An overflowing toilet and sink are a hassle that doubles your trouble and frustration. While the toilet and sink each drain separately, they join at a branch that eventually feeds into the main sewer drain line. A blockage near the branch or a blockage in the vent pipe can cause both of these fixtures to overflow at the same time. With the right equipment, you can repair this problem yourself, avoiding the expense of a professional plumber.
Turn off the water for the toilet. Use towels to soak up the overflow for the sink and the toilet.
Insert a plunger into the toilet, ensuring that the rubber mouth of the plunger sits over the drain hole in the toilet. Push down and up on the plunger several times without breaking the seal. During this process, if the water begins to drain in the toilet, flush the toilet once; there should still be water in the tank. If the toilet tank is empty, turn on the water to allow the tank to fill.
Repeat this plunging process on the sink. If the plunger doesn't work to remove the block on the toilet or the sink, use a 25-foot plumbing snake.
Insert the snake into the toilet drain. Turn the snake clockwise as you run the snake into the toilet. If it passes through the blockage and releases it, the toilet will begin to drain.
Place a bucket underneath the sink's drain. Use a pipe wrench to remove the p-trap underneath the sink. Unscrew each nut that holds the p-trap in place. Empty the contents into the bucket.
Insert the snake into the pipe that goes into the wall now open by the p-trap's removal. Turn the snake clockwise until it's fully extended. Rewind the snake by turning it counterclockwise as you remove it.
Check for drainage by flushing the toilet.
Climb onto the roof using a ladder and locate the vent pipe for the bathroom. Use caution when on the roof -- a safety harness attached to a tie-off rope can prevent injurious falls.
Insert the snake into the vent pipe by turning the handle clockwise as you run the snake into the pipe. Remove it by turning the handle counterclockwise.
Check for a cleanout near the bathroom. Capped cleanouts are plumbing pipes that sometimes extend from or near the house foundation. During construction, plumbers place cleanouts at strategic locations for just this kind of problem, though there might only be one or two for the entire house.
Apply the pipe wrench to the cleanout cap to open it counterclockwise. Stand clear of the cleanout's drainage path, as pressure in the system can cause the sewer to spew out of the drain.
Extend the snake into the cleanout pipe, turning it as you run the snake into the pipe, following the established process for inserting and removing the snake.
Things You Will Need
- 25-foot plumbing snake
- Pipe wrench
- Safety harness
- You can rent an electric snake from an equipment rental yard. These snakes have a longer, more powerful reach than the typical snakes used for the home.
- If, after completing all these steps, the toilet and sink still don't drain, you will need the services of a professional plumber.
- Wear vinyl gloves when coming in contact with sewage. Backed-up water from sinks and toilets contain bacteria and germs.
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