Switched to AAV during remodel...now trouble

[Dfwip]

Long time lurker, and this forum has really helped me. Now I need guidance. Major kitchen remodel. In the process, I could not keep the existing vent line. So I capped it and added an AAV. Before remodel, the single bowl kitchen sink drained just fine. Now it barely drains, gurgles and bubbles quite a bit, and generally runs slow. Also, when just running water, it will initially not drain at all, then will sorta catch up. I'm posting pics of the rough in as well as the undersink finished plumbing. HELP! Appreciate guidance. My wife is NOT impressed with me right now....

 

[Jeff H Young]

Nothing at all to do with the AAV you got a plugged drain . probebly got construction debris wood shavings or something , or its an old house pipes under neath that just got plugged cast iron under neath , or you got back grade a strap fell off under there or something

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Chucky_ott]

To rule out the AAV, remove it and see if the sink drains properly

 

[Chucky_ott]

And to rule out the garburator, remove the p-trap and put a bucket in its place. See if sink drains properly.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

I agree with the above 3 posts. 1 is the likely cause and the other 2 are good diagnostics.

 

[Jeff H Young]

Well if you are going to remove AAV (I wouldnt) go ahead remove then run sink if water spills out the top at the tee then the problem is a drain stoppage. if no water comes over but drains slow its the disposal

 

[Dfwip]

I thank you guys. I removed the aav, no change. I removed the p trap and ran it into a bucket…drained fine. So I have a drain issue? With the way the plumbing is run, is this gonna be a recurring problem? Also, no water came out of the aav when I removed it. Finally, with everything hooked up, I get some serious bubbles before it drains.

 

[Chucky_ott]

Yeah, put a bucket under the AAV if you remove it to test

 

[John Gayewski]

I'm guessing it's the flaps over your sink drain holding water from flowing freely.

 

[Tuttles Revenge]

I'm guessing it's the flaps over your sink drain holding water from flowing freely.

I've had that issue with the higher end disposers. Testing is easy.. push the rubber down and see if a full sink suddenly drains faster. I solved mine with cutting slits in the rubber to make it more flexible.

 

[Dfwip]

Success!!!! But first the backstory. I’m suffering from some serious health issues, and decided that I could not leave my wife with a 33 year old worn out kitchen. So everything I have done on the project has been with an eye on future use being bulletproof when I’m gone.

Anyway, I did all the testing you guys suggested. AAV on or off made no difference. Removing the P-trap and running water into a bucket yielded better results (disposal is new). I did check for blockage using my Dad’s snake. (Dad was a master plumber and left me all of his tools but none of his skill or knowledge). Pipes were clear. Saw several of you suggesting the rubber splash guard can cause problems, so I pulled the splash guard out and the sink emptied nicely. HUGE improvement. You guys nailed it.

But…as we tested the sink further, it was still belching air quite voraciously. Bad enough that it would splash on the counter. So I looked at the pic of how the pipes run thru the wall and noted that the vent previously teed off of the 90 right before the vertical drop. Replacing that vent with the AAV under the sink was clearly not doing the job. So I made the decision to re-plumb the drain and drop it thru the floor. (I know, you guys are gonna yell at me for this one). I had little choice since I was not going to disturb new cabinets and granite. When I got into the crawl space, I found that I could drop the sink drain literally right into one of the main drain lines (and add a cleanout) with little effort. So I did it. I also dropped the trap a bit and raised the AAV as high as I could. Per this forum I trimmed every other petal off the splash guard before re-installing it, and now the sink drains like Niagara Falls. AND…no bubbles, belching, splashes, etc.

Can’t thank you guys enough for the guidance and help you provided to a first time poster and rookie plumber. Wish I could buy you all a beer. You’re the best.

Paul

 

[John Gayewski]

You need to replace the combo with a tee you've created an S trap.

With a regular kitchen sink you likley won't see a siphon. Possibly if you filled and drained the sink. Over time you could build up some gunk inside of the piping and shrink the diameter which would more likley cause a siphon.

Other than that good job.

FYI my sink is plumbed very optimally and it still bubbles from the flaps. I didn't watch what your talking about, but the flaps do a lot to f up the flow.

 

[Dfwip]

Thanks. I was thinking the horizontal run together with the aav would take care of the whole S trap thing. Are u thinking I will have issues?

 

[Reach4]

When you fix this, it will be an opportunity to put a trap adapter at the new santee. Also angle it so that your trap and curved exhaust tube are not stressed. You will use a 1-1/2 inch slip-joint trap.

 

[Jeff H Young]

I thank you guys. I removed the aav, no change. I removed the p trap and ran it into a bucket…drained fine. So I have a drain issue? With the way the plumbing is run, is this gonna be a recurring problem? Also, no water came out of the aav when I removed it. Finally, with everything hooked up, I get some serious bubbles before it drains.

Yes its a plugged drain. Read post 2 again . Tried to tell you forget about it being the AAV

 

[Jeff H Young]

Ok I see you completely replumbed it and it was just the rubber around disposal