Waters shoots out of sink with Disposal on

[stev0258]

Hi Everyone

I am experiencing a weird problem with my kitchen sink and need some ideas. When we put waste in the sink with the disposal (to the point where the disposal is full and water is not flowing freely past), and then turn the disposal on, water shoots up out of the adjacent sink, a couple of feet at times. It is really annoying.

The plumbing setup is shown in the attached picture. Seems really common, so I'm surprised that I haven't found anyone else experiencing this. The T-Fitting has a baffle inside which directs the waste water down. What I think is happening is that the waste water hits the baffle, is shot down, and then "splashes" into the trap water, which then shoots retrograde water back up and out.

The horizontal pipe from the disposal to the tee is slightly downward sloped.

Have any of you seen this before? Would a different type of tee (sanitary or wye) help instead?

Need some experienced help here. Hoping not to run two separate traps for each sink as we like the space this design provides.

Thanks
Will

 

[frodo]

drop the p trap and clean it out, if it is clean, then snke your drain

 

[stev0258]

drop the p trap and clean it out, if it is clean, then snke your drain

Dropped the P-trap, it is clean, and flows fine (doesn't slowly back up or anything). Nothing in the pipes. This is a relatively new house (built 2014) and this has happened since day one, so it seems it is something inherent to the design.

Has anyone with this type of setup ever seen this before?

It makes sense that water shooting down would splash back out, so I'm surprised that it isn't more common. Unless there is something I am missing.

I am considering running two 45 degree pipes off the non-disposal sink to create a small chicane so if the water shoots up it isn't quite a straight shot. Think that will work?

Thanks for any additional insight or ideas...much appreciated.


Will

 

[frodo]

you may not have a baffle in your tee, if no baffled tee, install one

 

[gendow]

stev0258, I have the exact same problem and the exact same set up. I'm renting so my remedy is to put a heavy bowl or plate in the empty side of the sink then I run my disposer. The heavy bowl or plate blocks the water from shooting out. I know it is not exactly the answer that you were looking for but if you figure it out please do tell how you fixed. Sometimes the water shoots so far and high it gets me in the shirt (lol).

 

[SHR]

The good news is it is a simple problem. Clogged drain line. Very common. Clear the drain pipe.

 

[KULTULZ]

Possibly a sanitary tee install @ the current tee position to direct the discharge directly towards the trap instead of hitting tubing wall?

Or a two trap install if code compliant in your area?

 

[stev0258]

The good news is it is a simple problem. Clogged drain line. Very common. Clear the drain pipe.

SHR,

Where exactly do you suspect the clog? I've checked all lines and can't find a clog. If it is as simple as this, that would be great. Can you explain why a clogged drain line would cause this?

Thanks

 

[stev0258]

stev0258, I have the exact same problem and the exact same set up. I'm renting so my remedy is to put a heavy bowl or plate in the empty side of the sink then I run my disposer. The heavy bowl or plate blocks the water from shooting out. I know it is not exactly the answer that you were looking for but if you figure it out please do tell how you fixed. Sometimes the water shoots so far and high it gets me in the shirt (lol).

This is also my current solution...or I just run the disposal IMMEDIATELY after anything goes in the sink so that it doesn't create that build up and shoot down the horizontal pipe.

It is annoying. I am going to the HD today to see what I can find and figure out.

 

[stev0258]

you may not have a baffle in your tee, if no baffled tee, install one

It is a baffled T. You can see it looking down into the drain.

 

[frodo]

clog is in the drain pipe. you need to snake the drain out like i mentioned in the first post.

 

[stev0258]

clog is in the drain pipe. you need to snake the drain out like i mentioned in the first post.

Ok so I'm open to this idea, but let me clarify the symptoms. It spurts only initially when the disposal gets "full" and then is turned on, shooting waste water. After initial burst, it does not continue to spurt nor does it backup with water. The p-trap always has water in it and if you run water and watch, it does not back up and the water does not slowly rise, which I would expect if there was a downstream clog. It appears things are flowing as they should once in steady state.

If you still think this is the problem, help me understand why? I really do appreciate the responses and ideas but I just want to clarify the symptoms in case that helps.

