So is it professional plumber time yet???

[BikeBookBread]

We have been living in this home about 1 month now. It is an older home with a washing machine in the basement that drains into an old-fashioned concrete sink, which in turn, drains into the main sewer drain out of the home. It has not been draining slowly. (No other drains are having problems.)

 

So today, I was on my third load of laundry. It was on the final rinse/drain cycle, and I noticed that the sink wasn't emptying as quickly as normal. I turned off the cycle mid-drain and waited. It was obviously stuck. So I grabbed a plunger and started to plunge. No movement, but I let it sit for a while and came back about 30 minutes later, and it had slowly drained out. I grabbed a bunch of baking soda and some vinegar to clear it out. I flushed with hot water, and the water didn't drain. I had to drain the washing machine (there were only a few gallons left in it, so I thought...) and the water just filled and filled.

 

I went to the store and got Liquid Plumbr for standing water clogs, followed the directions, and it hasn't budged. It's been about 3 hours now. The sink is FILLED with stinky Liquid Plumbr water, and I don't have any way to drain it.

 

Is it professional plumber time, or are there any other tricks I can use? I obviously can't add any different chemicals into the mix (really dangerous, I know!). I'm not handy with plumbing, so I don't feel comfortable unscrewing any pipes (besides, it's a rental).

[TechWife]

Plumber time! Call the landlord.

[hornblower]

Are all your other drains still working?

 

If so, I would try snaking it with a plumber's snake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumber's_snake

 

BTW, I have a similar set up with a washer draining into the tub & I keep a pantyhose knee high attached to the washer discharge pipe because I get so much dog hair etc (& ours goes to a pump which I don't want to clog). So once you get it unclogged, you may want to experiment with that. It's a cheap option - we buy them at the dollar store for pennies & they each last about a week before they're so goopy that I throw them out & replace with a new 'stocking' filter.

[BikeBookBread]

Are all your other drains still working?

 

If so, I would try snaking it with a plumber's snake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumber's_snake

 

BTW, I have a similar set up with a washer draining into the tub & I keep a pantyhose knee high attached to the washer discharge pipe because I get so much dog hair etc (& ours goes to a pump which I don't want to clog). So once you get it unclogged, you may want to experiment with that. It's a cheap option - we buy them at the dollar store for pennies & they each last about a week before they're so goopy that I throw them out & replace with a new 'stocking' filter.

 

This is brilliant idea!

[gingersmom]

I had the same set up in my basement when I moved into my house. I think my concrete sink was original to my house (about 50 years old!).

 

I had the plumber out many times and finally removed the concrete sink and had a plastic one put in. There were still constant clogs so they ran a separate pipe to have the washer drain into (it went right into main sewer system).

 

I have not had a clog in many many years.

[gingersmom]

Are all your other drains still working?

 

 

 

BTW, I have a similar set up with a washer draining into the tub & I keep a pantyhose knee high attached to the washer discharge pipe because I get so much dog hair etc (& ours goes to a pump which I don't want to clog). So once you get it unclogged, you may want to experiment with that. It's a cheap option - we buy them at the dollar store for pennies & they each last about a week before they're so goopy that I throw them out & replace with a new 'stocking' filter.

 

My plumber recommended this also. It didn't work for me.

[BikeBookBread]

$241.50. :ack2:

 

And it isn't even OUR fault. The people from whom we are renting must not have done much to maintain this house because we are continually discovering things. The washing machine tub leaks, and the drip tray has to be emptied each time we wash (about 1 gallon of water every single time...maintenance guy is coming). The attic fan is broken, so our top floor, will AC running full-tilt, is in the 90's, while the ground level is FREEZING in the high 60's. The outdoor faucets all leak...

 

We are working on getting a reimbursement or cut in our rent from the manager. The lease says that we are responsible for clogged drains, but this wasn't a clog -- it was a major blockage. It took the plumber about 20 minutes of earnest snaking to break through the buildup.