Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with drain

Worried about drain cleaner

cellphone — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:25:02 -0800

Am I being too paranoid about drain cleaner? I poured a whole bottle of Works drain opener down my kitchen sink and it didn't work. I didn't want to let a bunch of HCl sit in a steel sink overnight so I poured 2 pounds of baking soda into the sink (slowly, wearing rubber gloves, mixing it up gently), and it looks like it's stopped reacting. Can I go to bed not worrying about damage to my sink or fumes from the drain cleaner? I had the window open for the last hour or so.

Would an embedded internal wireless 3G modem draw significantly less power from a laptop battery than an external USB wireless 3G modem?

gttommy — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:05:27 -0800

Would an embedded internal wireless 3G modem draw significantly less power from a laptop battery than an external USB wireless 3G modem? Generally I would assume, an integrated device will draw less power, but these wireless modems just use up a lot of power regardless so the difference may be negligible.

However, some actual facts or links would be useful.

Thanks!

Kitchen drain maintenance?

exhilaration — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:35:21 -0800

How do I keep my kitchen drain from clogging? I already have a good strainer, but I keep getting these grease clogs. Is there some safe chemical or homemade concoction I can use on a regular basis? After living in my house for 4 years, my kitchen drain clogged, then again 6 months later (last week) - not a total clog, but like 30 minutes-to-drain slow. Drano etc. didn't work, neither did a snake - it went right through the gunk, I even rented a motorized one from Home Depot! What did work was this crazy, dangerous chemical (417841 on the Home Depot website) that I have to go into the basement, unscrew the pipe, and carefully pour in with a funnel and tube (wearing eye and hand protection). I let it work overnight and my drain is perfect in the morning. So I guess it's a grease clog - how can I keep it from coming back?

this will end well

ddaavviidd — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 07:58:38 -0800

[Renovation DIY filter] I need to install window wells for my basement windows. Is a drain really necessary or can I get away just by filling it with gravel? Few more details. This is in Qc, Canada, so lots of snow in the winter. The window sills are pretty much at ground level (perhaps 2-3" above). We have a french drain around the foundation, leading to a sump pump. I'd like to get away without drains going away from foundations because they would have to be quite long to end up in a lower terrain (about 50'), thus requiring machinery and huge trenches...

Can I put a vertical drain going all the way to the french drain? Is this a recommended method, or should I just dig a hole and fill it with gravel? How would I "cap" this drain?

Aztek Battery Woes

soelo — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:47:19 -0800

What is draining the battery in my 2001 Pontiac Aztek? I am part owner of a 2001 Pontiac Aztek (I know you think it's ugly, don't really care) and am having trouble with the battery. Before we got the vehicle, it sat idle in a garage for about six months, having been driven once or twice in that time. It started right up in January and was fine for a few months, until I let it sit for about 48 hours in April. The battery was dead, but after a jump start, it ran fine again. Ever since then, if it sits for more than about 36 hours, the battery needs a jump.

I assumed I was leaving something on, taking care to turn off everything I could think of before turning off the engine, but we still had the same issue. Two weeks ago we bring it in to be checked, the shop says they checked the "whole start-up system" and the battery (which was 3 years old) itself was the problem, so they replaced it. Then Monday night it happened again, the new battery is dead after sitting for around 36 hours.

I have been over and over the thing looking for anything left on or plugged into a power socket but can't find a problem. I think it may be the headlights, which we leave on "Auto" all the time. When I shut it off, the radio and lights stay on after I remove the key. The radio turns off when I open my door and the headlights turn off about two minutes after I shut the door. I'd turn them off completely but there is no "off"!

My sister had the same issue and was the one who brought the car in, so she will be calling the shop to tell them their fix did not work and ask what they are willing to do. I think we should get some of the money for the two hours of labor back and bring it somewhere else.

Do you have suggestions of anything else we can do to find out what, if anything, is draining the battery? Does it sound like it's a drain, since the jump starts always work? Is there some other headlight setting we should use? Thanks

clogged bathtub drain is backing me up

rxbert — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:17:02 -0800

this is a really hard to figure out problem with a clogged drain. I have a tub that was installed new several months ago and it suddenly has begun slow draining to almost not draining at all. there is a toilet less than 5 feet away that flushes fine (the toilet was installed approx. two weeks ago. I also have a kitchen sink and clothes washer that do not have any issues draining. so far, I have had three different contractor guys look at it, with no resolution (one came out for that reason only last Saturday, he used one of the bladder thingys to try to clear it). another guy thought it might be a vent issue, so I went into the attic to check that out... but I don't know if I did anything helpful. I have even dug up about half of the sewer line in the front yard, but it is all PVC and doesn't look to be too old (the house was built in '55) and the joints look pretty clean as far as roots go...
I am really stumped here and hope that the "hive mind" can assist. at this point I would be happy to take a recommendation to a good plumber, so he could take care of the problem for me. But, I do look forward to some good ideas and recommendations from the group...

