Toilet paper staying in pan

[Paulus]

It doesn't matter how long you have been in this job, someone will always come up with a problem you haven't heard of before.

My neighbour just called to say his mothers loo flushes really well and gets rid of all the bodily waste but, because of the swirling action of the flush, the paper goes to the middle of the pan and stays.

The toilet has been in for about 9 years and this problem only started a few months ago.

I'm thinking a build up of limescale in the flush holes in the pan. Has anyone come across this before? Any other ideas?

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Marty32]

A posh type of thick, heavy duty quilted toilet paper the lady has only just started using perhaps?!

Could be limescale or deposit build up as you say in the outlet of the pan or blockage in the pan connector? How about adjusting the valve in the cistern to give more water as this has worked for before? Is it a 6 or 9 litre flush?

 

[Paulus]

Hi Marty

It's a 9 litre flush and I installed a new flush valve last year and I know the water in the cistern fills to the max, I asked about the toilet paper and she uses ordinary 2 ply.
There doesn't seem to be a blockage as the water from the pan doesn't rise.

It seems to be the whirlpool action of the flush which leaves the paper in the centre of the pan going round and round.

 

[Marty32]

I suspect it could be a blockage in the cistern its self - has the customer been using those toilet bleach bloc tablets that you put in the cistern as they have been known to block the force of water from the siphon coming down to wash the pan?

Worth asking mate

 

[Marty32]

Debris from the blocs when they dissolve is what I meant, can block up the flush vents in the pan etc

 

[Paulus]

I already asked and he says the force of the water is tremendous and it fully empties the cistern. He seems certain it's this whirlpool affect that retains the paper in the middle of the pan.

The only reason for this whirlpool action I can come up with is limescale altering the direction of the flush in the pan.

 

[Marty32]

It could be a blockage on higher up in the stack (birds nest etc) - not sure how easy it is to check the vent on the roof but it could be atmostpheric pressure problem? Heavier solids flush away but not the lighter stuff (in this instance, toilet paper) because its not working on full positive pressure (air entering the soil stack).

The other thing to try may be is to out a surgical type glove on and feel under the rim all the way round the toilet bowl and check for scale as although there is tremendous flush it might in the way the pan is washing down (out of sequence) because of limescale desposits blocking the outlet holes.

 

[WaterTight]

When all the most profound mysteries of the cosmos, of consciousness and of the origins of the universe still elude us, how many hours should a man ruminate on the orbits of used toilet paper held within the cosmic centrifugal force of a bog pan. New toilet. If it happens again: priest.

 

[Paulus]

When all the most profound mysteries of the cosmos, of consciousness and of the origins of the universe still elude us, how many hours should a man ruminate on the orbits of used toilet paper held within the cosmic centrifugal force of a bog pan. New toilet. If it happens again: priest.

Your wisdom never ceases to impress and amaze me WaterTight the Sage.

 

[Guest123]

Try the obvious first and use a different brand of toilet paper......

or install a bidet.

 

[WaterTight]

I had a look at a toilet the other day. Someone said he feared a hairline crack on the pan was causing damp patches on the carpet. I knelt by it, sure enough a hairline crack. Patted the carpet to confirm it was damp because it was dark in colour and hard to tell. At that point he said, "But it could be me because during the night my aim isn't much good." At that point I considered not working on toilets anymore.

 

[stevetheplumber]

might not be the answer to this particular problem but some toilet cleaners actually build up a thick layer of scale on the unseen half of the pan bend i know as we had it at home definately enough to slow the out pouring of the pan first we realised was the scale kept appearing in th ebackof the pan despite us cleaning it we went back to bleach and problem solved

 

[zeebeedee]

Bet it's stuck by the pan connector!

 

[zeebeedee]

Harpic smelly thing that is! The ones that sit in the pan!

 

[mountainman]

I had a look at a toilet the other day. Someone said he feared a hairline crack on the pan was causing damp patches on the carpet. I knelt by it, sure enough a hairline crack. Patted the carpet to confirm it was damp because it was dark in colour and hard to tell. At that point he said, "But it could be me because during the night my aim isn't much good." At that point I considered not working on toilets anymore.

Not much worse than damp knees when you realise the carpet ain't wet from water.

 

[tamz]

Tell her if she can't afford a new pan buy a toilet brush :lol: