My upstairs toilet still flushes, but the water doesn't leave fast, so that
the bowl fills up and empties slowly, and ends up less full (of water) than
usually. It also gurgles (outside where the vertical drain-pipe is) halfway
through.
I have a heavy vertical iron drain-pipe outside, which has the bit that
sticks up in the air for venting. At the bottom, there is a horizontal
underground run for about 3 meters, at the end of which is a manhole where
everything seems ok.
I worry that the underground bit has collapsed, and I will not be able to do
that myself. I also generally worry about the heavy iron venting pipe (in
case it falls), which is right over where we sit outside in the summer.
Questions:
1. What is likely to be wrong ?
2. What can you do if the underground bit has collapsed ?
3. How heavy is the iron pipe likely to be (per foot), if I want to try to
take it down myself ?
4. Do you know any drainage plumbers near Ruislip (west London) to AVOID, or
perhaps recommend ?

Many thanks...

"John Smith" wrote ...
| My upstairs toilet still flushes, but the water doesn't leave fast,
| so that the bowl fills up and empties slowly, and ends up less
| full (of water) than usually. It also gurgles (outside where
| the vertical drain-pipe is) halfway through.
| I have a heavy vertical iron drain-pipe outside, which has the
| bit that sticks up in the air for venting. At the bottom, there
| is a horizontal underground run for about 3 meters, at the end
| of which is a manhole where everything seems ok.
| I worry that the underground bit has collapsed, and I will not be
| able to do that myself. I also generally worry about the heavy
| iron venting pipe (in case it falls), which is right over where
| we sit outside in the summer.
| Questions:
| 1. What is likely to be wrong ?

Most likely, toothbrush/etc and accumulated 'mess' round the bend of the WC
slowing down the discharge. Get your arm round the bend and have a feel :-(

| 2. What can you do if the underground bit has collapsed ?

Dig it up and replace it.

| 3. How heavy is the iron pipe likely to be (per foot), if I want to
| try to take it down myself ?

Does it look like it's coming away from the wall? If not, leave well alone.

If the top of the vent pipe is not beyond reach (scaffold tower?) then get a
big bucket of water and chuck it down the pipe with someone else watching
the manhole. If it comes out the manhole with a whoosh then there's nothing
wrong with the main pipe and the problem is with the branch to the WC or the
WC trap.

Owain

John Smith wrote:

My upstairs toilet still flushes, but the water doesn't leave fast, so that
the bowl fills up and empties slowly, and ends up less full (of water) than
usually. It also gurgles (outside where the vertical drain-pipe is) halfway
through.
I have a heavy vertical iron drain-pipe outside, which has the bit that
sticks up in the air for venting. At the bottom, there is a horizontal
underground run for about 3 meters, at the end of which is a manhole where
everything seems ok.
I worry that the underground bit has collapsed, and I will not be able to do

It may be blocked there, but that is perhaps less likely since the water
etc will reach that bit at a fairly high speed and with some force. You
could presumably check that section by rodding up it from the manhole.
Assuming you can push a rod along the underground section (use a worm
thread on the rod so you don't compact any blockage that might be
there), then the blockage is more likely to be closer to the loo.

that myself. I also generally worry about the heavy iron venting pipe (in
case it falls), which is right over where we sit outside in the summer.

If you have ever tried to get a cast iron pipe off a wall you would be
less worried about it falling all by itself! They are typically "nailed"
with heavy four or five inch studs into wooden plugs that are built into
the wall. Typically they are very secure.

Questions:
1. What is likely to be wrong ?

Blockage nearer the loo is likely - round its trap or in the pipework
immediately afterwards. Assuming a rodding operation from below has not
helped, then it is perhaps time to don the rubber gloves and see if you
can feel anything round the u bend....

Good dose of caustic soda would help shift anything organic that might
be causing a blockage.

Does the loo connect directly to the vertical section of the soil stack,
or is there a latteral run to reach it?

2. What can you do if the underground bit has collapsed ?

Dig it up and replace it.

