Rat in the toilet waste pipe????

gazelec

Hi folks
As the title says,i think i have a rat in my toilet waste pipe, i found the flexible soilpipe (multiwick) from the toilet to the soil pipe in the ground had a big hole in it, the water was flowing out of this when the toilet was flushed, when i removed the pipe i found that the hole was chewed to pieces and a big section was missing :mad:

Ive never heard of rats doing this before and was wondering if anyone has ever heard of this thing before, and any possible solutions? Rat poison down the pipe would be a waste im assuming as it would just get washed away.

Ive had problems with these pipes busting over the past few months and the latest pipe is only 2 weeks old so it cant be wear and tear.

Sparkpea

sorry I don't have any suggestions apart from get a cat or cats. IF you replaced the flexible multiwik could you box it in so it doesnt happen in the future? lots of wire woll or tinfoil around it they wont bite that

gazelec

Theres actually a jack russell in the house so im surprised the rat doesnt sense it, if i box in the multiwick i dont think that would stop it and then i mightnt be able to see if there is a leak if the f%*ker chews through it again. Im totally lost at this stage

Sparkpea

hate to break it to you but the old saying is if theres one theres two

apart from the usual traps and stuff or get in a rat catcher type person

mickdw

Do you think the rat is coming up the pipe into the house or leaving the house via the pipe?

Are all your external vent pipes continued up to above gutter level and capped with a grill?
All external fitting secure. are you on mains or do you have a septic tank?

I would be out of there. Cant handle rats at all

gazelec

I hate rats too with a passion, and im hoping theres not more than one , the toilet is on the ground level and the waste pipe goes underground and outside to the backyard, theres a small inspection hole outside, we are on mains and i think the rat is trying to get in :mad:

mad m

Flexiable waste pipe is easy to chew through. Replace it with 4inch wavin instead and you'll have no problems...Get a plumber.

bbam

gazelec wrote: »

im hoping theres not more than one ,

That's unlikely, where there is one there are many...
The suggestion of replacing the multi-wick sounds good..
Also have a good look round the inspection manhole outside to ensure they can't access into it in your garden... Also check round the garden for holes near the fences or under wooden sheds..

gazelec

Thanks for the replies, i cant actually fit a solid wavin in though as the waste pipe from the ground was installed too far out from the wall, im already after building a false wall out and installing the toilet on that but the pipe is still too far out and off centre so it has to be a flexible (even though i hate them)

ntpm

Seems like Rats are entering through the drains up to the toilet u'bend. It cant go any further so chewing it's way out.

You will need to check posible entry point for it (as earlier posts stated) like manholes , gullys, septic tank etc.

I have heard of one way flaps that can be installed in the sewer pipes..... don't know where you can get them in Ireland.

harry21

Myeb if you post up a few pick we can get an idea of the setup?

danjo

What makes you so sure it is a rat? Have you found droppings in the vicinity of the pipe?
Maybe it's Jack Russell

Sparkpea

ntpm wrote: »

I have heard of one way flaps that can be installed in the sewer pipes..... don't know where you can get them in Ireland.

yes - mcalpine do one. OP see last page here

http://www.mcalpineplumbing.com/pdfs/SEC5copyright%20-%20wc%20connectors.pdf

I dont think you can get them on a long flexible but if you have room put the straight connector with the flap on first and put the flexible into it.

harry21 wrote: »

Myeb if you post up a few pick we can get an idea of the setup?

pics would be good to see what damage he/shes done

gazelec

Hi, ive uploaded some images, the first one shows the new wall i had to build out for the toilet, the 2nd and 3rd shows the hole and the chew marks and the 4th one is the newest pipe installed, as seen from the pictures the wastepipe is off centre and too far away from wall so a solid wavin is not an option.
I havent seen any droppings in the area so i was guessing it sensed the dog and went back down, it would be very unusual if the dog did it but i suppose it is an option to look out for

Sparkpea

I'd say leave it and see how you get on now..

The only other option imo.. and its a bit of a bollocks to do would be a 4" straight connector on the wavin coming up, then a MF 90 bend into it with a MF 45 degree bend into that, tiny bit of pipe for the slip then a straight multiwik into it. It will mean your new false wall would need to come further forward if you have the room to do that.

