Kitchen Drain Grease Blockage — North Beach, MD
A North Beach homeowner had a completely blocked kitchen drain — water standing in the sink for hours. We hydro-jetted a 40-foot grease blockage from the kitchen drain line, cleared the vent stack, and showed the homeowner how to prevent recurrence.
The Problem
A homeowner in North Beach called us after their kitchen sink had been draining slowly for two months and had now stopped draining entirely — water was standing in the sink for hours. They had tried a plunger and a bottle of drain cleaner with no improvement. The dishwasher was also backing up into the sink when it drained. They had a dinner party scheduled for the following weekend and needed the drain working before then.
Our Diagnosis
We ran a drain snake from the kitchen cleanout and encountered a solid blockage approximately 40 feet from the cleanout — consistent with the location where the kitchen drain line connects to the main stack. The snake broke through the blockage but the drain was still slow, indicating a partial blockage remained. We recommended hydro-jetting to fully clear the line rather than just punching a hole through the grease. We also noted that the kitchen had no air admittance valve and the vent stack appeared to be partially blocked — a blocked vent causes slow draining even when the drain line itself is clear, because the drain cannot pull air to flow properly.
The Repair Process
- 1Snaked kitchen drain from cleanout — confirmed solid blockage at 40 ft, broke through but drain still slow
- 2Set up hydro-jetting rig — 3,500 PSI, 12 GPM, rotating nozzle
- 3Jetted from cleanout toward main stack — 40-foot grease accumulation cleared completely
- 4Inspected vent stack from roof — found partial blockage from debris accumulation
- 5Cleared vent stack with drain snake from roof access
- 6Ran water test after jetting and vent clearing: kitchen sink draining in under 5 seconds
- 7Ran dishwasher through full cycle — no backup into sink
- 8Showed homeowner grease trap options and proper disposal practices to prevent recurrence
The Outcome
The kitchen drain is flowing normally — water drains in under 5 seconds. The dishwasher drains without backing up into the sink. The homeowner's dinner party went ahead as planned. We explained that grease blockages in kitchen drains are almost entirely preventable: never pour cooking grease down the drain, run hot water for 30 seconds after washing greasy dishes, and use a monthly enzyme drain treatment to break down grease before it accumulates.
Key Takeaway
Kitchen drain blockages are almost always grease — and grease blockages are almost entirely preventable. Hydro-jetting clears grease completely, while snaking only punches a hole through it. A blocked vent stack causes slow draining even when the drain line is clear — always check the vent when a drain is slow after snaking.
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May 2026
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Southern Maryland
June 2026
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Dunkirk, MD
June 2026
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