

Multiple apartments or condos are often connected to the same vertical stack. Vertical stacks consist of soil, vent and waste stacks as well as leaders. All of these different types of plumbing pipes work together to ensure your drain lines drain. Plumbing systems in apartment buildings and condos contain multiple types of plumbing pipes, including vertical stacks, branch lines and horizontal pipes.

How does plumbing work in an apartment building? Since the lower unit is closer to the blockage, those drains will backup first.

This means that when the upper-level units discharge wastewater, that water is stopped by the pipe blockage. However, the clog causing the drain backup is likely located beneath the affected apartment. If you live in an apartment or a condo, you might be wondering if the wastewater from upper-level units can cause a condo sink backup in a lower-level unit. Can Black and Greywater From Upper Apartments Backup into Lower-Level Units? When clogs and root infiltration block the drain pipes, black and greywater can backup into the drains, and these clogs often affect the lower units first. When you have a condo sink backup or an apartment drain backing up, it can be a harrowing experience.