When is it time to call the experts with a tub drain clog?

jessamyn — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:52:31 -0800

Drain snakers, how much longer should I mess with this bathtub drain before I call a plumber? I have an old slow-draining bathtub. When I take a shower lately, I wind up standing in water. This has gotten worse over time, and I also recently got a new showerhead which may have highlighted the problem by using more water. Nothing else in my house drains slowly.

What I have tried

- removing the trip lever -- I seem to have this version but with no stopper -- and pulling out a big chunk of gross hair. I've been snaking through that hole, not through the drain.
- Drano-type drain cleaner, no effect that I noticed
- boiling water, ditto

I borrowed a manual drain snake, basically like this one, and have been sort of flailing around with it. I've pulled up a little hair but mostly this vile smelling black ick that makes me feel like I'm probing the depths of the X-Files. The snake goes about three feet down and then seems to stop and rattle, which makes me wonder a little (like where is the missing arm to my stopper assembly for example, or could I have a drum trap?). I've read this thread and especially this comment in preparation.

I live someplace where it's snowy winter so it's possible my roof vent is blocked, but I wouldn't be able to tell that on my own. I'm sure my landlady will call a plumber if I ask her to, I'd just like to make sure I'm not able to fix this myself. So my specific question is: at the point at which I seem to go no further with the drain snake AND don't seem to be hitting a clog of any sort [turning the augur part doesn't bring up any more hair or other scuzz] is that the time to call the plumber, or is there something I haven't tried yet? Thanks for any advice or help.

Remind me to get a dog and teach it to sniff out mold.

GleepGlop — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:21:00 -0800

When I get in the shower I smell that earthy smell associated with mold. Help me figure out what the source may be! I first started noticing this smell around the time that I foolishly for some reason decided to dump some vacuum cleaner dust / dirt down my shower drain. Not a lot of it, but I quickly realized that maybe this sandy material may not so easily flush through the drain. This may be a red herring however.
I use warm water in my shower and there may be a possibility that something is originating from the hot water tank but I don't smell this from any hot water source outside my shower.
I popped the lid off my shower drain and used a bottle brush with some bleach toilet bowl cleaner to remove all of the buildup of gunk above the water trap. This took the edge off of my mold sensitivity but unfortunately the earthy smell is still there when I get into the shower.

should I panic about the ground sinking over my sewer line?

comah — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:50:34 -0800

the ground above my sewer line sank about 4" while I was at work today. There's no smell. Do I need to get this fixed on Saturday, or can it wait until Monday? The house was built in 1947, and I bought it 2 years ago. The was some depression in the ground over the sewer line when I bought the house, but until today, it stayed about the same, so I just figured the ground had settled and never been leveled off. I live in Oregon, and it's been raining a lot (duh). I'm planning on staying with friends ~2 hours away on Saturday night, so I can shower at the gym and get through the weekend without sending anything down the drain. I left vmails for 2 plumbers, but neither of them had an emergency number.... is it OK to just get someone here monday morning? do I need to cancel weekend plans?

Can't close my bathtub drain.

foxinthesnow — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 17:37:39 -0800

I am really dumb, and I cannot figure out how to get the stopper back into my bathtub. I live in a new apartment, and I am not used to this style of bathtub stopper. It looks just like this. I pulled it straight out, but when I go to put it back, it doesn't seem to lock on to anything, and I can't get it to sit flat. Is there some trick to these? Feel free to describe it to me as though I were a three-year-old child because I think that is the only way I will understand! Thank you.

Something is rotten in my state (not Denmark).

Unicorn on the cob — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:43:43 -0800

Last Wednesday I was assaulted by a foul smell in my front (guest) bathroom. I have been trying to pinpoint the cause for several days. I'm about to go out of town and need advice on what to do, especially since I'm extremely broke and have tried all the usual methods of attack. Details inside... Thursday I noticed there was a bit of a poo smell going on in the front bathroom. Often, it takes two flushes, and I assumed the toilet was clogged. I plunged, cleaned, plunged, etc. and then lit a candle. I never use those drop-in toilet cleaners.

