blocked toilet- help!

macuser56

Hi all,

We have a blocked toilet and need some advice.

At present, if you flush it it is fine- water flows through perfectly and it returns to its same water level within a few seconds. All good.

However if we test it by throwing 5 sheets of paper in, the bowl fills up towards the top, and can take 5-10 mins for its level to drop to normal.

I have tried the following:
1/ I went outside and used an old hose- I pushed it up to where the pipe enters the back wall of the house without any problems. So don't believe there is a block outside.
2/ inside, I have used a plunger, and this clears the block after the test above. But if I put some more paper down, the same problem returns.
3/ I have tried using block clearing liquid, which I left for 2 hrs to see if it clears the block. But no difference.
4/ I tried using the hose inside, but it gets caught and won't go up into the u-bend. I tried a coat hanger, but can shape it to get up under the lip and into the u-bend!

So my thought is that something (plastic, solid object?) is in the u-bend, restricting the flow, and the tissue test means that this blocks it up.

But how do I get at the blockage? Any suggestions?

items

Put your hand and arm into a nice thick black bag with no holes, then reach into toilet bowel with eyes closed, by using your hand you can reach up into the toilet horn and push out any blockages that cant be got to by anything else. Not a nice job but sometimes its the only way, if thats too much then you'll have to take cistern and pan off wall to get at blockage.

JohnnyCrash

I find the trusty old mop does the trick as a plunger(it was a plumber that taught me that one)

ab20

I don't know about putting your arm into the bend. Better be careful that you do not get stuck if you get too confident. Could end up in a bad way.

Joey the lips

If the blockage is organic it will be dissolved by caustic soda. Warning caustic soda is the dogs ...... but read the instructions carefully on its use, Your better off getting the powder form in a builders providers.

If the soda does not work the toilet will have to come away.


There is a couple of things we dont know. Is this on going.... Is it something new. Was it ever working and now not working. You know... History and things...

macuser56

The only thing we can think is that Harpic bowl freshener may have been flushed down and may be blocking it.

It is not possible to put a hand down as the bend at the bottom does not allow a small hand to reach down and back up the other side, to reach the u bend.

Might try the caustic soda, although i agree that this would only clear some materials.

Using the "drain-bomb" plunger, it clears enough of a gap to allow a good flow, but once some new toilet paper is flushed down, this catches again and we are back to square one.

macuser56

I haven't had any luck on this- does anyone have a suggestion on who I could call to help with this. Do I need a plumber or a drains expert?

I am in North Wicklow.

Many thanks.

Reesy

Hi, if you think it might be the Harpic thingy, maybe showing a hooked end of a coat hanger wire round the U bend might enable you to hook the thing back out? It might take LOTS of patience. It's just a thought - you may at least find out that way how far back / down the blockage is.

Good luck!

macuser56

Thanks but spent about 3 hrs on it this evening and no luck. Tried the coat hanger, tried a hose pipe, used a pump.

No go as the turn at the bottom of the bowl is a sharp angle, so I can't get the hanger up and into the u-bend.

Think I need a pro maybe with a camera probe to look and see what is in there.

irish horse

try the mop trick,the white stringy one. creates a vacuum in the outlet pipe.make sure their is water in the bowl and pump hard 4 or 5 times workedfor me lots of times
:)

macuser56

got a quote today for 250 euro for a drains group to use a camera to find the block, and another 50 to clear it- 300 in total!!

Seems a lot. anyone used anyone else who is good, and cheaper!

slavetothegrind

Calm down with the camera!

If you are not confident in isolating the water feed and removing the cistern and pan from the wall/floor get a plumber in!

NEVER use them hang in the bowl fresheners as this inevitably happens!

A pro will solve this pronto for a fraction of 250.;)