Slow Drain in Bathroom Sink?

Hi, Vent stack has obstruction?

Okay; how do I clean a vent stack? It's on the second story of my home and there's really no easy way for _me_ to climb up on a ladder and gain access to that portion of my house.

The Ranger

your main sewer might be clogged.

if youy can reak into the line from sink to basement you can run your snake up.

have someone watch the roof so it doesnt tangle.

i think you have a main drain issue.

if its tree roots rocksalt works great

Wouldn't that affect all the sinks, though, with eventual back-up to the lowest drainage point (a first floor shower basin in my case)? None of the other sinks or basins have experienced similar slowness in draining -- or at least none that I've observed.

It couldn't hurt to run my neighbor's power snake down the main.

Unfortunately liquid amber seems to really thrive on abuse. I've given up trying to kill that damned tree and simply chop it to pieces every fall and spring.

The Ranger

IF you don't run any water for several minutes, how much water will flow down rapidly before it slows dowon. That should tell you where the blockage exists, as the water will force air out ahead of it much faster than the water can go thru the blockage.. If it flows slowly right from the start, then the blockage is right at the sink itself.

Hire a plumbing guy (apprentice works cheaper) to check out the vent. IIRC, some success stories from such activities have been noted here. Concerning ladders, use them like the roofers do. Extend the ladder well above the roof level so that the top rung is a hand hold and simply step out on the roof. If vertigo bothers you, many rental places can supply safety harnesses to bolster your confidence. A rope from the harness over the house top and tied to a stout tree will make it far less scary. DO NOT (as one sad soul did) tie off to your pickup truck just before Her Highness decides to take off in the truck for grocery shopping.

Joe

If it's like mine, it is a "wet vent" (drain acts as vent to main stack/drain about 6 feet away) and if the line gets half plugged the sink gets real slow. One of those "super plungers" that looks like a fat bicycle pump blows it clear in 3 or 4 strokes. Need to do it every month or so with my long-haired daughter back home.