I use an industrial drain unclogger that you can’t buy. It sounds like a bomb, should try to remove as much water as you can before using. Read the directions.

at the top floor. and present them a bill for every time you have to get a plumber in. and document everything. get a plumber who is literate first of all. the guy on the bottom floor inherits all the problems of everyone above him or her. get a definition of stovepipe in writing from the board. it might mean the pipes are clogged like hardening of the arteries. pipes get narrower flow over the years.

under the impression that my kitchen drain pipe is not connected to the two floors above me. that is why they want an explanation in writing from the plumbing company "they use" (for what?) to tell them that the floors above me can fuck up my drain and back up into my sink.

you know, i'm fairly new to condo living. they've lived here for YEARS.
i joined the tiny board.
hasn't helped much.

.... boil a large pot of water on the stove and transfer the water with a sauce pan to the drain. Flush out the kitchen grease some idiot neighbor is throwing down their kitchen drain and clogging up the pipes.

Be careful do not burn yourself. But unless you can get them to stop dumping the grease down the pipes your only remedy is to flush the pipes with hot water periodically.

I could try and explain it but go online (You Tube)

Most likely all the sinks are tied in together and as the OP lives on the 1st floor, when the drain line gets plugged up, he'll get the problem. Those living above him won't notice any issues.

Any blockage of air trap vents thingy, the thing on the roof that could be partially blocked?

and allow odors to escape into your space. A back-up is defiantly a down stream problem .

that means the clog is probably happening pretty far into the system. Did you happen to pay attention to what the last plumber was doing? If he was using a rooter, then you should have had a decent idea of how far into the line he had to go.

If the clog in the pipe is ten feet away, I seriously doubt that draino is ever going to reach it and do much good. So, the only thing you can do is buy one of those hand operated rooters. They are about $25 and they have maybe 20' of cable to reach farther into the line. But it's going to be horribly messy and stinky. I know because I've done it several times. Here is an example of what I'm talking about: https://www.lowes.com/pd/general-wire-25-ft-galvanized-wire-machine-auger/1000404675?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_--_-google-_-pla-_-171-_-soshomecomfort-_-1000404675-_-0&kpid&k_clickID=go_625671316_34614282430_111133294150_pla-258966217839_c_9028818&gclid=Cj0KCQiAh9njBRCYARIsALJhQkET6rs-H7G_88UIAO4S6gs3Bi2vyTVATGHABVFonCTKCk6pBgbbgcoaAoYnEALw_wcB

The best thing to do is pressure the stupid board. Believe me, I know just how stupid and ineffectual they can be.

Won’t hurt the pipes, but might not work either. That’s what plumbers are for.

I put half a box of baking soda followed by a pint of white vinegar. Let it get nice and foamy, then follow with a couple of kettles of boiling water. Then I put the stopper in and fill the sink with hot tap water to the top. Pull the stopper and let all the water drain though. Most of the time it works.

How old is the condo? I wonder if you have a crack in the line that's allowed tree roots to infiltrate. That happens with sewer lines a lot. Once they've been cleaned out by a plumber, flushing 1/2 cup of copper sulfate crystals every month or 2 should keep the sewer pipes root free.

.... run water in their sink - for 20 minutes or so. If it is the common line clogged you will get their back up in your sink.

It would be odd to not be on the same stack with a multi level building.

If you are pulling out disinfectant wipes it’s mostly the common sewer line.

How high are you above actual ground? Our building is six steps up to the first floor but we have living space and bathrooms in the basements. The basement showers are the first indication of trouble.

Unless the clogg is directly under or behind your sink the association should pay for it.

in the main drain pipe. Sometimes, the piping is not installed properly (not sloped right to drain by gravity, or construction trash left in the pipe) which allows material to hang and build up. Over time, oxidized oils and soaps create quite a stiff buildup that won't flush out without a mechanical rooter. Also, sometimes tree roots penetrate or crack a sewer line, causing a spot that won't pass material properly.

Most likely, your landlord has a legal obligation to provide you with a properly operating primary septic drain system and I believe that is codified in many municipal and/or state housing regulations. I they continue to refuse to fix it, you many want to call your local code enforcement agency and get their suggestions. Individual renters should not be held responsible for improperly functioning main sewer piping.

Quite often, states and municipalities have their housing regulations published on-line. It would be good to try and find those and at least get a cursory understanding of the regs. If you know a local building contractor or real estate agent, they may have copies of the code. Quite often, your local fire department's fire marshal will also have copies of the state and local codes.

Other than that, I'm guessing the next step is to get a licensed plumber with a scope machine that can run a camera down that pipe and see what's causing the problem. Otherwise, it will just happen over and over.

Hope that helps a little, and good luck......

from previous tenants using it.
sulfuric acid works, tho. like a charm.

there is a hardware store by me that caters to building managers. they always have the best stuff, and they turned me on to it.

but, yeah, a cam down there would be the best.

much appreciated and good advice.

plumber comes in the morning.