Gotta head into town. Wonderful Wife has sat in the house all weekend listening to me cuss and not being able to use the kitchen sink. We both need a little break fromm this.

THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS AND HELP! Will let you know how this nightmare ends.

Moosetrot

Just a thought, maybe if you cut the pipe at the vent you can suck out both pipe directions with a shop vac.

The vent and corner of the drain pipe where I am pretty certain the clog is are in the wall behind our kitchen cabinets...absolutely no access.

At least with the "grabber thing" I ordered I will be able to figure out what is causing the clog and maybe pull it out.

We'll see...

Moosetrot

A quart of water in a 1 1/2pipe I would think your clog isn't very far inside the pipe.did the drain suddenly stop or was it slow running for awhile are you careful to make sure your dishes are cleaned(wiped off) before rinsing.that sould answer some of the questions to what may be in there that caused the clog.try leaving the snake in there then pour some boiling water down the drain and moving the snake back and forth the combo of the 2 may break it loose.good luck.

When the pipes are easy to access, especially if they are older and corroded, it's often quicker, cheaper, better and easier to just replace the pipe. Both copper and cast iron often close up from corrosion fused with debris as they age.

Keith

If near the vent stack, might be a squirrel or other varmint fell down the vent stack.

Just had the same problem ,Tried every thing and my brother came over and he used my compressor with a blow gun and a rag wrapped around it and shazam opened right up.

Can we get a update on what you found?

I would cut the pipe close to the stack , that way you know without a doubt the clog is up stream or down stream and you can work it appropriately from that point

if you are getting a 25 foot snake through repeatedly I would say clear for 25 feet or you are wrapping your snake up and only making say 15-20 feet
if one of you can turn the snake and feel the other feel the pipe down around 20-25 feet you may be able to tell exactly where it ends
cutting and splicing the pipe is less cost than the camera rental and lets you work the issue closer to the stack install a clean out there when done.

also if you have a young body that can run up on the roof and look down the stack and see if there is any obstruction.
very possible a bird nest dropped down the stack , it happens or even birds looking for a place go down and die then start the obstruction

I took a starling out of a boiler stack last week , they die and block the electric damper and then the carbon monoxide alarm goes off.

My rule of thumb has always been that it takes 3 trips to the big box store, to get tools I’ll never use again. Plus, wasting all that time getting and trying the stuff. In the end, a plumber could have fixed it in an hour and saved me the frustration of not fixing the problem.

Bottom line: pay the plumber. It’s cheaper in the long run.

Well, hopefully today a part will arrive for the little camera/light on a 12 ft. cable Wonderful Wife bought for me. Hopefully with that I will be able to see what I am dealing with. In any case I am cutting the pipe up close to where I am assuming the clog is.

All this messing around has boogered up my shoulder I hurt when I fell a little over a week ago so the last couple nights i had to let it rest some.

If this does not work I am going to call a plumber. Wonderful Wife says..."Sometimes you are the man...sometimes you pay the man." She's usually right.

I have had it with this thing.

Thanks for all the help, folks!

Moosetrot

I would take a shop vac and suck as much water out as you can. Then boil some water at least a gallon and drop it down the drain. If it grease or oil it will melt and unclog it self. You may have to repeat it 2 or 3 times.

I tried the liquid fire and wouldn't clear the sink, then tried a snake and would go only a lil bit, then went to a hose with a jet and all off this tired up grease came out of the pipe. Been working fine since getting that grease out of pipe.

Got home late from work last night so did not have much time. Part came in for the litttle cable camera but still won't work. Went down and cut the pipe right below where it enters the basement. I was surprised that maybe a quart or so of water gushed out like it was under pressure. I was surprised because the p-trap, etc. was off under the sink. so I figure there should not have been any pressure.

Put in a rubber pipe joiner and called it a night because my right shoulder is just about useless.

If I could figure out how to replace the drain with pvc it would already be gone except for the need for the vent.

Moosetrot

Water gushed out under "pressure'" from gravity, water was trapped between the sink and clog, take it apart again and work towards the clog, use the snake, shop vac, whatever and see if you can't get through.

Any updates on the clog.

Getting at it today. Rt. shoulder really hurt and was pretty well useless. Figured it was best to give it a rest. Will update.

Moosetrot

Once it is fixed I would insert a drain screen in your sink. They just drop in and easy to tap out in the trash when they collect solids.You can buy them at Walmart.

You would be surprised what folks rinse down their sinks over the years and don't give it a second thought. Women are very bad at that practice. I had to scold my wife over the years and show her what collects in the drain pipe elbow. Then I found the drain screens.

Some never correct their ways so the screen will help them realize what is rinsed off pots, pans and plates and see the evidence collected in the drain screen. Never pour grease down a drain.


Nice nail polish John, I see you are using a different color now. Like I said, those women just think a sink is a garbage disposal. Those looked some kind of iced danish you have there.

We have used drains screens religiously since we bought the place. I think our main problem is the distance from the sink till it finally goes out to the septic.
Never put a tape to it but is has to be about a 50 foot run through the copper with at least two 90's.. Water, everything slows down so much in that length of run it drops solids, grease, etc. Wonderful Wife is very good about pre-cleaning the dishes to avoid such things. We have had clogs before but nothing like this.

Now, to finish my coffee and head back into Kitchen Drain (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman).

Moosetrot

We have a double sink in the kitchen the one sink doesn’t get much use so I pour down a pot of hot water from the Bunn coffee pot to keep it fresh that hot of water might cut the grease if it can get to it. I’d be careful adding different chemicals along with hot water it could be dangerous.