Drain is 1.5" copper. Leaves the sink, drops through the p-trap then goes west to the corner of the house for about 4 ft., where the stink pipe is located. It then drops and turns south into the basement. I am reasonably certain the clog is someplace in the corner where it drops a llitle to the basement and heads south. I poured boiling water into the sink and the pipe, as long as I could reach it before going into the wall and behind cabinets, was hot. Checked in the basement and right where it dropped after the corner, it was very cold.

I ran a 25 foot drill-drive snake down the drain. At about 4 ft. I encounter resistance but eventually push through. Same at about 6 ft. but that my be where I get through the corner. After the 2nd resistance I have clear sailing all the way to the full 25 ft. length.. I have used the snake in this manner at least 15 times. It is still clogged and I can only get about a quart of water down the drain till it stops.

I have plunged it with no success. May have been a mistake.

Last night I used 2 bottles of the Drano 2-part cleaner and it did not touch it. Now I need to suck it out of the pipe before proceeding with anything else.

Wonderful Wife researched it on the 'net and is saying it might be a grease plug, which allows me to push the snake though but then reseals when I pull it out. There is no residue at all on the end of the snake.

I am concerned that it might be a piece, or something else that dropped down the vent pipe which is located right about where I am sure the clog is. I have no way to get at it.

I am at the end of my rope and have been at this for a week. My stroke last fall left me unsteady and most likely should not go up on the roof the check on the vent pipe. To complicate things even more, I fell in the house last week rushing to get to work and I think I may have blown out my right rotator cuff, Doc said to let it heal for a couple weeks but is still problematic we'll do x-rays, etc.

Any ideas on this?

Thanks!

Moosetrot

Drain opener called liquid Fire has save my bacon a few times when snakes didn't reach the clog.

I wish I could help. I'd have called a plumber by now if all those attempts hadn't solved it. I hate plumbing.

Oh and be more careful with yourself, the packers need all the help they can get. lol

These do hickeys work more often than not- Menards has them or you can borrow mine.

A quart before backing up sounds like a clog in the trap...or close to it, the drano should have cut through that though.... anyway to disconnect some of the pipe in the basement to check further? Is it all copper? If the pipe itself is clogged/reduced you can cut it out and replace what you can with PVC, you can use those rubber sleeves to connect the cut ends.

I thought about cutting the copper. I even have one of the rubber connectors. My problem is I think the clog is up beyond where I can access it, behind the wall and cabinets at the corner. I have had the trap, etc. off several times and clog is about 4 ft. down the copper.

Moosetrot

Make sure to fill and plug the side of the sink that you are not plunging. The head pressure caused by the sinks being full of water help with the plunging, too.

We have a large sink with only one drain.

Moosetrot

Figured you might say that....

Have you run a cable through the vent stack?

Mad Scientist- Am considering trying one of those. I am concerned about where the water goes if it does not break the clog. Heading into town soon and will buy one if it might work.

Thanks!

Moosetrot

No, not yet. If I go that route I will probably have to call my son due to unsteadiness after a stroke this Fall.

Thanks!

Moosetrot

the air snake works and you can rent them, I would not put any chemicals down it

Do you get resistance from the clog when plunging the sink? If so, the clog is somewhere before where the waste arm attaches to the stack. If not, the clog is more than likely somewhere in the building drain.

I think the clog is either before or right at the vent pipe.

Moosetrot

I just ordered a 6 ft. claw grabber thing that will be here tomorrow. I need to take an afternoon off from this thing anyway. If nothing else I think I will be able to figure out what's in there.

Moosetrot

Yeah, if it were beyond that point, you'd never be able to plunge it out. All of your efforts would result in just pushing the water up the stack. You'd never be able to get enough pressure built up by plunging.

I recommend having the copper waste arm swapped out for PVC. Just the service plumber in me coming out.