Please can someone tell me what this stuff in my pipes is??

[G_84##]

 

[rpm]

Tell us what we are looking at. photo from a different angle may help plus pipe from where to where.

 

[SimonG]

Yes, hot pipe, cold pipe, central heating pipe, hard water area, soft water area, beach hut?

 

[snowhead]

Is there a water softener or filter system in the property?
Is the water source Well / Borehole, Spring, Utility mains or other?
Did this come through the taps?

 

[G_84##]

Tell us what we are looking at. photo from a different angle may help plus pipe from where to where.

Hi, this is inside the pipe under the kitchen sink. Had a plumber today and he vacumed this out as a sample. See other photo's. The management company are threatening us with eviction for causing this.

 

[G_84##]

Tell us what we are looking at. photo from a different angle may help plus pipe from where to where.

This is the sample the plumber took and put inside an empty water bottle. Soft water area. 2nd floor apartment.

 

[Deleted member 120897]

Hard to tell, but looks like grease and fat buildup, especially given the water colour - which you would be liable if you pour any used fat down the sink, eg fat from pan frying animal foods.

 

[ShaunCorbs]

Tiling grout / addy ?

 

[Ric2013]

The management company are threatening us with eviction for causing this.

I think the court would take a dim view of that. I's suggest, at worst, you might be liable to foot the bill for unblocking.

 

[MDT Plumbing & Heating L]

When you say “stuff “, I’m presuming that you’re referring to the black sludge!?

 

[rpm]

It is white particles on my screen.
ie fat, limescale, washing powder, grout, perhaps glue from paper hanging.

 

[G_84##]

It is white particles on my screen.
ie fat, limescale, washing powder, grout, perhaps glue from paper hanging.

Well, I got a plumber out who sucked this stuff out of the pipe. It's a grey, gritty substance with particles in the water bottle. The sink constantly has a residue inside it. I don't put anything down the sink, and yet this keeps building up. Could it be an apartment above or below? This is getting very serious now to be accused of inserting this stuff into the pipes, which is the accusations made.

 

[rpm]

Is an outlet from a washing m/c connected to the sink trap.
Cant see it being from apartments above or below and does the sink now drain as should be expected.

 

[Ric2013]

Is an outlet from a washing m/c connected to the sink trap.
Cant see it being from apartments above or below and does the sink now drain as should be expected.

Agree that it seems typical residue from washing machine outlet.

The flow should be downhill so unlikely to be from above floors above (but I don't know the exact layout of your drainage system).

 

[snowhead]

If there is similar residue in the sink then this can only be from something being poured into the sink or it's coming through the taps, as others have said, it's unlikely but not impossible that it's coming from above.
If it was you'd probably hear gurgling noises in the sink waste and or see water backing up into the sink.

As it's an appartment, is the hot water provided centrally from the building or do you have your own boiler / electric water heater?

Is this the first time this has happened, are you a new tennant to the appartment?

A course of action, which may not be cheap is to have the substance analysed as well as samples from the Hot and from the Cold tap.

Also as others, the Management Co. are unlikely to be able to legally evict you on the basis that they believe you may be causing this.
It could backfire spectacularly on them if it was later found to be from elsewhere.

 

[G_84##]

Is an outlet from a washing m/c connected to the sink trap.
Cant see it being from apartments above or below and does the sink now drain as should be expected.

Hi, I have no idea if the washing machine is connected to this. I use liquid washing detergent. The sink is emptying, but the build-up in the pipes is happening again.