[Mrnagrom]

I've had a vacation home in poland for a number of years and like twice a year there will be a drain backflow problem in the building lines. For most apts, this matters less because they are home to wipe up or run water to counteract the problem. I'm not there most of the time, so i'll get to the apt and it'll reek of the dried out sink waste that is all over the kitchen floor.

I've thought about just putting a ball valve on the drain to shut it off when we arent there. I've plugged the sink with towels but that doesn't work. I thought i'd ask you guys before i do more permanent things that might piss off the condo association.

 

[TheEplumber]

Look into backwater valves. They can protect the house drain system from sewage backup.
However, you need to cut into the pipe system to install it so I suggest checking with the association before proceeding.

 

[AllanJ]

How high can the water get? Generally sewage will overflow out of surface manholes and similar openings onto streets before it backs up out of second floor drains.

If you could manually stop up one or two lower level drains and the backup will never get high enough to overflow the upstairs drains then you can put a cork in each affected drain and weight that down with a brick or two. No pipe cutting and therefore no management approval needed.

This will not work if there is an apartment above you because, in the event of a backup, with or without a backwater valve, the upstairs waste water will back up into any or all uncorked fixtures.

 

[Mrnagrom]

We're on the 4th floor and there are 14 floors.

The problem is the association. Other buildings have upgraded their drain lines, the people in my building refuse to spring for the upgrade. The building is a communist construction and has tiny little pipes with a bunch of washing machines and dishwashers on there that it wasn't designed for. People pour tonnes of grease and **** down the drain. It clogs up, backs up, opens up and drains eventually. The problem is, my traps are dry, i am not there to plug the sink and run water in the sink to counteract the incoming liquid so we becomes a problem.

I really just need a reasonable way to plug it. At this point, **** the association, i'm considering just replacing my trap with a pvc cap and reinstall the trap when i return. I think a test plug may work too.

 

[Ghostmaker]

Just install a female PVC cleanout with a threaded plug.

 

[Ron6519]

You can put test plugs in all the drains, but I don't know if you can get one to plug the toilet.

 

[Mrnagrom]

Fortunately the toilet is fine, i just saran wrap it and it's good to go. The kitchen sink line is the only flooding issue. The bathroom sink and shower drain just dries up and stinks. Those can both be plugged.

 

[Ron6519]

Fortunately the toilet is fine, i just saran wrap it and it's good to go. The kitchen sink line is the only flooding issue. The bathroom sink and shower drain just dries up and stinks. Those can both be plugged.

The toilet may be fine now. The stuff comes out of the other drains. Once those are plugged, the only other escape venue is the toilet.
In basement baths, the first place there's an overflow is the toilet as that's the lowest point. If no basement bath, the stuff backs up in the laundry sink. Always the lowest outlet.
If you think plastic wrap is up to the job, wrap away.

 

[ct18]

Check out Cherne test plugs