Slow Drain Loo, tried all sorts!

[Pixie]

Hello all,
I'm hoping someone might have some idea what I can do, as I've had a bash and the plumber seemed uncertain! I've been having issues with our downstairs loo. It used to flush fine, but a while ago the water started to fill the toilet bowl and slow drain. It's variable, sometimes it fills higher than others before draining.

My initial thoughts were a blockage, so I plunged the toilet (and the adjacent sink), and plunged the waste pipe outside, to no avail. Looking up the toilet waste pipe from outside to inside it looks clear. I checked as far I could by hand from inside and can't feel any blockage in the trap by hand, I also passed a flexible waste-pipe cleaner through which seemed to have no issue passing through. The flush mechanism and syphon have been replaced (long shot, but both flushes in the upstairs toilets packed in so I was hoping for a quick cheap fix!)

If I pour a large bucket of water down by hand it drains straight away. A plumber came and used a more powerful auger plunger, but still no joy.

We hadn't changed anything before the issue occurred, and it's only me and the fella using it so I know nothing daft's been put down there (just toilet paper!). I'm stumped!

 

[rpm]

Does you soil stack exit through the roof or inside the loft?
If inside I would check for a Durgo valve on top of the pipe sticking, if it vents outside then I would check for problem in the drain pipe to the nearest manhole.

PS. Welcome to the forums.

 

[Old Account]

I think what @rpm just said could be the cause not enough vent or no vent at all. But also too, if you are able to pour water in the bowl and it flushes normally that usually means its a soft flush. If it was clogged it would just overflow in the bowl wouldn't it?

You also could check your rim holes they might be scaled up.

 

[Old Account]

Does the bathtub or shower and basin drain without problem?

 

[rpm]

I think what @rpm just said could be the cause not enough vent or no vent at all. But also too, if you are able to pour water in the bowl and it flushes normally that usually means its a soft flush. If it was clogged it would just overflow in the bowl wouldn't it?

You also could check your rim holes they might be scaled up.

New flush and syphon fitted, flexible waste pipe cleaner of unknown size passed through the pan Ron, at least that's how I read it.

 

[Old Account]

New flush and syphon fitted, flexible waste pipe cleaner of unknown size passed through the pan Ron, at least that's how I read it.

Yes, but maybe not settled high enough. Perhaps the water level inside the cistern isn't high enough. But also the rim could be clocked and not letting enough water by.
Either the vent as you mentioned earlier or it's related to the toilet itself.

 

[turnpin]

Do you use the little baskets that have bleach blocks/cleaners maybe one of those causing your problem...regards Turnpin...oh and welcome to the forums Pixie..

 

[Old Account]

Welcome to the forum by the way

Regards
Ron

 

[Pixie]

Thanks for the replies!

The water level in the cistern is at the highest it can possibly be, I've tried it all levels. There's no bleach blocks or anything under the rim, the water seems to be coming out of the cistern and in to the bowl okay, but I'll try a scrub at the rim holes them just in case.

All upstairs toilets, bath and basins drain fine. The basin next to the downstairs loo drains fine too, it's a teeny one so no great amount of water goes through it anyway.

Picture 1 - Shows where the pipe for the downstairs loo exiting at the side of the house. If I take the cover off and look inside I can see right along to the toilet, which looks clear.
Picture 2 - This the pipe for the upstairs bathroom, on the back of the house.
Picture 3 - Is the bottom of the pipe shown in Picture 2.

I haven't found a manhole cover around the side of the house, someone said to look for a black plastic cover, I haven't seen anything like that around the side or back of the house. The back has a patio that was down before we moved in, so not sure if it's under there.

 

[Old Account]

Where is the vent for the first picture ? Seems like you don't have a vent for this toilet at all

 

[Best]

Is the toilet fairly old? Why I ask this is I would personally always check the toilet isn't a syphonic pan, as they were fantastic toilets but have a special part onto the bottom of syphon (an Airex) which if the washer decays will make the pan appear to be blocked, - i.e. fill up and then drain slow

 

[Harvest Fields]

Undo the inspection point on the first picture and tip a couple of buckets of water down to see if it back fills

 

[Old Account]

Perhaps we could get a picture of the toilet too.

 

[stani]

Yes, but maybe not settled high enough. Perhaps the water level inside the cistern isn't high enough. But also the rim could be clocked and not letting enough water by.
Either the vent as you mentioned earlier or it's related to the toilet itself.

The op says the pan fills and slowly goes down, no point in scrubbing the rim or setting the level higher.

 

[rpm]

It`s the sometimes bit that confuses me.

 

[Last Plumber]

Photo of the side of the pan will tell if it's a syphonic.

 

[Pixie]

Where is the vent for the first picture ? Seems like you don't have a vent for this toilet at all

That's all there is, in Picture 1?

Is the toilet fairly old? Why I ask this is I would personally always check the toilet isn't a syphonic pan, as they were fantastic toilets but have a special part onto the bottom of syphon (an Airex) which if the washer decays will make the pan appear to be blocked, - i.e. fill up and then drain slow

I believe it was in when the house was built in 2004? I replaced the inlet flush valve and the dual flush value, not syphon as in original post.

Undo the inspection point on the first picture and tip a couple of buckets of water down to see if it back fills

Will give it go tomorrow.

 

[Old Account]

The op says the pan fills and slowly goes down, no point in scrubbing the rim or setting the level higher.

But he said when using a bucket it drains straight away and not slowly. So I assume it may need more pressure .... it might be a little scaled up and it's not enough pressure when flushed.

 

[plumberpete]

might be better posting a video of what happens when you flush it so we can see what it does

 

[jtsplumbing]

Have you removed the connector (White Bit) from the back of the pan ? could be something stuck in this part also check in the outlet of the pan when this part is removed.

 

[Trotter31]

Does the soil pipe have a slight fall to it?