Fixing clogged sink drain

[techtrainer61]

Hello Folks ..

I have back-to-back bathroom sinks (sharing a common wall) which had a slow drain clog. To fix it, I removed the stopper valve and then used a plunger. In the process, I seem to have made the clog really stubborn, now the water does not move at all. This is what I have tried since ..

- removed both p-traps and cleaned them. This did not help, so the clog is further down the line.

- Tried to use a snake from opening (since p-trap is removed), but have not been able to make the snake go down .. instead it finds its way in the other bathroom sink p-trap.

- next, used baking soda + vinegar trick .. but it has not helped

- filled up both sinks with hot water, left it overnight, hoping the weight would eventually clear the clog, but no luck.

- even went to the roof (single story house). There is one vent -- fairly wide. Each bathroom has toilet, shower and sink, which are all connected to the vent (I am assuming .. as there is no other vent around). The snake is probably short (15') and did not reach the clog.

I had called a plumber .. he took a look and said he needs to cut open the pipe going into the wall so he can easily reach the vent. I have doubts about whether he knew what he was doing .. so I sent him back (he was going to charge $120). None of the other drains in the house are clogging .. all flow freely with a nice swirl. I don't want to use harsh chemicals .. drain pipes are original .. about 45 years old.

There has to be an easier way to fix this .. any ideas ?

[marks542004]

either a longer snake through the vent , assuming the vent is reaching the right pipe.

Personally I would try something like Drano , or Liquid plumber , and hope the blockage is something that will break up.

If you can measure the amount of water it takes to fill the sinks you might work out how far away the blockage is.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I had a bathroom drain that got very slow. I ended up pouring Drano in the sink one evening, then I forgot about it until the next morning.... oops! Anyway, it's run like a champ ever since. I don't imagine I improved the pipes much but so far there's been no apparent damage.

[Larry and a Cat named Dub]

[Joseph Meehan]

Larry and the cat make a lot of sense.

[Larry and a Cat named Dub]

[Larry and a Cat named Dub]

[SMS]

Cap the pipe coming out of either one of the bathroon walls (the method depends on what the connection is, but cap it securely). On my walls there is a threaded female connector inside the wall, and I could screw a capped pipe into this, rather than the drain pipe to the sink.

Then buy a water pressure clog eliminator: "

" This device obviously won't work if you don't cap all the other drains connected to the drain pipe, before the clog.