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The Dogmother

Blocked drain - help needed

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Our upstairs loo is partially blocked; either Rosie used half a roll of loo paper, or did an elephant poo. It still flushed, but takes ages for the water level to go down. I spent my lunchtime (in my smart work clothes) using the plunger on it and it flows a bit better, but it's still blocked - any ideas?

 

The blockage appears to be either in the U bend or just the other side of it

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Flexi rods or a plumber's snake are your best bets I think, although if you can get a coat hanger in there, all the better! Our snake was a brilliant investment, endlessly useful when your lodgers think that stuffing food down the sink is a good idea.

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Righty ho! I'll get my industrial strength rubber gloves on tonight and get going!

 

I can usually fix most things, but this one is defeating me.

 

I shall give it a good go with the plunger again tonight and empty 2 buckets of water into the pan as I flush it. If that doesn't work, then I'll try the coat hanger/flexi-rod/bicarb thing and see if that shifts it.

 

The blockage is only partial and thankfully we have a downstairs loo, but I'd like to get it fixed. Have spoken to Madam about the amount of loo paper being used. :roll:

 

It's unusual to find something that can't be fixed by either my axe, claw hammer or a screwdriver :?

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Righty ho! I'll get my industrial strength rubber gloves on tonight and get going!

 

I can usually fix most things, but this one is defeating me.

 

I shall give it a good go with the plunger again tonight and empty 2 buckets of water into the pan as I flush it. If that doesn't work, then I'll try the coat hanger/flexi-rod/bicarb thing and see if that shifts it.

 

The blockage is only partial and thankfully we have a downstairs loo, but I'd like to get it fixed. Have spoken to Madam about the amount of loo paper being used. :roll:

 

It's unusual to find something that can't be fixed by either my axe, claw hammer or a screwdriver :?

You have forgotten the chainsaw!

I'll ask my plumber son when he comes in from work if there are any tricks of the trade.

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Our loo has an odd bend and can get blocked rather easily :?

 

Last time we tried a plunger to no avail - went to our local ironmongery/hardware shop and he recommended using a large string mophead. Plug the gap with the mophead and plunge - it creates a great suction and works a treat :D

Soak said mophead in bleach ( or similar) leave in outhouse for next time :wink::D

 

Hope this helps,

 

Helen

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Good luck. Make sure the loo is fairly empty before you try the bicarb and vinegar trick or you could be ankle deep in gunk. The coat hanger trick has worked for us in the past and at least you have another loo. I hope you get it sorted out quickly.

 

Over Xmas our neighbour blocked the drain outside by tipping the lard from his deep fat fryer down the loo (Lord knows why? )

 

The fat made it out of his property and into the shared drain before setting. He went away for Xmas but we didn't so had to call out a plumber and then the local water board on Boxing Day and it took hours to get the problem cleared.

 

When we mentioned it to the neighbour he shrugged and said, oops that might have been the fat from my fryer and grinned.

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If it's just a larger quantity of what should go down the loo it should clear with a few buckets of water :?

 

My downstairs loo sometimes gets a bit slow at emptying after a flush and I chuck buckets of water down it (poured carefully from a height) and several buckets and flushes later it is fine. Bit of a waste of water, but my drains are fairly dry as there is only me!

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Our snake was a brilliant investment, endlessly useful when your lodgers think that stuffing food down the sink is a good idea.

 

:shock::shock::shock:

 

It amazes me what people think is acceptable to throw down a sink or toilet. I have had to have words with my sis-in-law in the past about flushing cotton buds. :roll:

 

Some very good ideas there though, I shall have to refer back to this thread if my loo ever gets blocked again.

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[

It amazes me what people think is acceptable to throw down a sink or toilet. I have had to have words with my sis-in-law in the past about flushing cotton buds. :roll:

 

 

Cotton buds!!!!

 

My aunt used to flush food waste away down the loo :shock: A neighbour, many years ago, always had a dustbin with a foot of water in the bottom from when she had peeled vegetables. She used to throw the lot in the bin, water and all, never put anything down the sink :shock:

 

There are some strange people around.

 

Clare, glad your loo is back to normal :D

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My resident plumber said the advice given was all good....but don't go shoving things round the U bend if you have a macerator fitted.

 

Also if it recurs, check whether your bath/washbasin are emptying more slowly than usual.

 

If they are, the blockage could be in the down pipe.

 

In which case, you need a plumber!

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