Tampons, cotton buds and wipes flushed down the toilets are a major source of blockages—be sure to put them in bins rather than the toilet. Do not use toilet 'rim block' cleaners which may become dislodged by the toilet brush and block your toilet. If this happens you may be charged for a plumber to call out. Toilet rolls, bottles, toothpaste and toothbrushes perched on top of cisterns can easily fall into the toilet. If this happens just as your flush the toilet it will almost certainly cause a blockage, particularly if it is a new toilet roll! Even a partially used roll will block.
There are lots of ways to unblock your toilet so do not panic. Methods include in order of seriousness: Plunging, boiling water and soap powder, chemicals, circular power assisted coiled spring un blockers, plumbers and specialist Drain cleaning firms using pressure hose unblocking.
Firstly, if you need to use the toilet try and use another toilet until the blockage is clear or 'hold on' - further use will exacerbate the problem.
What to do to unblock you toilet:
If the toilet is already full to the top DO NOT FLUSH! Initially after flushing wait until the water in the pan drops to the normal level - note how long this takes as the longer the draining time the greater the blockage indicating what you are dealing with. .
Only when the water has eventually dropped to the normal level should you flush the toilet just once and allow the water level to rise up as far as you dare without flooding.
Again watch how long it takes to drain in order to gauge how bad the blockage is (this could be important later when creating a vacuum).
Whilst waiting on the water level to drop again (eventually) you can prepare the things you need.
First you will need a reasonably robust toilet brush as you are about to use it as a plunger a round header brush is best as it fits the drain hole - choose one which is unlikely to snap in half inside the toilet and make the problem worse.
Ensure you wear a pair of rubber gloves just in case for protection against faecal contamination
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Pay attention because if you get it wrong you will flood the floor with the contents of your toilet!
This stage requires physical energy and a good pair of lungs full of clean air and the ability to hold your breath for a minute.
Ensure the area is well ventilated as what you are about to do will likely make you retch - the stench is awful. If you have a face mask or respirator more's the better.
With your toilet brush in one hand and the flush button or lever in your other hand get ready to plunge the toilet rapidly with the toilet brush and with some force.
Now! Flush the toilet and immediately start rapidly and forcefully plunging with your toilet brush whilst the water is still rising but stop before the water level reaches your hand. This action is effectively closing and opening the drain and thereby creating a powerful suction vacuum. It is this vacuum which will eventually suck away the blockage. Now remove the toilet brush from the toilet and rest it in its holder and rush out of the toilet for some fresh air. Patiently wait until the water level starts to drop again so you do not get your hand wet when recommencing the plunging. When the level starts to drop sufficient so as not to get your hand covered in Sh*t, start plunging furiously. Short rapid action is best. Once the water has dropped there is no point in plunging as there is no weight of water to create a vacuum and the suction that this in turn provides.
Step out of the toilet for a gasp of fresh air and return to repeat this exercise continually until whatever is blocking clears. It almost always works without the need to call a plumber or the need to use chemical un blockers. As an experienced landlord with 21 years experience with 160 plus tenants 40% with private ensuites I have a good idea what works.
If there is a huge plug of poo and paper compressed in the pipe you can use chemicals which if left overnight will start to dissolve and loosen the blockage. Follow this by repeating the plunging but be careful not to splash yourself with chemicals which if acidic is likely to burn!. If you do not have chemicals some washing powder followed by as many kettles of boiling water as the bowl will contain also works well (good for grease blockages in kitchen sinks too!). You can also use the plunging technique in conjunction with the boiling water but take care not to burn yourself or anyone around (never allow a child to be near by to avoid splashing skin). Avoid using a toilet whilst full of acid or boiling water for the same reason! Think about it!
This is all very well if you have a spare toilet or can pop across to the college loos if you live close by but impossible if you have only one toilet you need to use now. Always make friends with those who have ensuites - you never know when you will be 'relieved' to have such a friend.
For any other landlords out there this one is for you and is what I do. I would not expect student tenants to do this themselves.
Get yourself a cordless forward and reverse drill with fast and slow speed gears. Ensure it is fully charged and that you wear a pair of rubber gloves just in case for further protection against electric shock and faecal contamination. You will need to buy a coiled cable intended to be attached to a drill used to unblock drains. B&Q and Home base supply these and other such coils.
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Feed the coil into the toilet (or sink or bath drain by unscrewing the 's-bend') . Supporting the cable with one hand turn on your drill slowly at first and in a clockwise direction. The cable will start to spin and grip the plug of paper and poo. Angle the coil up and over the u-bend behind the toilet. When the cable has 'gone in' a certain distance and begins to offer some resistance occasionally switch the drill off and physically pull the cable back towards you with a partial plug of paper. If there is no resistance you have not reached the plug of poo and paper so keep going until you do. When you have got something worth gripping pull it back towards you until you can see what is there (be sure the window is open or you will retch with the stench). Have a bucket handy for collecting the used toilet paper - or vomit. You may not need it if the plug is small as it can be flushed away when clear. Remove as much of the plug as you need to enable access to the drain and to see what you are doing.
