Expert: eric maxon - 7/16/2004

Question
Hi, we've been in our house for about 7 years, and for the whole time
have had problems with our drains in the bathroom. We've had several
plumbers come through, none of which could definitively tell us what the
problem is - but they would put their equipment down and clear it, and
it would be ok for a couple of months before blocking again. We had a
plumber come through that put a camera down the outside drains, and we
found that it was not roots or problems outside that was causing the
blockages, so it has to be directly under the bathroom.
Being an elevated house, we are able to get under the floor and look at
the plumbing and take photos etc to try and get suggestions.
The people who had the bathroom before us remodelled the area and
plumbing, and took the bath out, and left a pipe that obviously used to
lead to the bath. We blocked that end up, but that hasn't made any
difference. If you check a couple of the photos we took at
http://members.westnet.com.au/grantcarthew/plumbing/pipes.jpg ,
http://members.westnet.com.au/grantcarthew/plumbing/pipes2.jpg you can
see that where all the plumbing from the sink and shower etc join
together, it leads to a larger pipe that lifts a bit and goes straight
before angling down and going outside. We are wondering if on the
straight bit that is lifting, hairs and grime are catching, and drying
out and in turn catching other bits of hair and grime until it blocks,
and we get it cleared by getting a plumber in, or putting acid down to
break it all up. Do you think that if we were to replace that section
with a similar section (if there is such at thing) that doesn't lift,
and perhaps angles downwards the whole time instead of just going
straight that might solve the blocking problem? We are in Australia by
the way.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Kind Regards


Answer
Thanks for the question.  I must say that is the strangest thing I have seen in a long time.  Plumbing is ment to have betweem 1/8 and 1/4" per foot slope.  This provides for the plumbing pipes to have a good cleaning every time water flows.  I would redo some plumbing under there!  Try to straight out things and removed the U bend....

Eric