We have recently had an issue with water from our kitchen sink and our washing machine drain backing up and not draining properly. I tried in very non-artistic fashion to draw out the combination of plumbing I believe is involved. Both the sink and washing machine drain into piping along the same exterior wall and there is a cleanout in the exterior wall directly opposite the sink drain. I believe there is a vent drain going directly up from where the sink drain and cleanout meet, and I think the washing machine drain comes in from the side there as well. I have tried pouring draino into the cleanout twice, and it had no effect. So I went out today trying to use a drain snake through the cleanout, and was unable to get anything to go down the outlet to the sanitary. I got a flash light and looked carefully, and it appears there is a small ball, rock, or maybe something like an avocado pit stuck in the drain pipe.

First question, is there any reason there would be a ball check valve back in there for any reason? Backflow prevention from somewhere that broke loose maybe?

Second questions. Any ideas on how to get the object out without completely dismantling the wall/plumbing to get to it? My thought was to take a long drill bit and try to drill into it from the outside cleanout and then try to lift it up and out. Any thoughts on how that plan could go terribly wrong?

TIA for any help and some #fineassfriday for reading to the bottom before laughing at me.



https://instagr.am/p/CQ3r0yhl4re

WhoopRAB said:

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Shop vac it out?

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May try that too. Too windy and cold right now to want to F with it. Will try tomorrow am.

Try a plunger. Worked for the boy's bathroom when their sinks backed up and wouldn't drain. Vacuumed out the water and tried to snake it, but it kept coming out of the other sink's drain. So, I plugged one sink and then plunged it, and it worked.

It was a chert rock. Took three wire coat hangers, a $100 bore scope from Home Depot, and about an hour and a half of cussing, but it came out. Didn't have to tear open the wall behind the sink and didn't have to pay a plumber, so I am happy. Somebody in the neighborhood is going to get their ass whipped if I find out who did it. Security cameras on all corners of the house are the next project...

Actually it was three chert rocks. After we fished out the one last night, my wife ran a load of laundry and everything backed up again. Finally just called a plumber this am. They just got through scoping it and said there were two more rocks smaller than the one I managed to pull out. The one in the picture below is the large one we fished out. They were able to push the other 2 rocks down and out the end of our line. Still going to ship somebody's ass if I find out who did it...

Thanks for sharing! Unique education in off-mainstream plumbing problems.
Are we to assume the most logical way such rocks would enter, then block your system - as diagramed - would be from on the roof via the vent stack?

Seems like the sink's drain screen, then P-trap would catch such rocks and
the larger one passing through a washing machine pump - incredible.
Who's on the roof other than squirrels/raccoons? If kids tossing rocks, so many misses would be laying about.

Via cleanout entry would require a pusher stick but more convenient sabotage if a short run. Kids at play?

In the day, after school urchins would glue house locks when under construction, break glass and even plug up plumbing - mostly tub drains. Perhaps your house isn't that new, so excepted.

Chert rocks are SOP road work, sometimes landscaping, so I question the source of these?

"Inquiring minds need to know"

There is a cleanout about 18" up the wall on the sode of the house. Pretty sure they just pushed/rolled them into the pipe from that cleanout. I am guess the rocks were from somebody's garden bed.

Thank you for posting the solution to this mystery.
Most will use advice, then leave others hanging, be it from a similar problem or curiosity after investing time in a possible answer.