Friday the smell was WORSE. It smelled like sewage. I did my due diligence; I read up as to what the various causes may be and bought every cleaner imaginable. I opened up the drains and did the vinegar/baking soda clean on all of them.

Saturday, the smell was better... I followed it along the ground until I realized it was emanating from the bathtub drain.

Once again, removed all fittings possible, dumped some special drain cleaner (a green product specifically for drains, no lye, no bleach) down the hole, several pots of boiling water, etc.

Went around and checked every other spot in the house; there is no smell except in the front bathroom. Ran water in every sink, tub, shower, etc. to ensure there were no dry traps.

The smell has now dwindled from a sewer-gas smell to simply a musty, sort of unpleasant dust-like odor. Stale, but not poo-ish or sewer-gassy. (To contrast, when I came home on Friday, when I opened the front door I SMELLED SEWER. FROM SEVERAL FEET AWAY, WITH THE DOOR TO THE BATHROOM CLOSED.)

My house was built in 2003. The drain is at floor level and the tub/shower are completely surrounded by stone and concrete. I have crawled, literally, with my nose shoved along the edge of the toilet, sink, wall, everywhere in that bathroom and it is coming up out of the drain. As of right now it smells musty and vinegar-y just a bit from all the treatments I've done. The smell is now confined to just the bathroom and is severely diminished.

I have no idea where the pipe is that goes to the roof. There is nothing under my house, it's on a concrete slab foundation. There are no signs of dampness or leaks anywhere in the walls, around the tub, around the toilet, around the sink, etc.

The shower liner is immaculate. I opened the closet door that shares the wall with the tub/shower. The inside of the closet is dry, smells pleasant, no dampness. I took a knife and pried up a bit of the carpet that runs along the wall that is shared with the drain... no dampness, nothing. Even shoved my fingers up under the wall right now where I'd pried the carpet; I feel/smell nothing. Flashlight showed everything is white and normal-looking just opposite the smell.

What I'm asking is... did an animal possibly get trapped somewhere and die? If so, can I just leave and come back assured that the smell will probably be gone? I'm in Texas and the temps are expected between 40-77F over the next week.

I really don't think it's mold. I am extremely sensitive to such things and take daily medication for allergies, and have yet to sneeze or itch at all, even with my nose shoved into the drain.

At this point were I not about to leave for 3-4 days and severely broke, I'd probably just call a plumber. My trip is non-refundable and was paid for in advance, so I can't change plans and use the money for a plumber. Also, I'm concerned that I'll call somebody and they will either tell me 1. I have something terrible going on and they have to tear the wall apart and the bill will be several thousand dollars, which I cannot pay or be here to supervise, or 2. it's nothing, a mouse died somewhere, I'll have to wait it out (plus pay $150 for a house call at a weird hour that resulted in nothing).

What say you, MeFi homeowners? What would you do?

How is my kitchen like the Internet?

Who_Am_I — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:08:47 -0800

Should I be getting a break on my rent because my kitchen pipes are clogged? Last Wednesday evening, my kitchen sink backed up pretty bad. Then I noticed that the cabinet area under the sink had some (~1-2 liters) standing water, and that the carpet next to the kitchen was getting wet from underneath. We stopped using the sink and dishwasher, aimed a fan at the carpet, and my roommate called our landlord the next morning. Nobody came out Thursday, and when he called back Friday they said that somehow they hadn't got the work order in and now it would be Monday before anyone could come out.

Plumber came out Monday and has been working on it since. He said it is a very bad clog, broke his plumber's snake trying to clear it, and now is excavating part of our building to get at the pipes from underneath. So it is being worked on, but now it has been more than a week since we could really use our kitchen. Basically all of our dishes are on the kitchen counter, and I've had to eat out most every meal, as we've run out of clean dishes to cook with. On top of that our carpet is still damp and a bit discolored, and our apartment has started to smell.

Now if this were our fault of course we would suck it up and be glad that they were fixing it, but I don't think that's the case. Neither me nor my roommate put much of anything solid down the drain, and it all goes through the disposal. Our kitchen shares pipes with (at least) our neighbor through the wall, and we are suspecting that it is his fault (gross: when the sink backed up a bunch of rice came with the water, which neither me nor my roommate had made for months). A few people have mentioned that we should not be responsible for all of our rent this month because of the state of our apartment. Does this seem like a reasonable thing to request, or is this just one of those things that happens? If it is appropriate, what would be a realistic reduction to seek?

