Kitchen waste connection

HLuc · Mar 19, 2019

Hello, I have a few questions about fitting a new kitchen sink.
1. We live in a block of flats and with the old sink we occasionally used to get a backup of water into our sink even when nothing was running in our kitchen. Any suggestions on what to fit to stop this happening with the new sink?
2. We used to have a washer/dryer next to the kitchen sink and sometimes if the dryer was on and we ran too much water in the sink the clothes would get wet again! I think this used to happen because the p bend to the dishwasher was lower than the one to the waste. This time we are having a dishwasher next to the sink but I want to make sure the same thing doesn't happen in the dishwasher - any ideas?
Note: The waste pipe is quite high on the wall, so we can't have a great deal of downward slope from sink/dishwasher.

Scott_D · Mar 19, 2019

Hepvo trap might work

Burger · Mar 19, 2019

If you were getting water in when yours isn’t in use then there will probably be a blockage somewhere. A hepvo valve may work as it’s like a non return valve. However depending on what else is connected it might start backing up into that.

WC1 · Mar 19, 2019

1. (Unless it's coming from your own flat, e.g.. into the kitchen sink when you use the washing machine ) The partial blockage is in the shared pipe between you and the flat below hence when water is used above it does out in yours. Get the landlord on it asap before it becomes fully blocked and backs up catastrophically when they run a bath upstairs. See attached.

2. See above.

Harvest Fields · Mar 19, 2019

WC1 said:
1. (Unless it's coming from your own flat, e.g.. into the kitchen sink when you use the washing machine ) The partial blockage is in the shared pipe between you and the flat below hence when water is used above it does out in yours. Get the landlord on it asap before it becomes fully blocked and backs up catastrophically when they run a bath upstairs. See attached.

2. See above.

View attachment 37764

That is some blockage

WC1 · Mar 19, 2019

On multiple occasions I've seen multiple properties ruined when people are away when it happens

"But when we left it was only a blocked sink"

Andy B · Mar 19, 2019

WC1 said:
1. (Unless it's coming from your own flat, e.g.. into the kitchen sink when you use the washing machine ) The partial blockage is in the shared pipe between you and the flat below hence when water is used above it does out in yours. Get the landlord on it asap before it becomes fully blocked and backs up catastrophically when they run a bath upstairs. See attached.

2. See above.

View attachment 37764

A picture paints a thousand words.

Meanwhile downstairs (re)paints their ceiling.....

HLuc · Mar 19, 2019

Thanks, yes we did get the landlord round to clear it and it worked for a while but began gurgling again. I just wondered if there was some sort of one way valve that would prevent ever happening again.

WC1 · Mar 19, 2019

Clearing the blockage will prevent it happening again!

WC1 · Mar 19, 2019

A one way valve might stop it coming out of the main stack to you but once main is blocked / partial then water will push against the one way and seal it closed so your flat won't drain, then the main stack will fill, up to your neighbours bath and then it will overtop and come thorugh your ceiling. Sorry, get someone who can to clear the blockage, also get everyone to keep hair, coffee grounds and chipfat out of the pipes, I find these are the main causes. might want to get a cctv survey for burrs, poor joints on main.
What floor are you on and how many in total, is it private let, does landlord own the lot?

Welder · Mar 19, 2019

Andy B said:
A picture paints a thousand words.

Meanwhile downstairs (re)paints their ceiling...

And I repaint the floor 'chunder' colour with the smell

Welder · Mar 19, 2019

HLuc said:
Thanks, yes we did get the landlord round to clear it and it worked for a while but began gurgling again. I just wondered if there was some sort of one way valve that would prevent ever happening again.

Without being rude, it really IS your landlords responsibility - fully, completely, totally, 100% aly.
Just do not take no for an answer. If our answers do not convince you, talk to your local environmental health officer. They will make 'em shift their lazy ar5es. Good luck.

Burger · Mar 19, 2019

I once attended a block of flats whereby the main drains were blocked (tree roots I think it was), customer in downstairs flat wasn’t in for a day or so, came home to find the proverbial on the floor - Nice

HLuc · Mar 22, 2019

Thanks everyone, I will get on to them to clear it again.

Would this have been the cause of the sink water making clothes wet though?

See picture attached, we've now got a dishwasher next to the sink and this is the new plumbing - the dishwasher pipe will go into the bit circled in yellow. Does this set up look like it will prevent sink backing up into dishwasher? Also, will the dishwasher be able to drain properly?

WhatsApp Image 2019-03-22 at 14.17.34.jpeg

Burger · Mar 22, 2019

Looks to me like that’s running up. Dishwasher will probably drain as it’s pumped, but you may get water stuck and smells emanating from the trap.

Burger

Welder

Welder

Burger

Burger

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