairing the pipe, minus your deductible.

**DaveBoy** · 09-20-2011, 08:55 AM

Thanks, I'll give that a try. We just bought the house "as is" and purchased insurance effective the day escrow closed. It's a long shot but I'll give it a try.