Backed up sink. Tried anything.. any ideas?!

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Hi I just purchased a house and I’m pretty clueless with plumbing.

I have a kitchen sink that backs up when I turned in the garbage disposal it fills with black water and Little Rock like black chunks.

I tried Flow Easy drain opener, then it backed up again after using the disposal then my disposal leaked all over my house. Then I replaced the disposal and snaked the drain and it still backs up.

Only other idea I have is possibly a clogged plumbing vent?

Any ideas?
 
Are there any plumbing fixtures above this sink? In other words, on the 2nd floor? If so. Do they drain normally?

Do you have a curb trap? If so, you might see a vented cap or a mushroom like cap in your yard. If you do, you could try using a disc plunger there. It is a flat rubber like disk with a metal center that screws on to a piece of 1/2" black pipe. The disc costs about $10. Attach it to a 5 foot piece of black pipe, and plunge from the curb trap. That acts like a huge piston, and will clear many clogs. If, jnstead, there are roots or something else in your line, you will have to bring in a professional sewer snaking company.
 
Are there any plumbing fixtures above this sink? In other words, on the 2nd floor? If so. Do they drain normally?

Do you have a curb trap? If so, you might see a vented cap or a mushroom like cap in your yard. If you do, you could try using a disc plunger there. It is a flat rubber like disk with a metal center that screws on to a piece of 1/2" black pipe. The disc costs about $10. Attach it to a 5 foot piece of black pipe, and plunge from the curb trap. That acts like a huge piston, and will clear many clogs. If, jnstead, there are roots or something else in your line, you will have to bring in a professional sewer snaking company.

I just purchased the home a month ago and I had the sewer lines scoped. No plumbing above it and I just looked the sink is leaking again with the new disposal. No other plumbing issues besides this sink. & no curb trap
 
There must be other plumbing fixtures in the house, even if they are not on a second floor. If they are draining properly, it would suggest that the vent is not the problem.

If you have snaked the kitchen drain line, and can't clear it, agsin, it's time to call in a pro.
 
Did you do your own installation of new disposal?
If you did, or if done by someone not properly skilled, there are lots of ways a new disposal could leak.

If you got lazy and cheated, and just mounted the new disposer to the old disposer sink flange, the old flange is probably leaking because the plumber’s putty seal is dried and failing.
Take off old flange, clean off old putty, install new flange and re-hang disposer.

Make sure you tighten the mounting ring ALL the way, to the final “ clunk” where it locks on solid.

Or disposal might leak, or will totally fall off someday.

Best tool for this is a very large pair of channel lock type pliers. You can squeeze the parts together, to rotate them properly to lock it in.

Otherwise, using the zigzag allen wrench they supply, which also is used to unjam a clogged disposer, will just cause the new flange to start twisting around in the sink, and your new putty seal will fail.

Another leak source might be that you have P trap washers or drain connections improperly installed or not tightened enough.
Or you re-used $hitty old ones.

Also, the disposal has a drain fitting that usually clips onto it with a supplied spring clamp, or it tightens down onto a foam gasket with screws.
This fitting needs to be straight and square and fitted properly, where it leaves the main body of your disposal.

If you have it crooked, or under tension trying to make it reach where it needs to go, it will leak right at the exit from the disposal.

If you have a dishwasher, make sure you removed the knockout that allows drain water into your new disposal.

Then, as far as your clogged drain, you might need to snake 30 or 40 or more feet to reach the clog.

Call a plumber or talented friend if this is beyond your skills.
 
Last edited:
Did you do your own installation of new disposal?
If you did, or if done by someone not properly skilled, there are lots of ways a new disposal could leak.

If you got lazy and cheated, and just mounted the new disposer to the old disposer sink flange, the old flange is probably leaking because the plumber’s putty seal is dried and failing.
Take off old flange, clean off old putty, install new flange and re-hang disposer.

Make sure you tighten the mounting ring ALL the way, to the final “ clunk” where it locks on solid.

Or disposal might leak, or will totally fall off someday.

Best tool for this is a very large pair of channel lock type pliers. You can squeeze the parts together, to rotate them properly to lock it in.

Otherwise, using the zigzag allen wrench they supply, which also is used to unjam a clogged disposer, will just cause the new flange to start twisting around in the sink, and your new putty seal will fail.

Another leak source might be that you have P trap washers or drain connections improperly installed or not tightened enough.
Or you re-used $hitty old ones.

Also, the disposal has a drain fitting that usually clips onto it with a supplied spring clamp, or it tightens down onto a foam gasket with screws.
This fitting needs to be straight and square and fitted properly, where it leaves the main body of your disposal.

If you have it crooked, or under tension trying to make it reach where it needs to go, it will leak right at the exit from the disposal.

If you have a dishwasher, make sure you removed the knockout that allows drain water into your new disposal.

Then, as far as your clogged drain, you might need to snake 30 or 40 or more feet to reach the clog.

Call a plumber or talented friend if this is beyond your skills.

I replaced the disposal and now it’s just completely clogged. Water will not drain at all. Sounds like I’m going to actually have to call in a pro ‍♂️
 
I have had kitchen sink piping that i had to cut to get the muck out. The snake goes through it like butter because the pipe is filled with goo (not a plumbing term). Its from not running enough water after the disposal is used. Once you have the problem its hard to clear the pipe. This happens when you have a long horizontal run.
 

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