We live in a very small ranch house in the country. Our kitchen sink drain got clogged up however it is still draining slow. This all started on Friday. I can run the hot water in the sink at just above a trickle and it still drains down to our pipe that runs out to the septic. We do have a dishwasher, which we have not used since Friday, hooked up to that drain as well. When we fill the sink it runs out very slow but it does drain eventually.

I have tried turning on the faucet full blast and it takes a while for it to back up into the sink, so I think the clog is pretty far down. The pipe, which is all 2" copper comes from the sink and drops down about 3 feet to the basement, where there is an elbow that connects it to about a 25 ft. run to another corner of the basement. There is another elbow there with a cleanout plug that is just about impossible to access. From there it has about a 20 ft. run to the main sewer pipe that does to our septic. My best guess is that the clog is somewhere in the 20 ft. run to the sewer pipe

I have put in copious amounts of Liquid Plumr Gel and Drano Gel (money back guaranteed to break through clogs) and nothing has really changed. I have waited everything from 20 minutes to all night before I have flushed it with hot water. Like I said earlier, if I leave the hot water at just above a trickle it does not back up into the sink. I tried a plunger tonight but nothing changed. The clog is confined to the kitchen drain pipe because none of our other sinks or anything are having any problems.

We have just about had it with this. My guess is that all the gunk coming out of the dishwasher has finally formed a partial clog in the 2" copper pipe. I am thinking about stopping after work and getting a snake but am really not looking forward to pulling that cleanout plug. I am planning on pouring a bunch of very hot water down there tomorrow, and then trying the feel the pipe and locate the clog.

If nothing else works I am considering removing the copper pipe at some point and replacing it with PVC. I had to do that with a lot of our copper water lines due to manganese buildup when we had a shallower well. We had a deeper well drilled and the manganese problems went away.

If anyone has any tricks, tips, or magic potions that might help me out I would certainly appreciate hearing about them. One of my duck hunting buddies advised me to cut off the pipe right below the sink and put a 6 gallon bucket in there so I am not wasting duck hunting time with plumbing. Told that to my wonderful, understanding wife and got a good case of stinkeye in return so I think I can forget that plan.

Thanks in advance!

Moosetrot

Bucket plumbing is a popular here. Build upper body strength dumping the bucket on the way to the outhouse. Kill two birds with one stone.

As easy as PVC is to run, my quick fix would be to run all new from the kitchen clear to where the drain joins the sewer pipe.....assuming it is all accessible from your basement. I hate crawl spaces.

I bet the hot water trick will tell you where the blockage is. If the clean water lines plugged why wouldn't the gray water lines not?


Could you try using air somehow?

When’s the last time you had the septic tank pumped ?

Summer. I don't think it is that because nothing else is having problems and the sink drain is the highest pipe coming into the main pipe.

Moosetrot

Pour some muriatic acid or sulfuric acid down the drain. That should do the trick!

Never had much luck with that Draino stuff but straight granulated lye usually works. Problem is most stores don't sell it now, although it's readily available online.

Take apart the ptrap to make sure that's not the issue there. Then since it's disconnected run the snake from there.

I've known people who use baking soda and vinegar to clear clogs.

X2 J Morse run new pvc.

Other than getting/renting a power snake , which will do the trick right and I know you don't want to go that route , check with a plumbing supply house or a plumber you might know , there are some SERIOUS drain cleaner products available somewhat restricted to the trade.

Can't remember the brand name , but I remember one I've used that after you pour it down , you cover the drain with a 5gal bucket inverted with some weight on it. Within a minute or two stuff comes bealching out almost like the drain vomited. Wild chemical reaction causes this to happen. This is why some of this stuff is a bit restricted use for plumbers only. Too dangerous/too much liability for homeowner use.

Liquid fire, drain cleaner will clean it out. Pour it in and listen to it gurgle and watch the smoke come up the drain. It will clean it out

A clogged vent, or no vent can contribute to this trouble.
You say it's copper, I say it's old. (assuming again)

Does the family clean off their plates and wash it down the drain or put it in the trash. My oldest Son had that problem. When the drain pipe plugged up he cleaned it out in the yard and "requested" that every family member get a real close look at it and maybe sniff it too. No problems since. Food down the drain is a yuge problem. Specially if the slope of the pipe is slight.

This.
Pour 2 gallons of boiling water down that drain. It will move that sludge.

All I know is if you have poured all that drain cleaner in there. If you start messing around pulling clean out plugs or cutting that pipe. Make sure you wear safety goggles or face shield. My old man was fighting a drain like that once. Pulled a clean out cap. Almost lost his eyes when took face full drain cleaner.

On another note if you have access and the pipe is copper like I'm thinking. You could try heating it starting at end farthest from sink. When you get to the plug the weight of the gunk up steam might push it threw?
My son had similar situation with 2galvinized pipe It was so plugged I cut it out with sawzall replace it with PVC. I got pictures some where of that pipe plugged to maybe 1/4 diameter most the length.

Mac

Sounds like a grease wad plug

P trap would be my first guess. Sounds like a grease build up to me. Oldest daughter gifted me with a plugged P trap from dumping grease off hamburger down the kitchen drain. She remembers not to do that after she got to help fix it.

Get you a drain snake . Run it down up what ever direction. If that doesn't fix it check the vent. If still no cure PVC pipe redo.

May try some degreeser from the auto store.
Pour it in while it's drained out and let it set. Then fill the sink with
hot water and turn it loose.