Bit of arse about face to do it but at least using the 45 degree you should be able to centre the pipe so you've done away with the flexi pipe..

gazelec

Thanks for the feedback lads, i think i will leave it for now and see what happens, i cant actually build the wall out any further as the bathroom door wont open, hopefully the rat found an easier way to one of my neighbours houses instead

Carlow52

Dont look like rat work to me: looks like it was cut with a saw while other work was being done around it.

gazelec

It does look very butchered alright but i carried out the work myself and the multiwick was the last thing to be put on when i put the toilet back in place, so its back to the rat, unless as said before it could be the jack russell

Sparkpea

anymore rats?

feichin

don't think you have a rat . If a rat was going to chew through the pipe the chances are the damage would be on the bottom of the pipe. Also, a rat would not need anything like that large a hole to enter so why would he keep chewing plastic when he could make his way out ???? Bring the dog in for questioning

gazelec

Hi lads
No more issues as of yet, hoping now that it was a once off, i think the main suspect at the moment is the dog so i have to make sure the door is kept closed, and she doesnt lick my face any more

Lauraloo10

I was searching the internet for similar problems to the one I am facing now and this hit the nail on the head!
I have a hole in my waste pipe almost exactly the same as the one shown in your pictures, I had it repaired by a plumber last week on Tuesday. On Wednesday night, i heard a few noises which sounded like they were coming from the flat upstairs. In the morning, my new wastepipe had been destroyed. I couldn't believe that that amount of damage could have been done in such a short space of time. I haven't actually seen any animals but its definately mice or rats, and don't be put off the idea that its not rats or mice becuase of how big the hole looks, they eat the stuff and take it for nests too (or so the internet and friends say).

I have put poison down and something is eating it, but have a bigger problem because the hole is now worse than in the old pipe and literally none of the contents of what I flush goes down the pipe as the new hole is more like ribbons of plastic. I do not use the toilet now as the water is going under the tiles and until I can stop them being able to enter the waste pipe I can not re-fix the wastepipe as they will undoubtedly chew throught he next one.

I would appreciate some advice. I lift in a flat and I belive that as the sewers and pipes are part of the 'service media' supplying all the flats and this is the responsibility of the freeholder, but I do not have an understanding of whether it is normal for rats to be able to gain access directly from the sewer and into my toilet wastepipe. Is this a building regulations issue, the flat is only 5 years old and as we know rats are frequent sewer dwellers, surely all houses would have the same problem? Is there a fixture which should be down there which is potentially missing?

Really would like your help!!!

Thanks

Killgore Trout

Had the same in a place I was living. the elbow in the soilpipe was under the bath we didn't notice till the rat got into the house. Was a non flexible elbow so thicker. Think there may have been a crack in the pipe where he started chewing - as the smooth edges of the non flexible pipe will be harder to get a place to start.

Was a nightmare - rat was in the walls chewing on things in the middle of the night. Poisoned him and luckily he went away to die, rather than in the walls.

Took the panel from the front of the bath and there was a great big hole chewed in the soilpipe. Must dig out the photos, the hole is in a similar place to the other photos in this thread.

I can understand some people's scepticism. Initially i was in denial trying to believe it's mice in the walls, rather than a rat that got in from the sewer. And my dad, who's a plumber, didn't believe a rat would do that till we actually saw the pipe.

chuchyface

Could always fit an anti rodent barrier http://snakeratverminbarrier.com/products_testing.htm

gazelec

Hi Lauraloo

Thankfully i havent had any more problems with the toilet, touch wood. Is your wastepipe the thin wall flexible type? If so it would be worth a go if you wrap the pipe in black duct tape, the tape would blacken out the light which is what the rat would see and go for to escape, you could then wrap it with white tape so it doesnt look unsightly, its a cheap option but im not sure if it would work.

As Chuchyface said there are a flap you can get which attaches onto the pipe, its a one way flap, stuff goes down but nothing can come back up.

Best of luck with it,i know how you feel

wush06

Hi I know this is thread is over a year old so sorry mods. But I am having the exactly the same problem. This is the third waste pipe I have replace since summer.
Just not sure what to do as I can't get the two ends to meet up with a solid pipe. I seen a mouse in the house the weekend went straight to the pipe and it was all eaten so hope it's mice and not rats.
I will try one of the trap door gadgets and see how that goes. Them waste pipes are twenty euro or more in b&q so I'm 60 euro or more into this pain.

Will this fit a standard waste pipe any help would be great before I buy.

http://snakeratverminbarrier.com/products_testing.htm

This is a photo with the pipe half eaten.
mouse hole.JPG