3. How heavy is the iron pipe likely to be (per foot), if I want to try to
take it down myself ?

Pretty heavy... 5kg / foot perhaps (pardon the mixed units)?



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

The toilet "exhaust" pipe is horizontal, into 90 deg plastic bend, into
floor, into 90 deg bend (between floor upstairs and ceiling downstairs),
through outside wall, into vertical pipe (T-bend), all this is max 1 meter
long total. Perhaps I should take the toilet off (did this before, when
laying vinyl floor), and stick hand down pipe :-(((((

Is it advisable to use a garden hose with water ON ???

John Smith wrote:

Is it advisable to use a garden hose with water ON ???

You can do, but consider that a blockage can be made worse by the
addition of a spray nozzle off the end of a hose ;-)



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Is it advisable to use a garden hose with water ON ???

You can do, but consider that a blockage can be made worse by the
addition of a spray nozzle off the end of a hose ;-)

I was thinking of the hose with no implement at the end.
Anyway, removed toilet, and blockage was in T-junction outside (upstairs).
Cleared by pushing a piece of garden hose (no water) through the bends, and
then rotating it to clear "substance" that had over the years narrowed the
pipe to the extent that toiletpaper couldn't get through. Alternated this
with pouring water in. Lovely smell, family fled.
Works fine now.

John Smith wrote:

My upstairs toilet still flushes, but the water doesn't leave fast, so that
the bowl fills up and empties slowly, and ends up less full (of water) than
usually. It also gurgles (outside where the vertical drain-pipe is) halfway
through.
I have a heavy vertical iron drain-pipe outside, which has the bit that
sticks up in the air for venting. At the bottom, there is a horizontal
underground run for about 3 meters, at the end of which is a manhole where
everything seems ok.
I worry that the underground bit has collapsed, and I will not be able to do
that myself. I also generally worry about the heavy iron venting pipe (in
case it falls), which is right over where we sit outside in the summer.
Questions:
1. What is likely to be wrong ?
2. What can you do if the underground bit has collapsed ?
3. How heavy is the iron pipe likely to be (per foot), if I want to try to
take it down myself ?
4. Do you know any drainage plumbers near Ruislip (west London) to AVOID, or
perhaps recommend ?

Many thanks...


Shiove a hosepipe up the manhole cover towrads the vertical stack, and
see what washes out. If its compacted goo at teh base of te stack it
should wash out. Pouring a load of caustic soda down the loo may help.

If teh horozontal has gone, its dig up time perid. No way to sort that
remotely.

If its loo blocakge at teh U bend, again caustic may belf AND if its
also scaled up beyond belief, a few loo fulls of brick acid will fizz
the scale away too.
Most blocakges are combinations of thngs - an obstruction starts,
collects stuff, and a composite dam of paper and **** and nappies forms.

Often a good wash out with a hose breaks that up, and a caustic flush
clens out most of whats left, but if tehre is e.g. a toothbrush jammed
across an angle, that does need to be removed. Again sometimes pushing
woith a hose or rod will dislodge it and allow it to get to the manhole.

Beare of rodding as a first step: Oi ofte compacts and makes thngs
worse. Best first step is always cauistic, because its easy, then a
hose, because it washes away most of the loose stiuff gently. Rods are a
final resort, and excavation a final final resort..:-)

John Smith wrote:

Is it advisable to use a garden hose with water ON ???


Yes.

John Smith wrote:

Is it advisable to use a garden hose with water ON ???

You can do, but consider that a blockage can be made worse by the
addition of a spray nozzle off the end of a hose ;-)


I was thinking of the hose with no implement at the end.
Anyway, removed toilet, and blockage was in T-junction outside (upstairs).
Cleared by pushing a piece of garden hose (no water) through the bends, and
then rotating it to clear "substance" that had over the years narrowed the
pipe to the extent that toiletpaper couldn't get through. Alternated this
with pouring water in. Lovely smell, family fled.
Works fine now.


Should have used hose with water on and caustic.