Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:54:56 +0000, blackbat wrote:

My toilet is not draining properly.

Have you tried a well aimed and fast poured bucket of water? That'll
shift most things that should be down a toilet. If there is a risk
that something is down there (see previously posted list for ideas)
that shouldn't be get your hand in first and feel around the trap.
Squeamish? You could use a rubber glove and some bleach in the
water...

I need to lift the associated drain cover in a utility room to check
for blockages but the cover has never been up since the day it was
fitted and looks jammed solid.

How far below the slow toilet is this inspection cover? If it's as
jammed as you suggest it might be holding back a stack full of ****ty
water until you disturb it then whoosh.... 110mm dia pipe holds a lot
of water, can't be arsed to do the maths but something of the order
of a gallon or 5 litres per foot (30cm) I should think.

Dave,

Yes it is a lot of water! I was once involved in clearing a sewer where
the poor old workmen had to dig down around four foot to find the pipe
(below the blockage as we thought) break into the pipe, clear the blockage
and build a manhole there (it was a hell of a long run).

We made a mistake in our calculations and broke the 6" sewer above the
blockage, and within seconds, the poor beggers were up to their knees in
some rather smelly stuff - yuk!

Took me days to get rid of the smell from the van after I had taken them
back to the depot for a shower and then home for clean clothes (they did
look rather fetching in nothing but new boilers suits and wellies though as
I took 'em home). :-)

BRG