Repeat this exercise until the cable goes the whole length without resistance. Now remove the cable and if you have a bath dump it in there for cleaning at the end or alternatively chuck it in a carrier bag to stop it dripping through the house with crap on it. They are not expensive so either wash or bin it.
Now at this stage your toilet should start to drain a bit quicker but is probably still blocked. All we have done is disturb it and make a hole to allow some water to drain right through the plug in an effort to assist it's removal.
What you now need to do is go back to the start and repeat the plunging as before until the blockage clears.
Do not be surprised by what you catch at the end of your "fishing line". There could be a plastic rim block. We bar the use of these as they cost us a fortune to remove. We may need to get plumbers in.
If the main drain is blocked this can sometimes be easier to clear than a toilet, but it is a bigger task and is not for the feint hearted. Certainly not for the average student.
FOR lANDLORDS
(OR ANYONE DESPERATE OR DETERMINED!):
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You will need a drain rodding set and a perhaps a pair of drain cover keys to lift the drain cover (like a manhole cover). This is usually found at the rear of the house. If the drain is empty THEN THE BLOCKAGE IS NEARER THE TOILET and you need to look closer to the toilet SOIL PIPE. However, should the drain look like a pot of poo soup you need to first establish whether it is your drain or the main drain or both TO DETERMINE WHICH DRAIN IS BLOCKED
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It is prudent therefore before rodding to check that the main drain is not blocked before rodding the drain from your house to the main drain. There is no point in clearing your drain until the main drain is clear first - when THE MAIN DRAIN clears your drain (FROM YOUR HOUSE TO THE MAIN DRAIN will probably also clear.
It will assist if you know the direction of the main drain. To find this look for a second drain inspection cover at the rear of your house and somewhat further away from your house than your first drain inspection cover.
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[LOOK IN YOUR NEIGHBOURS' GARDENS TO SEE THE LIKELY CONNECTION DIRECTION BETWEEN DRAINS. IF THE FENCE IS TO HIGH GO UPSTAIRS AND LOOK OUT THE WINDOW. ASK YOUR NEIGHBOURS WHETHER THEIR DRAIN IS BLOCKED - THE NEAREST TO SAY NO TELLS YOU THE DISTANCE OF THE BLOCKAGE. SEVERAL BLOCKED NEIGHBOURS MEANS YOU NEED A SPECIALIST. THE LAST IN LINE IS NORMALLY RESPONSIBLE BUT YOU COULD SPLIT THE COST TO SAVE ARGUMENTS].
When you find the second cover you have probably found the location of the main drain inspection cover for your house (there is one in almost every garden) into which all the adjacent houses are connected. Lift the inspection cover to check that it is empty. If it is full I would ring for a company with pressure hoses to clear it as the blockage is likely to be further away than a rodding set will reach.
If, however, the main drain is empty but your drain is full, then clearly the blockage lies between the two; this is a classic case for a rodding set.
Screw the rods together starting with the rod with the rubber disc on the end. Ensure the rods when connected stretch at least as far at the length of the drain (i.e. inspection cover to inspection cover). As you connect these they will become too long to manage but they will flex into the drain. Start feeding the series of connected rods into the drain. When you vertically reach the bottom of the drain there is a couple of holes coming away form the toilets and into the drain and then going away from the first drain to the second drain (beneath the second inspection cover). The hole to the main drain branches at a right angle horizontally. Knowing this but unable to see it due to the level of "poo soup", you need to imagine where the entry hole is and angle your rodding set accordingly, (you can get an idea by looking in the main drain inspection cover to see what the drain holes look like if it is clear). Once the rubber disc enters the drain hole it will effortlessly go towards the the main drain and stop at the plug of poo and paper. Provided all your rods are firmly screwed together at this point you are now ready to force the rod to disturb the blockage but hang onto the rod and make sure it is connected to enough rods to cover the distance to the main drain. otherwise the weight of the water in your drain will push the rod all the way to the main drain with significant force (do not get pulled in!). Once the rod reaches the T-junction of the main drain it will stop at the junction and the blockage will clear. When empty simply pull back and out the rod set. At this stage do not attempt to dismantle the rod - ugghh!. Pull it right out and lay it the length of your garden. It will not be clean! You ideally need a pressure hose to clean it before you dismantle and store for next time. Get some bleach on a cloth and wipe the length of the rods before disconnecting. Then when the rods are separated wipe the brass rod ends at the joints. Tie the rods together and store till next time. Remember to flush the inside of the drain with a hose and the underside of the drain cover before replacing the cover over the inspection drain hole. Go home, run a bath, strip off, stick your clothes in the washing machine and jump in the bath. Ahh yes... heaven!
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