Clogged Garbage Disposal - already used a 25' snake

[KBrum]

Hello all. I'm in need of some help as I have very little plumbing knowledge and this is the first time I've had a disposal in my home.

My garbage disposal is backing up into my sinks. I started with a sink plunger (but didn't cover the sink overflow to increase pressure), followed it with turning the motor with an allen wrench (moves freely, no resistance or humming when I run it), took apart the pipe line (no clog in the lines down to the trap). My pvc pipes are cemented together starting after the trap pipe, so I was unable to remove the trap and other pipes leading to the main drain at the back of the wall. I did however run a 25' snake all the way down through the trap twice. There wasn't much caught in the snake when I pulled it back out either time. The second time there was very little resistance at the end. Felt more like working through bends in the pipeline (but again I have very little knowledge about any of this). It was still clogged. I then put Liquid Plumber down it (I know. Probably bad) hoping it would break up whatever is left in the drain. So far no luck.

When I run the disposal, it pushes water up into the opposite sink, then slowly drains back into the disposal sink until even. But running the disposal does decrease the amount of water.

Do I just need a longer snake? Did my snake go down the wrong pipes somehow? I do have a dishwasher right next to the sinks, but am afraid to run it in case it backs up.

Attached is a photo of what I believe is an access to the main drain, but am unsure. I sent the snake down it once (before I better understood how to use the snake) and kept hitting something that would rattle (like metal). There is a picture of the snake I used as well.

Please help . I am not looking to hire anyone ($$$$) but if there is no hope of me doing this myself, I'll do what I have to do.

 

[RenewDave]

How far is it from the kitchen to the next closest fixture? If it’s over your snake length that thing won’t help. May be a FOG plug(fats, oils, grease) which your little snake will go right through and not free up. When you pull the snake out, is it slick? That would be FOG. Need to hire a plumber with a mini jetter to clear the line.

 

[KBrum]

How far is it from the kitchen to the next closest fixture? If it’s over your snake length that thing won’t help. May be a FOG plug(fats, oils, grease) which your little snake will go right through and not free up. When you pull the snake out, is it slick? That would be FOG. Need to hire a plumber with a mini jetter to clear the line.

The sink is next to an outside wall (if that answers the question). The next fixture is inside the home (washer dryer which is draining just fine) and the bathroom sink (also draining fine).

Hmmm... it was pretty slick. Yikes. Thank you!

 

[Geofd]

not sure by your post did you try removing the plug above the trap...do you have access from below?????

 

[Jeff Handy]

The tip of your snake should not need to be bent like that.
Yes, once in a great while a slight bend helps a snake get past a pesky fitting or a tight turn, but being bent means it is more likely to not advance easily.

Looks like that plug above your drain line is a clean-out access to the vent going up from the drain line. Needed because the trap is all glued up.

So if you remove the plug, you should be able to run your snake in there, just make sure it starts out going downwards.
Sometimes the darn snake wants to climb up to the roof!
That metal clanging sound could be your snake going out the vent opening in the roof.
Pbly not but it happens.

Also, I have found plenty of clogs at 30 or 40 feet from the kitchen sink.

It’s hard to find a longer snake with a small diameter like you need for that size of drain, but you can get them up to 50 feet.
30 feet for sure.
It pbly wont fit in your little drain spinner you have there.
Buy a pro model hand spinner. you will be using it again and cheap stuff will not last.
Cheap snakes will kink up too easily.

Personally, I like hand spinners over drill powered or those with their own motor.
You can feel what the snake is doing as you turn it by hand, IMHO.

 

[JHEARD]

metal sounds could also be galvanized pipe if your house is old. galvanized will erode like an anode rod on the inside and clog itself like an artery. have run into this three times in my experience where pvc was tied into galvanized pipe in the wall or under the house. tried running from the roof, the cleanout, the trap with hand auger, medium sewer machine on roof and big sewer machine as well. nothing would get through it and it sounded like metal grinding and rattling. huge pain. could be that your house has galvy and it is almost completely eroded shut. look under the house if possible and see if you can find any galvanized under there hiding