downstairs toilet - water flow

Smoggy

I have moved into a house and it was plumbed, but not fitted for a downstairs toilet. We have put a toilet in and hooked it up to the down pipe. The toilet flushes as expected, but if you flush it many times in a row (say 10), the water backs up and overflows. It looks like it cant get rid of the water fast enough.

Also if you put down toilet paper and remove the flow manhole and watch the water flow by, you never see toilet paper in it. Where as if you do it from the upstairs toilet you see the paper straight after the flush.

Does anyone have an idea what could be causing this ? Small pipe ? Tight bend ? pipe inclined up hill at some point ?

There may be no point in me guessing, I guess I need a camera out, I just need to try and find out whats going on, as its bugging me

Outkast_IRE

Well tight bend shouldnt matter the bends are made so the water flows through, it sound like a blockage you should pick up a rod or two and clear it and check it again a few weeks later , if theres a blockage developed again the next step is prob a camera survey or digging it up and checking the fall on the pipe.

Joey the lips

I would start with putting dye down, Something strong in a light white color and trying to trace the water course. Then you might get a better idea.

Another idea is flush your chain at night and try follow it then. It sounds mad but its a lot easier to follow the flow of the water when the days noise has been silenced.


PS: i am worried you may have connected to the storm drain which will explain why you are not geting anything in the sewer. Can you take any photo;s

Smoggy

Hey Joey - the dye idea is a great one - I have bought blue-loo - which will dye the water blue and I can see what we are getting out.

The water is coming out - but just not at any decent rate - more of a trickle and also toilet paper isnt being seen when its flushed.

I think step 1 - the dye will reveal alot of info - Thanks !

Outkast - The rods have gone down - there doesnt look to be a blockage within the first 10 foot (there could be after that).

skingtile

did you connect into existing sewer above or below ground

Joey the lips

Smoggy wrote: »

Hey Joey - the dye idea is a great one - I have bought blue-loo - which will dye the water blue and I can see what we are getting out.

The water is coming out - but just not at any decent rate - more of a trickle and also toilet paper isnt being seen when its flushed.

I think step 1 - the dye will reveal alot of info - Thanks !

Outkast - The rods have gone down - there doesnt look to be a blockage within the first 10 foot (there could be after that).

Be careful with blue loo it fcuks top flush cisterns up. really makes a mess of the working and is a baxtard to clean out later!

If your going to use blue i would use a bottle of harpic blue down the jacks.


Although if it were legal i would use a bottle of kids white paint. Its non toxic and its water soluable. But then again council regualtions might not like that;)

Outkast_IRE

Smoggy wrote: »

Hey Joey - the dye idea is a great one - I have bought blue-loo - which will dye the water blue and I can see what we are getting out.

The water is coming out - but just not at any decent rate - more of a trickle and also toilet paper isnt being seen when its flushed.

I think step 1 - the dye will reveal alot of info - Thanks !

Outkast - The rods have gone down - there doesnt look to be a blockage within the first 10 foot (there could be after that).

Well there must be a blockage after that as you said no toilet paper coming out , this problem sounds like it will get worse as the toilet paper clogs it more and more , get another rod length or two depending on the distance and see what happens.

Joey is right about that blue loo cistern stuff, i really really hate having to work on a toilet that has them it gunks up everthing and its stains are stubborn enough.

qc3

Guy's. The simple way to follow the trail of water is to pour a pint of milk in as you flush it. As for the blockage,you must have a serious problem underground if your tissue is not reaching the manhole.

Joey the lips

qc3 wrote: »

Guy's. The simple way to follow the trail of water is to pour a pint of milk in as you flush it. As for the blockage,you must have a serious problem underground if your tissue is not reaching the manhole.

Congratulations..... Sometimes the ability to look at things simply helps a great deal. I would have never in a million years thought of milk

Smoggy

Thanks for all the replies - Im waiting for the blue-loo to finish before I add the milk. I will be back in around a week.

Paper isnt coming out, but some water is. "As for the blockage,you must have a serious problem underground if your tissue is not reaching the manhole." that sounds worrying.

The piping was already laid out as part of the house, just no toilet or sink fitted. the piping looks to connect to the down pipe from upstairs somewhere under the dinning room and they both can been seen with water flow in the inspection hole in the garden.

The info about blue loo is noted - thats the last time its going in the cistern.

Thanks again guy.