Hi,
Hopefully someone can help me.

Recently when I do my clothes washing (its a frontloader machine) the machine is located in my kitchen. My home is 1964 built home on a slab). When water is draining from the washing machine the water from the washer will back up a bit in my bathroom sink, (I can hear it gurgling and see black bits left in the sink (assuming its from detorating cast iron pipe) the water always goes down fairly quickly after backing up in the sink. The bathroom sink is located in the next room directly behind the washer, so I am assuming they are sharing the same lines).

What is wrong, is there anything I can do, or must I call a plumber?
thanks for your help.

Judy

The drain needs to mechanically cleaned. This can be done by a plumber or anybody that knows what they're doing and have the proper tools.

Thank you for your reply
Which drain needs to be cleaned, the washing machine drain or the sink drain or both? And by mechanically do you mean using one of those augers ment for cleaning drains? Is this not something I could do, or is it best left to a pro?



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The age and cast iron indicates that you have rough surfaces inside the pipe (not a problem with ABS). So I would snake the lavatory first. The washer has a pump pushing water rappidly and should flush out anything but the rough edges will catch debris like mop strands. Also when you say black stuff in the sink, are you referring to the lavatory in the bath or do you have a Sink next to your closthes washer? Depending on your mechanical skills you may need to call a professional drain cleaner. Good luck.

I am a homeowner, and I will tell you it is best left to a plumber, unless you are capable of doing the extensive repairs necessary, should you get the snake stuck in the pipe.

I would recommend calling a pro for drain cleaning. The training and equipment are above the level of what an average person can provide, even with renting (somewhat) professional equipment. You will save time and a headache by having someone else do the work, and they should warranty that work as well. I would clean the line from the washer drain as it will be full sized the entire length of the line, and you can run water in the sink to help wash out debris while the cable is running.

Thank you to everyone that answered my question. It looks like I will have to get a pro in to take care of the problem, I certainly don't want to make it worse..



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