blocked loo

[helpagal]

My upstairs toilet has been blocked for a couple of weeks now. Going to be replaced at the end of the month so haven't done anything about it however it's now becoming smelly!
There's no visible blockage but when you flush, the water level takes a long time to go down.
I tried the bucket trick, the plunger and even hired a WC auger this weekend (advice from this website - thanks). The water level goes down a lot quicker now but after my son tested it this morning, we have discovered that it takes a few flushes before anything solid clears but the toilet paper just doesn't want to go (sorry if I'm being too graphic).
When I put the auger in, should it just go on and on? Because it was definitely hitting what I thought was a very hard barrier - does this sound normal? It's a green old toilet from the 60s!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as the auger has to go back tomorrow.

 

[Bahco]

Have you checked your manhole for any visible blockage.
Try rodding the drains.
Check soilstack, see if there is an access point.
You could try pouring a large bucket of water at height to see if that clears it.

 

[helpagal]

thank you for that most helpful comment BHB
BAHCO, what do you think about the auger then? Should it go on never ending, or should it be hitting something? Do you mean throw water in the manhole?

 

[helpagal]

when ones loo becomes blocked, you simply poo in the bucket for a few days, thereby relieving the loo of its normal duties and in due time the loo should be as good as new!

 

[kevplumb]

whats the soil stack made of
is the toilet on the ground floor

 

[helpagal]

at last - someone to help me
toilet is on the first floor and not sure what you mean by soil stack?

 

[breezer]

at last - someone to help me
toilet is on the first floor and not sure what you mean by soil stack?

soil stack is the polite general name given to the big pipe outside (hopefully thats where yours is)

the top goes up to the top of your house, and the other end is connected to a man hole that goes to the main sewer.

some where inbetween (1st floor in your case) is the pipe from the back of your toilet that connects to the soil stack.

The unwanted lumpy bits go down and the smelly gasses go up

 

[kevplumb]

the pipe from the toilet to the drain
do you know roughly where the blockage is

is there an inspection chamber near it

 

[breezer]

beat ya

 

[helpagal]

thanks breezer - you always explain things so clearly for me!

I will lift up the manhole cover in the morning and have a look - sure it wont be a nice sight - with regards to an inspection chamber I really don't know. There is a huge pipe (the soil stack I guess) that runs down into the d'stairs loo but this has been boxed in (and decorated!).

But what about the auger? I manage to poke about 50" of it into the loo and then it just stops at something very hard.. (not poo-like) Sorry to keep harking about the auger but it cost me a tenner to hire and have to give it back tomorrow!

 

[kevplumb]

you will probably find the inspection chamber is clear if the blockage is before it but it might be worth rodding back from it

 

[Bahco]

Do you mean throw water in the manhole?

No
Pour a large bucket from as high as possible into your loo.
The pressure created by the height may help shift whatever it is blocking your loo.
Persevere.
Failing that, call someone local to unblock for you

 

[ChrisR]

DOn't bother going in the manhole - if that was blocked your downstairs loo would be overflowing by now.
Wot I would do is get a dirty great plunger. There are lots about, conical, big syringe, all sorts. Monument doa good one. Can usu be hired.
Then you need a "piston" to push against so flush the loo with tissue , hopefully it'll block "better". Then with the pipe between theplunger and the blockage all water, you stand a good chance of shifting it.

Your auger is probably just hitting a bend or joint edge.

If it's blocked solid, Drain clearer is good. But I mean the vicious stuff - Sulphuric acid, which you can get from plumbers merchants.

 

[helpagal]

Thanks - just took the auger back and the guys there suggested I call the water board. However what you've said about the d'stairs low overflowing would suggest that I don't need to to do this, and there must be a blockage!
Will give it a try
thanks