Overflow when Washing Machine drains; Seeking Advice

vaio

fiish wrote: »

……. I picked up a plunger after work and tried using it on the kitchen sink - and the water I pumped with the plunger came out the other standing pipe (the one for the washing machine). This leads me to think there's a blockage further downstream which is unreachable to me……

It does sound like you have a blockage down stream of the stand-pipe connection. The plunger will work if you can seal the top of the standpipe (plumbers merchants will sell you a temporary sealing cap called a stop end). Chemical solutions should also work, you just need stronger chemicals. Maybe give it another go and if it doesn’t work make your LL earn his money

thescouselander

In my experience these sorts of blockages are usually down to big clumps of washing powder gathering further down the drain - the blockage could actually be some distance away from the machine itself. If this is the case pouring chemicals down the sink wont help you.

Can you see the drain outside which the waste empties into? If you can I suggest you have a look outside to see if the blockage it there.

fiish

thescouselander wrote: »

In my experience these sorts of blockages are usually down to big clumps of washing powder gathering further down the drain - the blockage could actually be some distance away from the machine itself. If this is the case pouring chemicals down the sink wont help you.

Can you see the drain outside which the waste empties into? If you can I suggest you have a look outside to see if the blockage it there.

No I can't, unfortuantely Everything seems to be underground with this building.

thescouselander

fiish wrote: »

No I can't, unfortuantely Everything seems to be underground with this building.

I that case I dont think you should risk putting chemicals down the drain, if it doesn't work it might make the blockage more difficult to deal with. Maybe you should just let the Land Lord sort it out - that is one of the advantages of renting after all.

fiish

Some success, I have flow in the drain again, albeit a bit slow - at least it's no longer clogged completely.

Got this result by:

1. Removing the P-trap under the sink,
2. taking one of the trap assembly's elbow connectors and connecting it to the drain as a spout I could pour into,
3. Repeatedly pouring boiling hot water and soda crystals down the drain, until I ran out of soda crystals.

I believe that by bypassing the trap I could then get the soda crystals to where they were needed - further downstream where the blockage was. Also by touching the drain pipe I could tell it was flowing at least as far as where it disappeared into the wall, and only the bottom was hot which meant it wasn't stopped or filled up

Shall stop by the Tesco for more soda crystals and hopefully I can blast this blockage further.

vaio

Heath Robinson (and the A team) would be proud of you

fiish

vaio wrote: »

Heath Robinson (and the A team) would be proud of you

:beer: Would not have got the idea without the help I've got here

basmic

Good work - I just don't understand why you won't try caustic soda. Most shops, like Wilkinsons or Boyes, sell them.

They are stronger than soda crystals, and you will have a higher chance of unblocking the pipe than with soda crystals.

fiish

I agree basmic that it is time to try the caustic soda - I haven't so far because none of the shops near where I live sell it and I would need to go quite far out of my way to buy it, whereas I can pick up soda crystals easily on my way home from work.

However the weekend is coming and I shall then have time to sort this out.

macman

Surely most chemists will sell caustic soda?