Poo issue - fairly ‘urgent’ (ha!)
Discussion
Problem: Over the last 6 months (we’ve been here 4 years, and no problems prior to this) the downstairs loo keeps blocking, filling to the rim when flushed, then very gradually draining until no water is in the pan. Unmentionables have reappeared in the pan, and on one memorable (!) occasion, it ‘burped’ several buckets of sewage etc. out of the pan. Lovely. I’ll never eat stew again. Note that using a plunger in the past has not worked, in fact I suspect it might be introducing an airlock and causing more problems.
In addition, once the downstairs loo pan water has started to lower from a ‘normal’ level, if the upstairs loo is flushed, the downstairs loo bubbles.
Well it’s just blocked again, today. Hooray.
Solution (not): we’ve had the drain jet flushed 3 times over the last 6 months, and are now going to have to do it again, although see below. We’ve also paid for a CCTV survey, which looks ok, although there are several >90 degree bends until it meets the main sewer (not ideal, obviously) leading to a biodisc (shared with multiple householders, none of who are suffering similar problems) There are no tree roots intruding on the existing pipework based on the CCTV survey.
Proposed solution from drainage company, to which we have agreed (but they can’t do until NY), is as follows:
We recommend replacing the pipework from the toilet and moving inspection chamber in line with the new drain coming
from SVP to elevate bends in pipework plus the installation of new gully line.
That’s fine (albeit expensive - *if* it solves the issue), but what I don’t understand is why is this happening now, where it has been fine both for us in the last 4 years and the previous owners for a further 20 years? Any other tips before I commit to 2k of remedial works on top of the c. 1k we’ve spent to date on jet washing/CCTV?
Note there have been no changes in ‘toilet habits’, only what should go down the loo goes down it, no wet wipes or sanitary products.
If it helps the soil pipe from the downstairs loo is nigh on horizontal, whereas I would’ve thought some form of drop would be appropriate if only for gravity reasons, but I am clearly not a plumber.
Hints and tips *greatly* appreciated!
In addition, once the downstairs loo pan water has started to lower from a ‘normal’ level, if the upstairs loo is flushed, the downstairs loo bubbles.
Well it’s just blocked again, today. Hooray.
Solution (not): we’ve had the drain jet flushed 3 times over the last 6 months, and are now going to have to do it again, although see below. We’ve also paid for a CCTV survey, which looks ok, although there are several >90 degree bends until it meets the main sewer (not ideal, obviously) leading to a biodisc (shared with multiple householders, none of who are suffering similar problems) There are no tree roots intruding on the existing pipework based on the CCTV survey.
Proposed solution from drainage company, to which we have agreed (but they can’t do until NY), is as follows:
We recommend replacing the pipework from the toilet and moving inspection chamber in line with the new drain coming
from SVP to elevate bends in pipework plus the installation of new gully line.
That’s fine (albeit expensive - *if* it solves the issue), but what I don’t understand is why is this happening now, where it has been fine both for us in the last 4 years and the previous owners for a further 20 years? Any other tips before I commit to 2k of remedial works on top of the c. 1k we’ve spent to date on jet washing/CCTV?
Note there have been no changes in ‘toilet habits’, only what should go down the loo goes down it, no wet wipes or sanitary products.
If it helps the soil pipe from the downstairs loo is nigh on horizontal, whereas I would’ve thought some form of drop would be appropriate if only for gravity reasons, but I am clearly not a plumber.
Hints and tips *greatly* appreciated!
How big's the cistern and is it filling properly to (at least) the max' recommended water level?
Some of these modern "water saving" toilets simply don't shift enough water into the pan and down the pipes to do the job properly.
Once you've got things working again I suggest flushing that toilet with a bucket of water for a few weeks rather than using the flush mechanism. If the blockage problem doesn't reoccur you've found the answer.
Some of these modern "water saving" toilets simply don't shift enough water into the pan and down the pipes to do the job properly.
Once you've got things working again I suggest flushing that toilet with a bucket of water for a few weeks rather than using the flush mechanism. If the blockage problem doesn't reoccur you've found the answer.
On the two occasions when our toilet got blocked it was due to a pipe protruding too far into the soil stack or main sewer clay pipe, causing a blockage.