Strange sink/dishwasher drainage issues

gwint — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 07:38:11 -0800

Why does my sink only drain when the dishwasher is running? The sink drains fine for half the day, but then slowly but surely begins to clog. But-- if we run the dishwasher, some time in the middle of the cycle the sink will drain and start working properly. Also, occasionally we'll wake up in the morning and there will be about half an inch of brown water in the sink (no bad smell though, so it's not raw sewage) We're on the 5th floor of a 10 story building. I've already dumped a container of Drano down to no effect. Any idea what's going on?

The mouse chose to run down the drain instead of being bitten again. Repercussions? Advice?

nobody — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 20:36:45 -0800

My cat brought a small mouse home from outside and was playing with it in the bathtub. I went over to rescue it before things could become violent. Things did get violent and, unable to climb up the sides of the tub, the mouse just scurried into my shower drain. What are the repercussions? Is there anything I should be doing? The mouse was quite small, a bit smaller than the drain opening even without any squeezing on its part. Looking into the drain I see there's water there, its level less than an inch below the surface. I can't see the mouse, but I'm not sure if I would even if it were still there right below the surface? Do shower drains tend to have u-pipes? Will the mouse drown right there? And then fester? Is it probably crawling through the pipes? Is there anything I can do, either to help the mouse (it sure was cute! standing up on its hindlegs to face the kitty, then resting a single front paw against the side of the tub to balance itself) or to deal with any unhygienic repercussions? For what it's worth, I rent the apartment and I'll most likely be here for the next couple years. And as far as I know the building doesn't, at least as of yet, have a mouse infestation. Thanks.

I don't want to wash my dishes after I wash my dishes, either...

odi.et.amo — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:05:45 -0800

How can I get rid of my dishwasher's funk? There is some form of foul smelling beast living in the drain of my dishwasher and it has started to impart its scent on my dishes. Tap and filtered water both smell almost fishy if I don't first fill the glass with water and pour it out to get rid of the odor. Likewise for other food and baked goods that are on or were made in things washed in my dishwasher.

How can I get rid of the funk? So far, I've tried bleach and copious amounts of baking soda + vinegar. It helped reduce the general funk, but it always reappears when I run the dishwasher and stays on the dishes.

OH NOEZ! MAH SMILEY BALL IZ STUCK IN DA TUB DRAIN!

4ster — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:29:58 -0800

Suggestions needed for getting a rubber ball out of a tub drain pipe. Will Drano or Liquid Plumr dissolve it? Are there other DIY options? I was bathing my daughter last week when her toy smiley-face rubber ball went down the drain. This ball is probably 1/8" smaller than the drain itself and is now far enough down the drain that I can't see or feel it.

So far, I have tried poking with a coat hanger and removing the two screws that hold the round disk that holds the lever that closes the drain. As it turns out, that round disk is there purely for cosmetic reasons, as the lever isn't connected to anything.

The ball is made out of the same material as rubber duckies. Would Drano dissolve it? Any other suggestions other than calling a plumber?

Thanks in advance.

How do you deal with an overflowing air conditioner?

dkg — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:42:59 -0800

The portable air conditioner (an AMCOR PLM 12000EH) in my server room keeps filling up with water. It used to operate without my ever needing to drain the reservoir. What changed? How do i fix this? The server room doubles as a storage room, and is about 3m x 3m. It has a half-dozen running computers in it and other storage up on shelves. It's relatively well-sealed, and the A/C vents via a short hose into the neighboring room (a large auditorium). When the reservoir in the A/C fills up, the A/C turns off and must be drained. While the A/C is off, the room heats back up again, which is not so good for the machines. i've had heat-related hardware failures on machines in that room in the past (before the A/C was installed).

This particular A/C ran fine for 3 months without ever filling the reservoir. But two weeks ago, the reservoir filled for the first time. Since then, it's a non-stop chore to keep the A/C running. The ~1 liter reservoir fills in an hour or two.

I've gone back over the room and sealed what leaks i could find with duct tape. But i have to open the door to go into the room to drain the reservoir, so it's not like it's permanently sealed.

And unfortunately, i don't think there's a drain nearby that i can easily run a hose to, though i'm happy to explore other options.

What's causing this? How do i put a stop to it? Help me get back to doing the work i'm supposed to be doing!

What is this strange object attached to my basement floor?

fusinski — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 15:46:23 -0800

What is this strange object attached to my basement floor? I can only assume this is something electrical because of the description on the cap of this thing. However, it is located in the vicinity of where my basement is pre-plumbed for a bathroom.

You'll notice from the enclosed photos that it's kind of cemented on, so I have no real way of knowing what's inside... hence, my inquiry. I would rather not have to crack it open to find out (possibly to my detriment).

