Toilet Blocked / Draining Very Slowly

[chaoticj]

Hi,

Our downstairs toilet in a modern extension (built approx. 10 years ago) is blocked / draining very slowly. I know of no drainage plans and believe it's classed as private pipework unfortunately.

So far I have tried:

- Wire coat hanger pushed round the bend
- Buckets of hot water with washing up liquid
- Drain cleaner gel (Mr. Muscle)
- Toilet plunger, heavy duty flexible one

The toilet waste pipe goes out the back of the toilet and immediately 90 degrees to the left, where the sink waste feeds in here too. It then goes a short run in the boxing and straight down into the ground - on the inside of the building.

Outside there is no pipework or manhole cover I can see. You can flush the toilet maybe two or three times and then the bowl starts to fill up. If you run the tap you can see the bowl filling up and water is filled up in the sink waste and goes up to the plug hole.

I have been looking at toilet auger type tools but not sure which would be most suitable to try? please help!

Inside;



Pipework 1 (where sink waste goes into toilet waste);



Pipework 2 (looking down the boxing, the black thing at the far end is where the toilet waste goes straight downward);



Outside (no pipework or manhole to be seen);



Thank you very much in advance!

 

[HERTS P&D]

You need to block the waste pipe from the sink then try plunging the toilet again.

Andy

 

[chaoticj]

Hi Andy,

I tried putting the plug in the sink and putting my hand on the overflow. I could feel the suction quite strong but it still didn't clear the blockage..

Regards,
chaoticj

 

[HERTS P&D]

Check your manhole.

Andy

 

[John D v2.0]

The manhole might be under some slabs... if you call someone in they can camera from another manhole and find out if it's been concreted or slabbed over and the approx location. Or you can start lifting slabs if you have more time than money but that could be a long job for no result. Also try looking at other similar houses, if you knock on the neighbours doors to find where theirs are.

 

[Lower]

If its taking 3 flushes before the toilet starts to fill up, the blockage is in the underground waste pipe and not near the toilet. I doubt plunging will help. You'll need to find an access point to the waste and then rod it out or pay for a drain specialist to come and jet it out via the toilet.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Drain cleaner is pretty much useless on WC blockages, by the time it gets where it's needed, it's so dilute it is ineffective. However, it is nasty stuff, and can still have the potential to damage skin and eyes, so warn anyone else working on the problem, what has been used.

As said, it's likely the blockage is in the underground drain. Bear in mind, any chamber could be some distance from the building or even in a neighbours property. At this point it is worth asking the neighbours if they are affected, any issue with shared drainage, (i.e. a drain that serves more than one property), or past the point where your drain goes under the boundary, is usually the Water Company's responsibility.

 

[Ian H]

Check your home insurance cover.