AboutSharon McCarthy Expertise I can help with most questions about residential plumbing problems including septic systems, and some questions about irrigation. I have no experience with commercial installations or codes.
Experience I have been a sole-proprietor service plumber in two small towns north of Phoenix Arizona for 26 years.
Publications I had a monthly column in the United Steelworkers of America, local 1033, newsletter 1978 to 1982. I wrote an article for "The Theosophist" in 1977. I've written dozens of letters to the editor in many newspapers.
Education/Credentials High school and three years of college. My step-father, having worked 40 years in the plumbing trade in Chicago, taught me for two years. The rest has been hands-on experience.
Past/Present Clients Many hundreds of good people in Cave Creek and Carefree Arizona
Question QUESTION: My bath room sink does not drain sometimes it will drain slowly for a couple of days, but then it stops and I have to scoop the water out of the sink to empty it. I have PVC plumbing. I have used liquid plumber, baking soda and vinegar, and several other products to no avail. I have also taken the drain apart (it was clean) and snaked the drain where it enters the wall (it also was clear). The sink in this bathroom always drained slowly but it always emptied within 10 minutes or so. However, I replaced the sink while remodeling a year or so ago and the draining issue got worse. I noticed that the sink does not have a vent and was wondering if this could be the problem. If this is the cause of my drain stopping is there any way to fix the sink without replacing it. Thanks for your time.
ANSWER: Dear Angelique,
First you need to determine where this blockage is, then you can go about solving it. You said you took "the drain apart" and it was clean. Did you mean you took the trap off? and the trap was clean, and then you snaked where it enters the wall, and that was clear?
OK, here's my suggestion. Get a small bucket or deep bowl and place it under the "P" trap. Remove the trap. Now run some water into the sink and see if the water flows freely down into the bucket. If it appears the water runs very slowly, then there is some gunk in the pipe somewhere between the sink flange and the trap.
This is the most common problem in lav sinks. Crud collecting on the pop-up or the lever down below that lifts the pop-up. I'm not sure this is your problem since you said you replaced the sink a year or so ago.
This experiment should at least tell you that the problem is or isn't right up front. If the water seems to run OK down to the trap, and the trap is clean, and the pipe going into the wall is clean, then your problem is further down the line.
Liquid plumber usually doesn't work if a blockage is further down the line. The line may be full of water for 10 or 15 feet. By the time the chemical gets to the blockage, it's too diluted to do any good. If you find that you have a blockage down the line, you may have to either call a plumber who has a small electric rooter, or rent one and do it yourself.
I doubt very much that the lack of a vent in the bowl is causing this. Let me know what you find out, OK? sharon
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QUESTION: The tarp was clean, and when we snaked where it enters the wall and it was clear. When the trap is off water runs freely into the bucket. I took the sink stopper/pop-up and lever off when the sink first stopped draining and have not put it back on. I guess that this means the problem is further down the line, but every other drain in the house works perfectly. This sink is the last drain in line on the way out of the house to our septic tank(about 15-20 feet from the house and which was pumped out about 6 months ago and is working fine). Thank you for your time and help. I guess we have to look for a blockage further down the line.
Answer Angelique,
All small drains, like sinks, tubs, showers, laundry, are teed into the big pipes coming out of the toilets, usually not too far away. Visualize a tree going backwards; small branches go into big branches which go into limbs which all finally end up at the trunk of the tree. The "trunk of the tree" would be the main line going out to the septic tank.
A lot of crud goes down bathroom sinks. We think we're not putting anything down, but over years a collection of toothpaste, face cream, shaving soap, a few hairs starts building up on the inside walls of the pipes. Often this will come loose here and there, and catch in a bend in the pipe before it enters the main pipe.
Question, was there some specific reason you had your septic tank pumped? Is your house pretty old? Was sewage backing up and that's why you had the tank pumped? Or are you on a regular schedule?
I've been plumbing for 26 years, and I'd say 2/3 of the residents in my area are on septic systems. Rarely does anyone really need their tank pumped. I encourage people to add bacteria regularly to keep the breakdown of solids active, and this usually keeps the tanks clean.
Pumping services will tell people that their tanks should be pumped every 4, 5 or 6 years. In my opinion this is BS. They are in that business, and they are creating work for themselves by saying this.
I'd say in 90% of cases when sewage begins running slowly or backs up, the problem is in the line going out [a blockage, often roots], or at the tank opening where debris or roots can collect and impede water from entering the tank [which can be loosened by opening the plug on top and sticking a pipe down, or pulling out the roots].
Along with this 90%, but less often, there may be a blockage from the tank to the leach field, usually roots. In very few cases is the problem IN the tank. Just thought I'd mention this. These pumping services make a lot of money off people who don't know better. This is a big pet peeve of mine. Good luck with your repair. sharon