Photo #1 (Strange Object in its natural environment)
Photo #2 (Close-Up with Text)

Overpowering kitchen sink stench threatens life on earth

autojack — Sun, 13 May 2007 10:28:01 -0800

My kitchen sink drain stinks! I've tried a couple of different things to fix it, and done some Googling, but the stench remains. Help! I have a pretty standard deep kitchen sink, with a garbage disposal, from whose drain emanates a foul stink. My attempts to dispel the odor have so far failed me:

1. I've pretty much stopped using the disposal for anything other than light leftover plate scrapings - a few grains of rice or lentils or an errant noodle or two.
2. I've tried filling the sink completely with hot soapy water, then letting it drain while running the disposal.
3. I've tried pouring a kettle of boiling water through it.
4. I've dumped most of a box of baking soda in it.

I'm just assuming that the main reason for this smell is that the inside of the disposal is coated in a rank slime built up over years and years of use by tenants of this apartment who passed before me. I'm just surprised that none of my efforts have been able to eradicate it. If you have a suggestion, preferrably one that doesn't involve taking apart the drain or disposal unit, I'm all ears.

DrainSpin North and South of the Equator

goalyeehah — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 20:33:33 -0800

Do drain's really drain counterclockwise in the Southern hemisphere? I heard this years ago and took it at face value as I had never traveled to south of the equator. Is this true?

How Hard is it to Use a Drain Snake?

Taken Outtacontext — Sat, 20 May 2006 12:16:58 -0800

ShowerDrainFilter: Every six months or so our shower drain clogs and we have to call a plumber to snake it out. That costs about $125 each time. We asked him the last time if we could buy our own snake and do it ourselves and he strongly cautioned us against that. Was he telling us that so we would continue to call him or is there a chance we could wreck our pipes by doing it ourselves?

If you think we can do it ourselves what should we know about using the snake to go down our drain? How much does a snake cost?

Oh Dear God What Have I Done?

TheGoldenOne — Sat, 13 May 2006 23:01:59 -0800

Help! I just lost a very expensive, very old, and a very beloved family heirloom of a diamond ring down the drain of my bathtub. There is no discernable way to get at what I hope is a trap somewhere. Nothing to unscrew or take apart. What to do?

Basement drain overflow.

drobot — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 20:47:37 -0800

We have water coming up from the drain in our basement. We live in an 80 year old house near a river. We've lived here for six years and never had this problem. Tonight I came home and our floor drain in our basement had a very shallow, but fairly wide pool of funky smelling (sewer?) water around it. I cleaned up, but it seems like for the water to have gotten as far as it did, there must have been a decent amount of water. There is also still water in the drain, but when I poured a bucket of hot water down, the water remained level, so I know the water is draining. Is there normally water in the drain? I seem to remember that yes, there is usually water in the drain, but not normally this high. I used to think this had something to do with keeping sewer gas out of the house, but am not so sure. Any ideas? I'll call a plumber in the AM, but curious to hear what might be up. Thanks!

How do we drain a pool?

climalene — Fri, 14 Oct 2005 17:38:16 -0800

How do we drain a pool? My boyfriend has an inground vinyl pool that's developed a gash about four feet below the water level. Patching it underwater hasn't worked, so we want to drain the pool most or all of the way to really get at the hole. (We can't just drain it to four and a half feet down because the hole's at the deep end and we'll need solid footing for repair work.)

So, he plans to set the pump to waste or backwash and turn the motor on. The water will be drawn out through the skimmer and through the drain at the bottom of the deep end. However, once the water gets below the skimmer line, the motor will be sucking air and, he expects, no longer draining from the bottom.

1) Is there a way to shut the skimmer line without shutting the main drain at the bottom of the pool?

2) Is there a better way to do this?

3) Should we do this? Pool FAQs say 'No, don't drain your pool yourself -- call a professional.' Surely some people drain their own pools?

4) Bonus: We don't know how old the vinyl liner is. How do we know when it's time to replace it?

Sewer gas smell in the basement?

nj_subgenius — Sat, 29 Jan 2005 07:13:50 -0800

SewerGasFilter. Help![+] This morning I detected the stink of sewer gas in my basement for the first time. My plumbing is clean, hasn't ever been worked on (at least in five yrs since I have lived here). Anybody, advice? I've looked for a cheap gas detector but Google-fu fails. I don't want to call the FD or a plumber if this is a transient problem. I'm in NJ where there's been some cold weather. Thanks in advance.