I had no problem with my double kitchen sink ever since getting Nu-Flo in our 1970s pipes, and their installers told me the kitchen drain had been installed going up instead of down so it caused the sink to back up. They fixed it and my sink drains fine ever since.

Yesterday I was rinsing out a small milk frother and trying to remove small bits of carmelization from it on the right sink, so the water was mostly clear. Suddenly the water backed up. I plunged that side while holding a stopper over the left side. It didn't have much effect. I used a product called Plumb Away that supposedly whooshes air at high pressure. I could hear and feel some movement on the stopper but saw little to no effect on the drain.

Plumb Away says if you use it three times with no effect, call a plumber. The third time I used it, water came spurting out of the thing next to the faucet, all over me, but still the water didn't budge. I don't want to call my landlord because if they will try to charge me for the plumber.

Overnight the standing water went down very little. It's strange that the drain went from fine to completely clogged in one instant and I wasn't pouring anything cloggy down. Also I would say I'm a light user of the sink because I don't cook a lot, I don't pour grease down it or anything like that.

I called my downstairs neighbor and she said her sink backs up when she uses the disposal. I did run the disposal and the left side went down immediately but no effect on the right side. I didn't know this but apparently the disposal only is for one side? (I hardly use the thing honestly, never had one before so not accustomed to using it.)

Does this sound typical? Do you think it can be fixed by something like Drano Gel?

your sink doesn't drain, so it is not going into the downstairs sink, therefore the problem is somewhere close to, or in, your sink. We would have to see your sink drain connections to even have a chance to make a diagnosis. That is often how drains work, they stop up suddenly. They should have said, "If it doesn't work the first time, call a plumber", because they seldom work.

If you aren't on the top floor it may have been something from upstairs coming down that clogged it.

I am on the top floor.

I truly hate when that happens. I have no idea what Nu Flo, in our pipes means. Could you explain?

I've never heard of Plumb Away either. But it sounds like whatever is in the waste line, you've pushed it further and now you want to spend even more money with drain acids. Besides that, you live in an apartment complex. If you damage the waste, you will pay dearly, even if you didn't mean to further the issues.

I'd call the owners and let they deal with it. And if you have to pay... then pay.
Best Wishes

From the context, I assume Nu-Flow is a water pipe relining process. The other thing is probably a CO2 plunger.

Yes, Nu Flow is some sort of coating in the pipes in lieu of replacing old leaky pipes. I used a whole bottle of Drano Gel, which is supposed to be safe for pipes, and it didn't work. So I guess I need a plumber.

As always...I hope you saved your receipts for non-working products sold to consumers everyday. Yes, you have tried your best, without success. Time for professional intervention.... a licensed plumber.

Best Wishes

I've notified my landlord (property management company actually) by email and phone and still am waiting for their reply. I doubt I'll hear from them over the weekend. In the meantime, do you think I can run my dishwasher?

If you do, it is most likely piped into the kitchen sink drain and will back up into the sink and possibly overflow. I wouldn't recommend it.

This weekend, I'm sure you will have to do, by hand. Washing dishes can be fun if you have someone else drying them. I'd wait until next week when a pro can have a " look-see"

Best Wishes

What do you guys think of this:

Last night the kitchen sink was still clogged, not moving down at all. This morning I sent another email to my property manager, reminding her that it was now a week that I had no working kitchen sink.

Then about noon, I go to the kitchen and several inches of standing water were GONE, the drain was clear. I ran the water a few minutes and wasn't slow, didn't gurgle or anything. As if nothing had happened. I immediately started the dishwasher and it seems to be doing fine.

I had done NOTHING to it for the past few days, since using the Max Gel last week and then plunging a few days later, all to no effect.

Based on that, what could have been the problem?

The floor below could have clogged the entire pipe and wall outlet with waste from a garbage disposal and your drain had nowhere to go either.

I should also check the guy on the 2nd floor, if I see him.

Interestingly, the next day (Saturday morning) as I left the building, there was a flood in the 1st floor laundry room, which houses both a washing machine and the building's hot water heater. The water was in between them so I couldn't tell which caused the flood.

Sounds like the clog broke loose and slid down the line and stopped again. Nothing is worse than to have that happen in an office building when you can't access the lower floors because of security issues.



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