Washing machine water going into sink?

Badgergal

When my machine is on and it drains, some water usually comes up into the sink. It is only a bit and is usually not a prob. However yesterday it came up and up and up and nearly flooded my kitchen had I not bailed it out into a bucket and frantically threw it in the nearby bath (tiny studio flat!).

My sink was blocked recently and although this was supposedly remedied with One Shot we thought it might be blocked again so the water had nowhere else to go when the machine drained it? We took apart every single waste pipe right up until it went out of my property (boyf there to help for once!) and cleaned them out (they were slightly gungy but not bad enough to block) and then shoved long bendy wire down the pipe going out of my property. This came out VERY gungy and covered in nastiness but we think we moved something...

Sink now emptying very fast but have not dared put on washing machine again. Any ideas what has caused this? And is the pipe my responsibility once it has left my property or the council's (I own the leasehold to my ex-council flat).

Thanks guys, it was a bit scary....

Hunnymonster

I think the problem is legally 'yours' until it leaves the boundary of the property. Nothing at all to do with the council these days, it's the water company - although many councils operate a drain-unblocking service (chargeable).

I'd be inclined to run the washing machine and watch it through the cycle at least once to make sure that the pipe is free running. Probably wouldn't hurt to run the pipe through with some caustic soda (read the instructions on it *very* carefully) solution.

Badgergal

Well, I reckon any blockage occurs outside my property as the pipe is leaving the house...

Oh well, will have to run a wash and see what happens...

Thanks

squeaky

Hiya, sorry I'm late on this, my power has been off since just after nine. I'd say keep an eye on the next wash too.

You might also ask about where your responsibilty about pipework lies in "In my House", there's sure to be someone who knows.

Badgergal

Ta Squeaky, will have to go on over to My House and do that...

Bless you for apologising for being "late", that's ok!