I have a drain problem that causes water to backup in my kitchen & washer drain area of my house. I have been calling a plumber about twice a year to clear the drain. My washer drain is where the plumber enters the drain with an electic auger that has a 50' cable. We think the problem is back in my bathroom area where a cast iron "T" or something similar is clogging up with lint from the washer drain. The builder of the house went cheap and used too small of drain pipe (I think it is 1.5". Anyway...with that said, I have a clogging problem that keeps reoccuring. I am on a concrete slab, so fixing the problem is the challenge.

I think the 50' auger is just poking through the problem just enough to allow the drain to flow on a temporary basis. Is there a better way to clear the drain or do I have to find a way to run a new drain pipe?

Ideas on how to address the problem?

You might try filtering the lint from the washing machine before it enters the standpipe. There have been a couple of previous posts in this forum discussing the pros and cons of doing this.

I think in general, lint filters are not commonly used with standpipes. You would have to be careful to change it regularly before the filter clogged up, as well as make sure that the filter did not slip off the washer hose and end up in your drain pipes.

The lint catch is the way to go as a preventative measure if you can use one with your plumbing installation.

The drain line should be cleaned with the proper equipment.
The cable head shouldn't poke a hole through the stoppage, it should scrape the interior of the piping clean and remove the lint build-up if that's what is causing the restriction.

Good Luck. *westchester plumber*

Try what is called a blow bag or "Drain King" drain opener, they make differn't sizes so pick the one you need and try flushing your pipe out. It should flush the line out within 30 seconds so don't leave it on any longer.

In my area the kitchen and laundry are often near the back of the home. A fifty foot cable is often not long enough for certain home layouts. Ask the plumber to run more cable if possible. If not try another plumber that should have a larger cable for possibly a better pipe cleaning. GOOD LUCK

Hello, In Fla. the min you can run for a drain is 2 inch. If your plumber is running a 5/8 cable then chances are it is not clearing all of the clog away. Also you could have back fall or a broken line under the slab. If I was your plumber and I was running the snake that much I would suggest that a camera be sent threw to see the problem.
Unless you are dumping something that you should not be down the kitchen drain then you should not be having this much trouble.
Just a thought
Southern Plumber

If the pipe is really 1 1/2" then it is too small for the rod to just poke a hole in the stoppage, unless he is using a very small snake.

You can continue to guess for years or you can have a licensed plumber send a video camera into your line and do an inspection. Make sure that it is a tape video.
Once you know the exact cause, you can take credible step to correct the problem from happening. Besides mechanical rodders, there are water jets that are designed to clear and clean.
You will notice that immediately after a camera is sent thru the piping after it has been "Jetted" properly.
Best Wishes