First Floor Sink Gets Bubbles from Above!!
I live on the first floor of my 4 story , 7 unit building. twice a night, my kitchen sink fills with bubbles from an upstairs unit ( shower if I smell correctly). We installed a trap on my sink line but it didn’t help. Last time my plumber was here, I asked him if…
I live on the first floor of my 4 story , 7 unit building. twice a night, my kitchen sink fills with bubbles from an upstairs unit ( shower if I smell correctly). We installed a trap on my sink line but it didn’t help. Last time my plumber was here, I asked him if we should clean the trap, but he said it still may not stop the bubbling.
My question is twofold: 1) why is this happening? and 2) can it be stopped?
master plumber, are you out there?
OP here. thank you both. there are no dishwashers or washing machines in the building, which leads me to believe Vinca is correct and I need to snake the drainpipe.
Upon further reflection, if there have been no instalations or changes, and it used to be OK, buut now there is a problem, then partially blocked drain would contribute.
In addition, dishwashers have drain pumps in addition to washing machines. The twice a night clue could be neighbors running their dishwashers when they go to sleep, or on delay cycle.
This is a venting issue. You old plumbing is not vented so the sink in your room is acting as a de facto vent line hence all the soap reflux
Might be what Brucef says, but I think it’s more likely that bubbles are coming up in your sink because 1) gravity works; and 2) the drainpipe (not just the trap) needs to be thoroughly snaked. Years of crud and lint from your upstairs neighbors have probably clogged the pipes on your level and further below, causing the bubbles and eventually their drain water to back up into your sink.
thank you brucef. there are no washing machines in the building, other than mine in the basement and we use weekly. the problem happens nightly. Anyone else want to take a stab???
Well, noone else has pitched in so I will wing it.
Are you sure there isn’t a washing machine on that line? Washing machines have pumps that push waste water into a line, rather than gravity.
If you were saying that you heard bubbling sounds from elsewhere, then another location is vented inadequately.
Actual suds coming up means that your sink trap is a more convenient vent than the vent local to the source that is supposed to be open to the outside/top.
Code requires that vents be very close to the unit being vented, and all licensed plumbers know that. Washing machine installers, not so much.