Over my head in this one, advice needed

[Smcart5]

I was called by an old work colleague about a blocked bath waste and he begged me to come and look at it as he had just moved into the place so i went out, brought a plunger which has added to a very small tool collection that's growing slowly.

Well it was not a bath, it was a shower cubicle in a, well a hellhole really, the shower cubicle waste is connected somewhere inside a wooden box where the toilet pan connector goes through, i did not even try and take anything apart due to the fact both toilet and shower cubicle is blocked, the cubicle floor is full of water and refuses to drain period.

First thing he tried was some drain cleaner, it did squat all so he then tried a small plunger, it did nothing except bring up a large amount of dirt and grit which i assume is making up the blockage, i thought the next step would be to siphon off the water somehow and open up a waste connection then try and get a drain snake down there but i did not have a wet and dry hoover, bailing it out would be pointless as the water still in the pipes would flood the floor, and the waste pipes from the cubicle to the back of the toilet were too low to the floor to get a tray or something under, i did not want to waste any more of his time so i told him i was in over my head, he knew i was only college educated and wanted it done as a quick favor, I'm not sure what i could have done about it.

My question is what was probably causing that blockage and would would you guys have tried, or have any of you come across something similar and solved it.

 

[leadpig]

had this before when some one emptied there fish tank down the sink and i mean all of the contents of the tank.
plenty off fairy liquid and a lot off work with a plunger eventually cleared it,but it was mainly sand

 

[flat pack]

sounds like another cowboy

or someone from Europe........
in Spain they use junction type manhole that take all sizes of pipes, the box in about the size of 4 shoe boxes. all content drop in to a mini well box, fill up then off in one pipe to main drain .
the system works 99% of the time

 

[Smcart5]

I tried and tried with the plunger, but it failed to do anything and after 5 mins i gathered it was not working, anyone know what i should have done?

 

[leadpig]

try plunging the toilet first,if not your going to have get wet and messy

 

[david williams]

use a six inch plunger on a drain rod not one of them silly 4 inch ones

 

[Smcart5]

Maybe i should have just kept using the plunger on it, but it did not feel like it was doing anything, probably need a better quality plunger, the one i have is a bit flimsy.

 

[Plumbstar Tom]

If your getting grime and muck out then it is at least doing something but you dont know how far this block goes.

 

[Winston]

Drain the water out as much as possible, I have even admit to using a clear hose which I also use to remove excess watter from copper for soldering. Go to you merchant and get a Litre of flowrite Drain cleaner and a funnel with some gloves and safety specs.

Gently pour the contents down and leave for 20 minutes. Put kettle on and once again very slowly put water down it will clear it believe me!

But please be careful it burns like hell!

 

[GreenArmy]

Am i missing something? Have you actually lifted the main drain manhole cover and checked for a blocked drain? If drain not blocked you could try rodding back up drain (in direction of toilet) to check and clear blockage. Otherwise it sounds like pan out job. Or if your lucky as me you could use a Jet Plumber Plunger which takes air-rod cans and will clear pretty much any blockage (be warned can also blow pipes apart).

 

[Beeline]

Mark's right, check the manhole. If its between there and the property, look for sunken ground or paving/cobbles : a blockage caused by a collapsed drive/cobbles which can crush old underground soil pipe. I had another once blocked when the old cast iron stack was replaced with plastic and the numpty that did it let pieces of smashed cast iron pipe drop into the bottom of the stack... DOH!
Otherwise persistant rodding though demoralising can win the day.
Good luck

 

[Smcart5]

Thanks guys, i never would of thought of trying the manhole, but then I'm not a professional, guess i have a lot of learning to do.

 

[justlead1]

Hi. As Mark Moss suggests, before attempting to unblock any appliance, get an overview of the system. Man holes, vent pipe, access points, etc. Secondly ask questions of the client, try and get recent history of differing uses and occupancy . This may give you a a handle on what caused the problem. "Its well embarrassing me sisters down with the baby" should read highly likely nappies down WC. As for unblocking i have had luck using large headed mop used as a plunger, these is not always a tool available for every situation you have to think on you feet and improvise on occasions. Good Luck

 

[stevetheplumber]

as already said blockage must be in the soil pipe below where the shower tees in nine time out of ten the plunger on a drain rod will cure it ive found acid unblocker dont realy work on 4 inch probably due to the dilution factor with so much water in the pipe work
sounds like its a pan out job if theres no other acces on the stack
obviously you need to check the manhole but this would normally cause down stairs problems as well

 

[Winston]

I have in the past on 4 inch to prevent the dilution of chemical litterally block it up with old rags and plastic bag, thus keeping the chemical in the area I want it to be in. If that makes sense the only problem is you need to be very careful in removing just in case you get a rush of chemical coming at you.

I have done this often if I have not been able to clear with a rod

 

[bobpape]

If you have a blockage in a waste pipe 9 times out of 10 you would be wasting your time
using a drain unblocker chemical, all it does is strip the detritus from the inside of the pipe and add it to the blockage,

Chemicals should only be used on wastes that are running away slowly, the best method is to poor in a small amount and flush it away, and repeat untill slow blockage is cleared or you run out of chemical,