Help with blocked plumbing
 

Hi all

Our downstairs cloakroom has developed a blockage and I'm having trouble
determining exactly where the problem is. The cloakroom has a WC, sink and
shower cubicle and the first sign of a problem was the WC filling to the
brim on flushing and taking a long while to drop back to the normal level. I
tried plunging a few times and thought I'd sorted the problem but one day
later and the same thing is happening. I suspected a blocked U bend so
fished around with my hand but couldn't find anyhting. Next I left the sink
taps running and eventually water started to bubble up through the shower
drain so presumably definitely a blockage in the pipework somewhere.


Problem is I'm a bit confused by the plumbing arrangement. The shower and
sink are obviously connected to the same drain and this runs out of the
external wall and down into the ground. However on pulling out the WC the
waste pipe makes an immediate 90 degree bend as soon as it is below ground
level and then appears to run in the opposite direction to the waste ??
I've put a rough pic of the set up here

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/Plumbing.jpg

Any ideas on what might be happening underground and how the 2 might
inter-connect ?

The upstairs bathroom and kitchen are at the back of the house (cloakroom is
at the front) and there doesn't appear to be any problems there.

Thanks

Jim

Help with blocked plumbing
 

"Jim" wrote in message
. ..
Hi all

Our downstairs cloakroom has developed a blockage and I'm having trouble
determining exactly where the problem is. The cloakroom has a WC, sink and
shower cubicle and the first sign of a problem was the WC filling to the
brim on flushing and taking a long while to drop back to the normal level.
I tried plunging a few times and thought I'd sorted the problem but one
day later and the same thing is happening. I suspected a blocked U bend so
fished around with my hand but couldn't find anyhting. Next I left the
sink taps running and eventually water started to bubble up through the
shower drain so presumably definitely a blockage in the pipework
somewhere.


Problem is I'm a bit confused by the plumbing arrangement. The shower and
sink are obviously connected to the same drain and this runs out of the
external wall and down into the ground. However on pulling out the WC the
waste pipe makes an immediate 90 degree bend as soon as it is below ground
level and then appears to run in the opposite direction to the waste ??
I've put a rough pic of the set up here

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...7/Plumbing.jpg

Any ideas on what might be happening underground and how the 2 might
inter-connect ?

The upstairs bathroom and kitchen are at the back of the house (cloakroom
is at the front) and there doesn't appear to be any problems there.

Thanks

Jim

Have you taken up the inspection cover in your garden?

Help with blocked plumbing
 

Have you taken up the inspection cover in your garden?
Did lift it but didn't get a chance to rod it. The pipe does run in the
general direction of the sink/shower waste but the cover is upstream of it.
I'll do some explority poking tomorrow.

I did stick a drain rod down the WC waste, though I can only get 1 rod
length before if gets stuck, however not sure if this is a blockage or a
bend in the pipe. Still can't get my head round how the sink and WC are
connected though if the wastes run in opposite directions ??

Jim

Help with blocked plumbing
 

Jim wrote:

Have you taken up the inspection cover in your garden?
Did lift it but didn't get a chance to rod it. The pipe does run in the
general direction of the sink/shower waste but the cover is upstream of it.
I'll do some explority poking tomorrow.

Was it blocked then - I assume not?

I did stick a drain rod down the WC waste, though I can only get 1 rod
length before if gets stuck, however not sure if this is a blockage or a
bend in the pipe. Still can't get my head round how the sink and WC are
connected though if the wastes run in opposite directions ??

They will be connected somwhere along the line, and being as they both
seem to be blocked, then it is likely to be a blockage within 10 feet of
the toilet. I'd suspect a blocakge somewhere between the manhole cover
and the toilet.
Get up all the manhole covers, and see what is there.If you've got a
hosepipe long enough, turn it on full, and force it up the soil pipe,
against the flow, from the manhole cover, as far as possible, then see
what appears.
IME, where there is a 'T' junction in the sewer pipe, then a manhole
cover, or rodding point is also there, so if need be, you can rod the
errant branch to clear it if the hosepipe doesnt work.
Alan.

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Help with blocked plumbing
 

OK, turns out the neighbours WC was also blocked. We lifted a manhole in
their garden and it was full of water so out with the rods and we're all OK
now.

A big thanks to those that offered advice

Cheers

Jim

Help with blocked plumbing
 

Jim wrote:
OK, turns out the neighbours WC was also blocked. We lifted a manhole in
their garden and it was full of water so out with the rods and we're all OK
now.

A big thanks to those that offered advice

Cheers

Jim




If you're on a shared drain, and the house is older than (1930?), the
water company should clear it for free. Thames Water certainly do

Help with blocked plumbing
 

Help with blocked plumbing
 

Stuart Noble wrote:

It would certainly make sense. The system isn't really worka

That's what happened to us. No one would understandably accept
responsibility and so the Council took control and got the work done.
They then added 33% to the bill, which was fortunately shared between
the 18 properties concerned.

Andy