Improper plumbing under kitchen sink?

[MasterPlumbersKeymaster]

My PVC plumbing under my kitchen sink that goes into the wall and eventually to the septic tank is not at an angle that is falling away from the catch-part, or, trap. As a matter of fact, the fall, or slope, is toward the trap PVC and not toward the wall to drain. Is this normal? Could this be causing water to back up into my kitchen sink and the only way to drain it is by turning on the garbage disposal (which we don’t use due to having a septic tank)?

[Harold KestenholzParticipant]

The horizontal pipe becomes a lengthened trap. A great deal of material in the extended trap will make additional resistance that can make it more difficult to move a lot of solids.
If the horizontal pipe leading from the trap curve is not at least level (a slight slope to the wall is a bit better to help the pipe not act as a shelf to leave soiled water resting on the pipe) this is not usually the cause of having to run the disposal every time to act as a pump to force the water down.
The venting system behind the wall should permit water to spill freely over the end of that pipe into the sewage system. I would have the installation examined by a person qualified to judge if your installation is at least to code and make suggestions to improve the situation.
Have a Licensed Master Plumber (LMP) look at it, not just some Loud Mouth Person.

[GuestParticipant]

Thank you for your 1st response. After I read your reply I took my level to check the level of the horizontil pipe after the trap pipe. This was level. I then checked each pipe drain connection (3 of these) to the wall. The slope of the 1st connection after the horizontil pipe is away from the wall and toward the trap pipe (falls back toward the horizontil pipe). The next connection toward the wall is also sloped back toward the catch drain and horizontil pipe. The 3rd connection is also sloped toward the catch drain and the horizontil pipe. The slope keeps going “up” as far as I could measure it before the drain goes into the wall. Is the slope or fall supposed to rise in such a way? If you look at the connections you can actually see them slope “upwards”. Do I contact my contractor to have this replumbed or will I be laughed off?

Thanks in advance.

[Author]

Posts