Toilet problem

whoever

We've been in our home for about 3 months now (built in about 1980) and basically since we've been there the downstairs toilet flush hasn't worked that well, but now its even worse. Basically the toilet ends up with only about an inch of water in the bottom. When you flush it the water fills to about 3/4 of the toilet and then drains very slowly. So I'm guessing I've got a blockage? Can someone suggest the best way to remove the blockage please or suggest what else the problem could be. Thanks for your help.

black-saturn

I've got a similar problem. My toilet is blocked and I've tried everything to unblock it. Think I may have to call a plumber in :rolleyes:

whoever

Have you checked your outside drain? Thats the next thing I'm going to do to see if it looks blocked.

plumb1_2

Check your manhole outside, Get some food dye and put it down the toilet pan, then flush it, you should be able to trace which pipe it is connected to in the manhole.

MrT_5

If you can't find indication of a blockage at the manhole (you should have a manhole with a house that young) then get an old fashioned mop and plunge the toilet with that. Loads of water and pressure may do the trick. Don't go mad and break the bowl though. Ensure the mop head is secure on the pole as well.

hawkwinddotcom

I am not sure if im on the right tracks here but the plumbers here may correct me.
I had this same problem and the wrong syphon had been fitted, it should of been (i think) a syphonic not a "bog" standard one.

"For the uninitiated, syphonic WCs are the type where, when you flush them, the
bowl initially fills and then the water is sucked out. They achieve this by
a double trap and a connection between one of the traps and the flush pipe
to create a partial vacuum."

whoever

I've just been looking the following site http://home.howstuffworks.com/toilet.htm. If I have a siphon toilet then this seems to be suggesting that the toilet is flushing OK its just not putting the water back into the bowl afterwards. So this could mean the overflow isn't working properly??

Also the strange this is when I tried to use a plunger on the toilet water tried to escape up the plug in the sink. To me this suggests I must have a blockage further down the drain after the toilet and the sink join ?

Any help would be appreciated

black-saturn

I've got it moving now all but slowly. My house was built in 1897 and a couple of years ago I had to have the pipe leading from the sink drain changed as it was all limescaled. I'm fearing the loo one has gone the same.

dj0586

i had this and found a plunger did the trick, only make sure you plunge it while the water is high (more pressure)

whoever

Thanks for all your help, I've sorted it now. I had a blockage between the inspection hole outside the front of my house and the man hole outside my neighbours house. A quick trip to B&Q to grab some drain rods and I managed to sort the blockage from my neighbours side. Toilet's working great now.