If I live on top floor of apt. bldg.and bath drain backs up, is other ppls drainage coming up into my tub?

Question

if so, that's gross. I mean, if there is one drain connecting all the tub drains and it gets clogged, does everything come back up from the apartments underneath me or will it just be mine? I really hope I'm not standing ankle deep in someone elses shower scum eeeww.

Answer 1

This is not water backing up from apartments under you. Their tubs would overflow before backing up the pipes. What is probably happening is that you and the next door neighbor that share the plumbing wall have a common clog between your floor and the floor below (otherwise, the person below you would have the water backing up in his tub).
When your common neighbor takes a shower, his waste water hits the clog, has no where to go, so backs up into your tub. And the same thing should happen to him when you take a shower. It's like when your double kitchen sink clogs, you fill up one sink, the water backs up into the other sink until it equalizes, then sits there. Same thing.
Call your landlord or manager and have them fix it. When sanitary issues come into play, the repair should be immediate.

Answer 2

It is a possibility, but not very likely. you have seperate pipes for yout apartmaent, but they do connect with main drainage lines. Water flows down, not up there would have to be a clog in that shared pipe and then everyone below you would get the back up first. none of the drains would work on your side of the building, and water would come up through the drain even if you haven't turned on the faucet. you probably just have a hair clog or something. usually draino works don't buy the sheap stuff though. you get what you pay for. If that doesn't work call maitenence. If you can't wait for them go to the hardware store and get a small pipesnake. they are easy to use and inexpensive. You should be able to get any clog out as long as its not more than 4 feet down the drain

Answer 3

Your clog would go down to the apartments below not visa versa. A lot depends on how the plumbing has been run also.

Don't allow it to become any worse, call your landlord/manager first thing in the a.m. to come clear the line. Do not try this on your own, you could cause more damage. And that is what you pay rent for. So.............Someone can be standing in your shower scum, feel better now?

One of my tenants didn't want to bother anyone with a clog. She went out and purchased a snake like device to rod out the drain. She broke two pipes and caused major water damage, so don't do it yourself.

Answer 4

That depends on where the clog is but yes it is possable that if the clog is on the ground floor the water and anything else is coming from another apartment

Answer 5

Nope, it's just your shower scum. If a main line was backed up, someone below you would have everyone's mess. It is only your line that is backing up.

Answer 6

Yes. It's called siphoning. your drains are sucking up other peoples garbage. Try lye. but be careful

Answer 7

you need to get a plumber in there to clean out the lines yuck

Answer 8

Sounds like it.