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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,269

    Basement drain question-enzyme drain cleaner

    I have a basement floor drain that backus up slightly when my washing machine drains periodically. The washing machine drains into a utility sink that she's the same line as my kitchen sink above it. This has been happening for 12 years and the solution is just removing the sink and running a power drain with a 50' snake and it's good for a few years except this time it's only lasted about 6 months. It ONLY backs up when I use the washing machine, about 1/2"-1" always draining away within minutes.
    I am assuming that this is either caused by lint/soap/grease in the line. I DO not have a disposal and not much makes it down the kitchen sink that shouldn't.
    Using the power drain is kind of a PITA and I'm curious if some enzyme down the drain on a regular basis might eliminate at this problem but I have never tried used it before.
    What says all the amateur plumbers on the site ?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2020
    Location
    in a freezer in Italy
    Posts
    7,178
    Well it definitely can work, and it's not that expensive, try Green Gobbler or similar and see what happens. It's not gonna hurt anything to try.

    This would have been an excellent question for the "Random Unthreadworthy Questions" thread btw.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    LV-426
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    21,123
    Can also try pouring a big pot of very hot water down the drain to help break up clogs. I've used this a couple of times, with success. My house is on a septic system so I can't dump a bunch of Drano down the drain.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,269
    Quote Originally Posted by ötzi View Post
    Well it definitely can work, and it's not that expensive, try Green Gobbler or similar and see what happens. It's not gonna hurt anything to try.

    This would have been an excellent question for the "Random Unthreadworthy Questions" thread btw.
    Noted cause when iceman talks everyone should listen especially dumb and fat fucks like me.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    I can still smell Poutine.
    Posts
    24,503
    What size is drain pipe? And is it a newer HE washer? The new washers need to be on a 2" pipe into the 4" because of suds. Our washer drain is 1.5". We can run only one at a time of washer, dishwasher, or upstairs shower or we get overflow.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,269
    HE washer and it drains into a utility sink that ties into a 2" line. I think the HE plays into it but the draining does improve greatly after I run the power drain so it points to some sort of blockage or buildup. It never backs up with any other device like DW or shower/bath. Just wanted to check and see if anyone had any kind of success with enzyme for clearing pipes. It's pain to drag my 50' power drain from the garage to my basement compared to pouring some stuff down the drain. I have also tried using a inflating bladder in the pipe but that doesn't seem to help much.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    The Queen City North Carolina
    Posts
    1,436
    Quote Originally Posted by fatnslow View Post
    HE washer and it drains into a utility sink that ties into a 2" line. I think the HE plays into it but the draining does improve greatly after I run the power drain so it points to some sort of blockage or buildup. It never backs up with any other device like DW or shower/bath. Just wanted to check and see if anyone had any kind of success with enzyme for clearing pipes. It's pain to drag my 50' power drain from the garage to my basement compared to pouring some stuff down the drain. I have also tried using a inflating bladder in the pipe but that doesn't seem to help much.
    So having a newish house, built 2007, that I personally constructed, I was having a similar issue on a second floor laundry that a/c condensate and he washer shared. After a near catastrophic back up Labor Day weekend, the culprits seems to be the sludge build up of soap and lack of real water into the drain since . I had assumed the a/c use in nc would provide ample flushing power, but instead it made an almost moldy congealed mess with the soap scum. The answer after power auger knocked out a major blockage is very hot water dumped through a funnel into the drain box followed by a gallons of cold water to keep the pvc from deforming. I tried drain cleaners but I think the chances of clearing a block are slim to none, but they will keep a clean pipe open longer along with the flushing.I’ve tried to get wife to use less tide, but really the machines don’t provide enough force or volume when it’s starts to build up.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    none
    Posts
    8,334
    Just a little He will get the clothes clean.
    Most people use way too much.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    3,269
    I went old school and bought about 5 pounds of baking soda and a gallon of vinegar. After a bout 3 gallons of boiling water in the drain did the whole 5 pounds and vinegar in about 1/2 pound increments, it seems to have helped quite a bit. I was feeling lazy and didn't want to bust out the power drain, damn thing is heavy and a pain to run in that spot. I have wife on soap restriction but doesn't mean she'll actually listen to me...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    the ham
    Posts
    13,370
    Dilute the jug of soap when she's not around.

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