keitha
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Post by keitha on Jun 25, 2023 21:59:03 GMT
about 12 years ago my Partner spent a lot of money having an extension built with a Kitchen in in.
Builder did the main works and contracted plumbing and electrics out.
Some time ago I had to replace a transformer on one of the LED lights and it was a royal pain as the mains cables were directly screwed into the transformer and the cables are too short to get them out through the holes for the fitting.
anyway yesterday she said the sink was running very slowly like 2 hours to empty ( it's not been good for at least 8 years )
Today I got my drain snake down and it only went 5 feet or so before I met resistance that I couldn't get through,
took the Plinth off the units
OMG
the pipe goes down between the sink and the adjoining unit it then runs to the corner around at 90 degrees and 10 feet or so further on the dishwasher connects in via a Tee, after a further 4 feet it connects to a downpipe. The problem, all the pipe after the first drop is flat on the floor so there's no flow. and from the feel of the pipes they are full of water ( or worse ).
they are all push fit so if I could separate them then I could replace them ( don't fancy cleaning them ) but how do I get the the backs of the units to separate them and reconnect them without removing the units
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Jun 26, 2023 10:03:46 GMT
Can you snake in via the dishy tee?
You probably can't easily remove units, due to the worktop.
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Post by mostlywrong on Jun 26, 2023 10:03:49 GMT
You will, almost certainly, have a pipe full of gunge - lots of fat and grease.
Having experienced something similar but with a condenser boiler outlet and a washing machine instead of a dishwasher in the mix! Same thing, no fall on the main pipe - just laid on the floor.
When the dishwasher washing machine chucked out, the blocked pipe could not cope so the water backed up into the boiler outlet and the boiler locked out.
In the deep mid-winter...
And the moaning did not come from the frosty wind...
I would first try lots of soda crystals and lashings of boiling water.
Read the instructions carefully. Use rubber gloves and a pyrex jug.
Patience.
Repeat. Leave overnight.
Repeat.
As long as you have caught it before it completely gums up, you might get away with just soda crystals.
After you pour the boiling mixture down the drain, remove a glove and run your hand carefully along the horizontal pipe to feel for the hot water. That will tell you how far it is penetrating!
If that works, brilliant. Make a plan to de-gunge the pipe every week or so. Religiously.
If it is badly blocked, you could try sulphuric acid but that is really nasty stuff and consequently difficult to purchase. There are other issues with H2SO4 so that might not be a good plan.
Otherwise, it is a strip everything and do it properly job. Rather you than me...
MW
Edited because I do not know what I was typing...
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Post by mostlywrong on Jun 26, 2023 11:41:02 GMT
BTW that is "soda crystals", sometimes called washing soda - rather than caustic soda.
Caustic soda is up there with sulphuric acid - nasty stuff.
MW
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easynow
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Post by easynow on Jun 26, 2023 13:07:19 GMT
If you can borrow a wet vac from someone, disconnect just after the U bend and apply suction backwards through the pipe to unblock it, then religiously get into a habit of using a chemical cleaner occasionally to keep on top of it for future.
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easylender
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Post by easylender on Jun 26, 2023 13:58:53 GMT
Of course it's only a temporary solution, but may still be preferable to pulling the kitchen apart.
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Greenwood2
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Post by Greenwood2 on Jun 26, 2023 14:48:49 GMT
Of course it's only a temporary solution, but may still be preferable to pulling the kitchen apart.
Yep, that one works really well on blocked sinks, baths etc.
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Post by bracknellboy on Jun 26, 2023 14:57:10 GMT
BTW that is "soda crystals", sometimes called washing soda - rather than caustic soda.
Caustic soda is up there with sulphuric acid - nasty stuff.
MW I was always bought up to use caustic soda, and in my experience is WAY WAY better than using soda crystals, especially where grease/fat is concerned. Its fine to use when it comes to drains and pipes. Of course if it doesn't do the job, stays in the pipes, and then you have to pull the pipes apart then you might have more of an issue if its full of caustic soda. I've used soda crystals for cleaning a washing machine, but never bothered with for drains etc. But wear gloves: it just eats through organic material.
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Post by bracknellboy on Jun 26, 2023 14:59:25 GMT
Of course it's only a temporary solution, but may still be preferable to pulling the kitchen apart.
that is a mix of bleach and caustic soda (sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide)
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Post by mostlywrong on Jun 27, 2023 10:05:07 GMT
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Jun 27, 2023 10:45:10 GMT
I managed to syphon some water out of the downpipe and fill it with boiling water and soda the pipe was hot to the bottom of the downpipe, ran dishwasher and it warms the pipe to about 1 foot in the direction of the "blockage " so there's about 15 feet that's cold.
my snake is not getting any further. tried from the dishwasher inlet and I can get it about 18 inches up the pipe before it meets resistance.
Bitten the bullet and called a plumber.
I've left the plumber a note to say the pipe is full of soda and water
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mogish
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Post by mogish on Jun 27, 2023 12:01:42 GMT
Oooohhh sharp intake of breath. I can see a large bill coming.
My mum( why didnt she call me?)called a plumber recently as she had a small leak from an isolation valve by the cistern.
£150 for a washer and 2hrs time. Guess that's 1/2 hr travel ea way and minimum 1 hrs on site.
Wish I had chosen a different path!
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Post by mostlywrong on Jun 27, 2023 15:12:34 GMT
I managed to syphon some water out of the downpipe and fill it with boiling water and soda the pipe was hot to the bottom of the downpipe, ran dishwasher and it warms the pipe to about 1 foot in the direction of the "blockage " so there's about 15 feet that's cold. my snake is not getting any further. tried from the dishwasher inlet and I can get it about 18 inches up the pipe before it meets resistance. Bitten the bullet and called a plumber. I've left the plumber a note to say the pipe is full of soda and water Thanks for the update; I feel for you and the sharp pain in the wallet...
MW
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Jun 29, 2023 12:12:59 GMT
2 hours of plumber,
funny how you don't see the obvious, his first comment was "there's no trap on this"
he had to partially dismantle to sort it
all back together with a slope now
waiting for the bill
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agent69
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Post by agent69 on Jun 29, 2023 17:28:32 GMT
2 hours of plumber, funny how you don't see the obvious, his first comment was "there's no trap on this" he had to partially dismantle to sort it all back together with a slope now waiting for the bill It's the same when putting in drainage on a construction site. All runs need a point where you can insert your rod.
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