Now kitchen sink doesn't drain well

debodun said:
Yes - the left basin is a little better.
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In Debs post #10 I see the slow drain problem. Look at the right side compared to the left.

The right side has a slight uphill flow relative to the left side. Water trying to free flow up hill in this instance will cause the slow draining.

By shortening that extension tube probably an inch & a half that should cure the slow drain problem. I think Deb said she had a cousin that could do things for her so maybe a call to him would help her. I'm pretty sure she has me on ignore so if someone passes this along to her it might help.
 

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Don M. said:
If you suspect the AAV (air admittance valve), check under your bathroom sink....it should have one, also. Swap them out, and if the problem follows the AAV, it's an easy $10 fix.
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Neither bathroom sinks have an AAV.

There's no garbage disposal in the kitchen sink.

There is a strainer in the side I use most.
 
Aunt Bea said:
When my drains run slow I boil two kettles of water on the stove.

I squirt some Dawn into the drain and pour in the first kettle, wait five minutes, and pour in the second kettle.

The first kettle of hot water melts any fat that may have accumulated in the J bend and the second kettle flushes it out.

This method could be your undoing if the pipe joints aren't strong enough to stand the hot water.

Good luck.
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Practical. My first step is usually applying baking soda and vinegar and it works well.
 

Bella said:
After I unscrewed the pipes, I inserted the shop vac hose into the pipe. In less than five seconds, I felt the clog coming through the hose! Somehow, by the grace of God, I managed to hook everything back up properly and nothing leaked.

Bella ✌️
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Awesome work! (y) The shop vac trick is a valuable tactic when all else fails.

Years ago at work the main [commercial] kitchen had the tile floor replaced. Afterwards, floors drains wouldn't drain...you guessed it- the tile setters had dumped grout and broken tile pieces down the floor drains. A 'snake' cable would not go into the pipes because of the tile fragments. Our senior maintenance guy thought to try the shop vac trick...worked when all else failed!
 
Jules said:
@debodun is a senior lady. Suggestions to take pipes apart may not be in her experiences.

Deb, did the fellow that did your installation of the new taps have any comments?
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That's why I've been LOL'ing at some of these suggestions - especially the ones that involve lying on her back on the floor & reaching under the sink. Then trying to get up again. Even young plumbers have difficulty doing it. :ROFLMAO:
 
I'm betting on the AAV. They are a way of getting around the need for a vent pipe, probably allowing a one way flow of air. Mine went haywire and started leaking sewer gas into my kitchen. I removed it and capped it off. That slows down the drain, and like yours, one basin drains faster than the other, but it was serviceable enough not to bother replacing the broken gimmick. Maybe I should replace the part, but I don't really know why I should just because the drain is a bit slow. I know this sounds slap dash, but to me putting in an AAV to avoid a vent pipe is slap dash. Course if the sink is a center counter without a wall, you have to make do.
 
debodun said:
This is what it looks like under the sink.

View attachment 229526

Someone suggested to me that there might be a problem with the AAV (that black thing). I took it out an looked, but didn't see anything obviously wrong. There are no moving parts - it's just a black cap with some long holes in it.
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I'll try this again. Look at the left side drain. After the trap the PVC tube going to the down drain is level. Look at the right side. After the trap the PVC tube going to the down drain is going up hill. Free flow water doesn't flow very fast going uphill.
Easy fix
Slip joints don't usually require a tool to loosen or tighten.
Tools needed A hacksaw, a pot to catch the water & a rag to wipe up any splashed water
Unloosen the slip join completely at the sink drain connection. Slide it up.
Loosen the slip joint after the trap where it connects to the down drain.
Turn the trap slowly to drain the trapped water into the pot.
Check the ability to raise the trap to assure level drain. The down extension may need cut to allow lift.
Once you know that the connection will level, slide the slip joint down to reconnect.
Tighten both slip joints, fill sink, place pan under where the connections were loosened. Drain sink check for leaks. Be ready to stop draining if you have a leak. If leaking check for connections being tight enough.

If nothing else this will at least assure you there is no blockage in the trap.
 
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debodun said:
My AAV doesn't have any moving parts like I see on some diagrams. It's just a hollow piece of plastic with several Spanish-style window shaped holes in it. See reply #10 in this thread.
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An AAV doesn't have any moving parts....it's just a "valve" designed to equalize the air pressure in the plumbing when you drain the sink.

https://www.plumbingsupply.com/how-and-why-air-admittance-valves-are-used.html

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Oatey-1-1-2-in-ABS-In-Line-Cheater-Air-Admittance-Vent-39012/100204205
 
I had the same problem in my bathroom sink. I unscrewed the drain and cleaned off all the debris. Now it works perfectly. I never needed a plumber. The problem was the drain.
 
debodun said:
I am having a difficult time understanding how replacing the AAV will solve anything when it's just a hollow piece of plastic with holes in it.
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Read the article I referenced in post 36 to see what an AAV is for. It is a rubber "Valve" designed to equalize the air pressure in a drain. Until you open your sink plumbing and verify that there aren't any blockages, the AAV is just a "possibility". Unless you have the proper tools and skills, your best bet is to call a plumber.
 
debodun said:
I am having a difficult time understanding how replacing the AAV will solve anything when it's just a hollow piece of plastic with holes in it.
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I puzzled over that 10 years ago too, and then stopped wondering once I got rid of the thing. I'm not recommending that, however. It may have worked for me only. Who knows if it was a fluke or something else? It's similar to one of those things where something isn't working so you take it apart and can't find anything wrong. Then you put it back together and it works fine. There are often such technical mysteries. Probably has something to do with quantum mechanics.
 
win231 said:
That's why I've been LOL'ing at some of these suggestions - especially the ones that involve lying on her back on the floor & reaching under the sink. Then trying to get up again. Even young plumbers have difficulty doing it. :ROFLMAO:
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Recognizing Deb's age & capabilities is why I put this in my 1st. post about drains.
Quote.
" I think Deb said she had a cousin that could do things for her so maybe a call to him would help her."
 
I think chemical drain cleaners are great when they work, but when they don’t it creates a hazard for the person that ultimately fixes the problem.

Like so many things, a little routine maintenance saves a lot of bother and expense.
 
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