The first was down to the bathroom sink wast pipe entering the soil stack below the point where the toilet waste entered, with the pipe protruding through too far creating a blockage above. Wriggling this pipe where it meets the soil stack suddenly released the build up above it,
The second was after having a new kitchen installed and the washing machine relocated. The installers had to install the washing machine waste pipe in anew location and had dug down to connect it to the main sewer clay pipe under the driveway. It had gone too far into the clay pipe casing a blockage. The only way I discovered this was by lifting the manhole cover and clearing the blockage with rods, then attaching a GoPro camera to the end of the rod and pushing it back along the clay pipe. Playing the footage back afterwards revealed the waste pipe protruding too far. I had to dig back down and cut the pipe a little shorter.
The first was down to the bathroom sink wast pipe entering the soil stack below the point where the toilet waste entered, with the pipe protruding through too far creating a blockage above. Wriggling this pipe where it meets the soil stack suddenly released the build up above it,
The second was after having a new kitchen installed and the washing machine relocated. The installers had to install the washing machine waste pipe in anew location and had dug down to connect it to the main sewer clay pipe under the driveway. It had gone too far into the clay pipe casing a blockage. The only way I discovered this was by lifting the manhole cover and clearing the blockage with rods, then attaching a GoPro camera to the end of the rod and pushing it back along the clay pipe. Playing the footage back afterwards revealed the waste pipe protruding too far. I had to dig back down and cut the pipe a little shorter.
Caddyshack said:
I would lift any external drain covers, it’s most likely a blockage.
We had similar and after lots of work with acid that you can no longer buy a massive fat berg shifted from a shared drain next door.
That was our problem at our old house when the toilet started backing up. I worked my way down checking inspection covers and the smell when I lifted the one closest to the blockage... We had similar and after lots of work with acid that you can no longer buy a massive fat berg shifted from a shared drain next door.
Had this with our's about 10 years after it was built. turned out there were some stones that had got into the pipework when it was being built and over time a blockage had grown, borrowed some bendy pipes and managed to dislodge them and everything has been flown through since. If yours is a relatively new build (last 20ish years) it could be the same?
ChevronB19 said:
Update - it’s nothing to do with us - the entire system is clogged, and as we are ‘downstream’ we get the first symptoms.
Can’t be sorted until Friday as it’s a major job (jobbie), so looks like we’re going to my dads for Xmas.
Can you block your loo until then ? Shove some towels down it ?Can’t be sorted until Friday as it’s a major job (jobbie), so looks like we’re going to my dads for Xmas.
Can see with other houses full of guests all using the facilities, you may return to a right old mess.
Gary C said:
Can you block your loo until then ? Shove some towels down it ?
Can see with other houses full of guests all using the facilities, you may return to a right old mess.
That is indeed my concern. And not a bad idea either. I’m not wanting other peoples crap exploding through my loo, our own is bad enough.Can see with other houses full of guests all using the facilities, you may return to a right old mess.
Appreciate you want it sorted sooner rather than later but if the problem is in the shared part of the drain your water company is likely to be responsible for sorting. If it just needs jetting then you may just want to swallow the cost but if it's a dig down and repair job then it might be worthwhile investigating this option
JimM169 said:
Appreciate you want it sorted sooner rather than later but if the problem is in the shared part of the drain your water company is likely to be responsible for sorting. If it just needs jetting then you may just want to swallow the cost but if it's a dig down and repair job then it might be worthwhile investigating this option
It’s all private property, not connected to the mains - or at least it only is after the Biodisc does its munching. But appreciate the advice.Gary C said:
Ah, a biodisk
Is it only gravity fed or do you have mutrators ?
I have no idea. Mutrators does sound like a good idea for a new superhero franchise though.Is it only gravity fed or do you have mutrators ?
All I know is that gravity wise, we are at the bottom (oh, the irony) of all houses that ‘feed’ it, so any issue with it or the pump, we get the crap first. The Biodisc is higher up than our sewer as well as several other houses, so a pump is obviously crucial.
Loads of problems before with new movers thinking they can put wet wipes/sanitary products etc down the loo, but this doesn’t seem to be the issue in this case.
We’ve been here 4 years and there have been constant problems. But due to gravity it is always us that are the first to suffer. It’s an 1820 house, but all the others are new, and when they built (or more accurately restored the attached barns, and did some new builds behind them), that’s when the new sewage system was out in place that hooked our place (before we moved in) into it.
Loads of problems with this house, so we are taking the usual PH advice of ‘move’. This is the straw that has broken the camels back.
Fortunately there is a nearby petrol station who are happy for us to ‘use it’ when needed.
Edited by ChevronB19 on Monday 23 December 18:57
Edited by ChevronB19 on Monday 23 December 18:58
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff