Washer drain backing up into my kitchen sink

[Nate]

Hello,

My washer backs-up into my kitchen sink when it drains. What could the problem be, or is it just an old house?

The sink fills about half-way, but never overflows. The sink drains a minute or so later and there is a residue with small black chips of grime and a few minutes of local unpleasent odor. My house was built in '69. I am nervouse because my neighbor told me the pipe exiting his house to the back alley had partially collapsed last year and he had to drill into the cement to fix it. He said the pipe installed by the builders was not meant to last beyond 30 years or so.

Thank You For Your Time,

Nathan

[Jeff Wisnia]

It would be very helpful if you told us if it was your CLOTHESwasher or your DISHwasher....

Jeff

[Nate]

Oops! It is the clothes washer.

[Speedy Jim]

This might be the type of sewer lateral pipe the neighbor referred to:

Jim

[Jeff Wisnia]

It certainly sounds like there's an obstruction limiting the flow rate of your drain system, but where in your drain system it might be I don't think any of us can tell you without being there. It could be as simple as a "hairball" clog in a drain common to that sink and clothes washer, or as you fear, your sewer lateral pipe may have followed your neighbor's and collapsed.

I suggest you get a professional you trust in and have him/her see if the problem can be corrected by a simple "roto rooter" type treatment of the drain system.

If your neighbor's and your homes were built at the same time by the same builder than your neighbor may be able to tell you what type of drain pipe they found partially collapsed on his property, and whether there was an outside reason why it failed, which may not be common to both your homes.

Jeff

[mm]

Hey, the White House is almost 200 years old. Do you think their sink backs up? Buckingham Palace is a lot older than that.

Clogs are a lot more common than collapses. Do you share your drain with any other apartments, even one in your own home? How long has this been happening. Do you have lint from your washer entering the drain? What else might have gone down the drain that shouldn't. Grease?

[mm]

If it's a case like this, I have no experience, but is it conceivable that rather than replace the pipe through the cement, is it possible to just ream it out and leave only what remains plus the cement itself, and connect a pipe from the drain to the cement and from the cement to wherever the pipe goes now.

[Speedy Jim]

There are pro services which can re-line the pipe.

Here is but one example:

Your city may have information and resources.

Jim