Intermittent slow draining toilet

M

Mike Renwick

Messages

4

• Mar 20, 2019

• #1

My downstairs toilet has suddenly started draining slowly (it's been fine since we moved in 3 years ago). It now take about half a minute to empty the bowl, and doesn't cope well with solid waste/toilet paper. At first I thought it was a blockage, as it seems to clear it after a good plunging. However, I come back to it some time later and it's back to draining slowly? This has been going on for weeks. It's the fact that it's so intermittent that's confusing me. Even without use it will go back to draining slowly...?
Tried plunging (various types), drain snake (useless), drain cleaner (no effect).
Any ideas?

 

Harvest Fields

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

10,441

• Mar 20, 2019

• #2

Blockage somewhere. Have you lifted the manhole cover outside and had a look see?

 

M

Mike Renwick

Messages

4

• Mar 20, 2019

• #3

I haven't managed to get the cover off. The screws are jammed in on one side... Not sure I'd know what to do if i could get it off? Sounds like that may be the next stage though?

Thanks

 

Harvest Fields

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

10,441

• Mar 20, 2019

• #4

I would say so.

 

Riley

Plumbers Arms member

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

10,833

• Mar 20, 2019

• #5

Get a jetter company out. Sounds like a blockage further down

 

Harvest Fields

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

10,441

• Mar 20, 2019

• #6

Riley said:

Get a jetter company out. Sounds like a blockage further down

Click to expand...

Don’t need a jetter. Some decent rods will fix that .

 

W

WC1

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Messages

1,253

• Mar 20, 2019

• #7

Harvest Fields said:

Don’t need a jetter. Some decent rods will fix that .

Click to expand...

Should do, even if it doesn't it's character building!

 

B

Burger

• Mar 20, 2019

• #8

Harvest Fields said:

Don’t need a jetter. Some decent rods will fix that .

Click to expand...

Depends on blockage. Tree roots - no chance, Wipes - optimistic, fat/grease - will take some doing.

 

W

Welder

• Mar 20, 2019

• #9

CBW1982 said:

Depends on blockage. Tree roots - no chance, Wipes - optimistic, fat/grease - will take some doing.

Click to expand...

Never a single puking emoji when you want TWO at least

 

Best

Esteemed

Plumber

Subscribed

Messages

10,026

• Mar 20, 2019

• #10

YorkshireDave said:

Never a single puking emoji when you want TWO at least

Click to expand...

 

M

Mike Renwick

Messages

4

• Mar 21, 2019

• #11

Thanks for the input. I reckon if I can get the cover off this weekend and can't see anything I'll get Dynorod to flush it...

 

W

WC1

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Messages

1,253

• Mar 21, 2019

• #12

If you can't see anything then lift the next lid. Get a recommended local guy once you've had a good look. Recommend not to use dyno rod.

 

H

HoodedClaw

Plumbers Arms member

Plumber

Messages

247

• Mar 21, 2019

• #13

I always get the customer to have a look at what blocked it - only one has thrown up All stopped throwing baby/toilet wipes down it.

 

H

HoodedClaw

Plumbers Arms member

Plumber

Messages

247

• Mar 21, 2019

• #14

Just had a thought, reminds my of a broken AAV/Durgo. Does it have an external stack or internal vent?

 

M

Mike Renwick

Messages

4

• Mar 22, 2019

• #15

Sorry not sure what that means? However, I managed to get the cover off and found the problem. Looks like several drains running into one which is blocked somewhere - "toilet paper soup". At least I know it's not a problem between the toilet and there!
I might have a go at unblocking with a 6ft "drain snake" I bought for the loo (but found it was too big to get round the bend). Other than that I'm not sure even who to call. I have drain cover through BG but I think that only covers the house bounderies. This looks like it could be further down the pipes :-( (?Yorkshire water)

 

snowhead

Esteemed

Plumber

Subscribed

Messages

3,919

• Mar 22, 2019

• #16

If more than 1 property discharges into the Drain then it's for Yorks Water to sort out.

 

Harvest Fields

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Subscribed

Messages

10,441

• Mar 22, 2019

• #17

You need proper rods mate

 

W

WC1

Esteemed

Plumber

Gas Engineer

Messages

1,253

• Mar 22, 2019

• #18

Forget the snake that's not what it is for and will just make a mess. Try water board if it is outside your boundary.

 

D

decomplexity

Messages

36

• Mar 23, 2019

• #19

" Looks like several drains running into one which is blocked somewhere"
Are all these your drains? If not, your water supplier is now responsible for the 'private sewer' that extends from the point that other drains join yours and for the other 'lateral drains' from where they enter your land.
If so you may be able to get them to clear the blockage free.

 

M

malx42

Messages

47

• Mar 26, 2019

• #20

I had a similar problem for years. The blockage was in a shared drain. I used rods to clear it easily .. downstream from the shared manhole. Many times. Sometimes it would block and then clear itself. As it was a shared drain And old property was not our responsibility .... I eventually started getting ST out to rod it. Eventually a Victorian trap was removed ... then we had tree roots cut and drain relined, and later replaced.