Strange Sewer Problem

[George Bokros]

Last night the two sinks in the master bath started behaving strangely. Yesterday morning all was fine. Last night they were draining very slowly when the wife went to wash her face. I ran some water in the sink, maybe 1/3 full and let it drain. It began to drain normally. Then this morning they were slow again. I did the same as last night and they began to drain normally.

Everything else in that bathroom and the rest of the house drains normally even the toilet and bath tub in the master bath. I am puzzled.

I think from what I see in the basement that drain comes down an outside from the second floor to the main lines in the basement. We have lived in this house for 15 years and never experienced this before. I doubt a verticle sewer line would freeze up. I think that sewer line either runs horizontally in an inside wall or runs between the floor joists before it takes it run downward to the basement.

Thoughts / ideas?

George

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Did you clean the trap out? Soap mixed with the usual yuk makes funny residue that can cause this sort of thing.

[Darcy Forman]

Is your sewer stack going out the roof frozen or frosted over. That can be a problem up here in the north. Especially is a rural septic system is not built or installed correctly.

[Lee Schierer]

If the sink located on an outside wall. Chances are it is freezing somewhere in the wall at night when it gets extra cold. You may need to open the wall to provide better insulation. Mice and or settling of the insulation coupled with the recent very cold temperatures may have caused the problem.

[George Bokros]

Did you clean the trap out? Soap mixed with the usual yuk makes funny residue that can cause this sort of thing.

I did this just about a month ago.

[George Bokros]

Is your sewer stack going out the roof frozen or frosted over. That can be a problem up here in the north. Especially is a rural septic system is not built or installed correctly.

Those two sinks are the only drains effected and there is just one stack for the entire house so I ruled out the stack being an issue. I just went out and looked but did go on the roof and the roof has almost not show on it. I am not on septic, I have city sewers.

[George Bokros]

If the sink located on an outside wall. Chances are it is freezing somewhere in the wall at night when it gets extra cold. You may need to open the wall to provide better insulation. Mice and or settling of the insulation coupled with the recent very cold temperatures may have caused the problem.

If it was frozen wouldn't it continue to drain slow, not just the first small amount of water? A greater amount of water drawn into the sink on the second try drains quickly.

[Bill Huber]

If it was frozen wouldn't it continue to drain slow, not just the first small amount of water? A greater amount of water drawn into the sink on the second try drains quickly.

The first water melts the ice and then you will drain the rest normally, when I lived in Kansas City I had that problem with my kitchen sink every winter.

[Lee Schierer]

The first water melts the ice and then you will drain the rest normally, when I lived in Kansas City I had that problem with my kitchen sink every winter.

As a cheap test and temporary fix, you could pour some RV drain anti freeze down the drain every night. If it works fine in the morning after a really cold night most likely your problem was freezing.

[Jerome Stanek]

As a cheap test and temporary fix, you could pour some RV drain anti freeze down the drain every night. If it works fine in the morning after a really cold night most likely your problem was freezing.

If it is the vent pipe that would not show up.

[Jeff Erbele]

I did this just about a month ago.

But that does not guarantee the trap or traps, or pipe beyond them is clear now.
Ripping open walls is a last resort, not the first, especially if you do not know if freezing pipes is the problem. Further, if you have not had prior problems in similar or colder temps that somewhat dis-spells freezing now. Also, usually sewer pipes drain quickly; waste water never sits in the pipes long enough to freeze; the exception is the traps, or a bad plumbing job.

I think the RV antifreeze suggestion is a good one if you suspect that is the problem.
I would open the pee traps and remove the inline stopper first, and make sure there is no obstruction. Then I proceed to a snake. If that did not clear it, I would call a drain cleaning service before I tore open walls. Also look for your clean-outs in the basement and snake both directions.

[George Bokros]

But that does not guarantee the trap or traps, or pipe beyond them is clear now.
Ripping open walls is a last resort, not the first, especially if you do not know if freezing pipes is the problem. Further, if you have not had prior problems in similar or colder temps that somewhat dis-spells freezing now. Also, usually sewer pipes drain quickly; waste water never sits in the pipes long enough to freeze; the exception is the traps, or a bad plumbing job.

I think the RV antifreeze suggestion is a good one if you suspect that is the problem.
I would open the pee traps and remove the inline stopper first, and make sure there is no obstruction. Then I proceed to a snake. If that did not clear it, I would call a drain cleaning service before I tore open walls. Also look for your clean-outs in the basement and snake both directions.

My problem is on the second floor everything on the first floor, everything else on the second floor, and everything on the basement drains fine.

It is both sinks so I doubt it is in the p-trap especially since I cleaned them out just a month or so ago and they usually are fine for aboout a year.

Snaking is difficult since the plumber that plumbed this house chose to p-trap on all drains that cements to the stub from the wall so you have two elbows to get around before you get to the drain. I am going to snake it out tomorrow to see if I can make an improvement.

George

[Ted Calver]

When you say you cleaned the p-traps, does that mean you popped out the drain plug and the associated hardware? My p-traps were clean, but the hair buildup around the drain plug mechanism was causing the same kind of condition that you describe. Just a thought.

[George Bokros]

When you say you cleaned the p-traps, does that mean you popped out the drain plug and the associated hardware? My p-traps were clean, but the hair buildup around the drain plug mechanism was causing the same kind of condition that you describe. Just a thought.

Yes I popped them out and cleaned them too when I did it.