 

[KULTULZ]

Originally Posted by frodo

clog is in the drain pipe. you need to snake the drain out like i mentioned in the first post.

Ok so I'm open to this idea, but let me clarify the symptoms.

1) It spurts only initially when the disposal gets "full" and then is turned on, shooting waste water.

2) After initial burst, it does not continue to spurt nor does it backup with water.

The p-trap always has water in it and if you run water and watch, it does not back up and the water does not slowly rise, which I would expect if there was a downstream clog. It appears things are flowing as they should once in steady state.

If you still think this is the problem, help me understand why? I really do appreciate the responses and ideas but I just want to clarify the symptoms in case that helps.

RU filling the disposal with food scrap before turning it on?

Read This- http://www.horizonservicesinc.com/r...ing-drain-cleaning-garbage-disposal-dos-donts- Garbage Disposal Do’s and Don’ts -

• Don’t put large amounts of food down the garbage disposal. Feed food into the garbage disposal a little at a time with the cold water running; this will help the food scraps flow down freely through the drain pipes and plumbing.

And This One Is For Me-

•Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste. Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing drains to clog.

I thought chasing with hot water would flush the system of food grease.

Guess not...

friggin' moron...

 

[frodo]

what do you mean by its full.

this is how a disposal is uesd, if your method differs, let me know

turn on hot water
turn on disposal
feed the angry monster
when finished
continue to run water for 30 sec /1 minute


are you packing the damn thing full then turning on ?

 

[CT18]

what do you mean by its full.

this is how a disposal is uesd, if your method differs, let me know

turn on hot water
turn on disposal
feed the angry monster
when finished
continue to run water for 30 sec /1 minute


are you packing the damn thing full then turning on ?

Ding Ding we have a winner. My buddies wife used to pack it full then turn it on and ended up clogging the waste arm full of noodles.

 

[stev0258]

what do you mean by its full.

this is how a disposal is uesd, if your method differs, let me know

turn on hot water
turn on disposal
feed the angry monster
when finished
continue to run water for 30 sec /1 minute


are you packing the damn thing full then turning on ?

So what you're describing is how "I" do it...however, my wife does the latter which, admittedly, is when the problem is the worse.

But...still, I don't think it's right...her habits haven't changed much (or at all) in 8 years and we never had the issue at our old house.

I just replaced the T-Fitting...the old one did have a baffle, but this one seems to hang down ever so slightly lower...will wait to see if it can be re-created tonight. If not, I'm going to try some jungle gym routing of the pipes...

Thanks for the responses...I'll report back with the solution

 

[stev0258]

Ding Ding we have a winner. My buddies wife used to pack it full then turn it on and ended up clogging the waste arm full of noodles.

I just snaked the **** out of it so there's definitely nothing clogged for a good 10 feet.

 

[SHR]

SHR,

Where exactly do you suspect the clog? I've checked all lines and can't find a clog. If it is as simple as this, that would be great. Can you explain why a clogged drain line would cause this?

Thanks

The clog is SELDOM in the trap. Almost always in the drain lines in the wall. When running a garbage disposal creates a pump like action that pushes the waste in to the drain line. When your pipes become even partially clogged, the pressurized waste water follows the path of least resistance. Clogged pipe? No. Up through second sink drain? Of course.

 

[stev0258]

Hi All

Thought I would give a quick update to this issue, in case anyone reads this again in the future. I did snake the drain about 12 ft and did not find any clog.

I ended up buying a new T-Fitting and replaced it. Both the old and new had the baffle inside, but the new one had a slightly longer baffle (like 1/16", so quite subtle). I put it all back together and have to say that this reduced the "shooting" out by at least 50%. We have used it several times and even done it incorrectly (fill the disposal, THEN turn it on) intentionally. Instead of it shooting out as much as 3 ft in some instances before, it maybe shoots out 6 inches at most so it is at least still contained, and sometimes not at all. I'm considering this a win for now.

Perhaps the previous T-Fitting was installed and the stars aligned to provide a freeway for water to come back up and out. With the new T-fitting, it never gets installed exactly the way it was before (slightly less straight, etc.) so maybe just this difference helps. Or, the slightly longer T-fitting Baffle helped.

Either way, pretty simple fix for now.