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    Save_Nyx's Avatar
    Save_Nyx Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    May 14, 2010, 04:41 AM
    My toilet is draining slowly, when it flushes the water level rises right up the bowl
    I live in a flat that used to be a house but its been converted into flats. I am on the ground floor. I have lived here for about 8 months. There have been problem ever since I moved in, but I was busy getting settled in and I didn't take too much notice, but I wish I had now, as its really stressing me out now and getting me down that I just can't fix it even though I have been trying for the last 3 months (that's when the problem got noticabley worse) What I noticed when I forst moved in was, well, I moved in two parts one day was moving half my stuff in and painting (then I went back to my former residence) and then a few weeks later moved the last of my belongings and was done, well, while I was there decorating I had a friend and her boyfriend help me paint, and they used the bathroom, (and it wasn't just a wee.. he felt the need to inform us as he'd had a upset stomach all day.. ) and then at the end of the night we packed up and went home and the second visit we all went back and my friend asked if I had been here since the last time we were here, and when I asked why she wanted to know, she said whilst laughing "well either you forgot to flush the toilet or what my boyfriend left has come back!!" and sure enough it sort of had... but I didn't think anything of it. Just flushed it again. I can't be sure but I have the feeling the toilet doesn't have the suction power normal toilets do... like that real "slurppp" sound as it really vaccuums the water down the pipe... and steadily as the months have gone on, it started of like, every two months getting blocked, lasting for a day or so then remedeying itself, or with some light fishing with an unwound coat hanger, but now its getting more and more frequent, and without wanting to be graphic... deposits other than urine don't seem to go down the pipe easily at all, often seeming to disappear while the bowl fills up, then the water level slowly drops as if it can't get down the pipe quick enough, then when the water has dropped a bit (still quite full though) the deposited matters reapperance is made... and eventually about 5 minutes later the water is at the level it almost should be... but as time has gone on, its happening more frequently and for longer periods.. I have looked on the internet and tried, seriously, every tip I could find, all either not doing a thing to help or working for an hour or two then it returning to its almost overflowing glory. The only thing that seemed to work were pipe unblocker chemicals, but I was having to use 3 sachets each application in the morning and 3 sachets at night for three or four days, it seemed to do the trick, (ironic because it said I could be used for sewage pipes but NOT used directly in the toilet!) but it was costing me a fortune! (and also this flat is tiny, all the fumes gave me killer headaches even if I opened the bathroo window and put the vent on) but sure enough 2 weeks later... ugh. I don't flush face wipes or cotton buds, I have a bin for those and I don't use loads of luxury quilted loo rool, seriously it's the almost see through kind! And I don't use lots at all, 2 squares max! (purely for the reason I have always been paranoid about toilets blocking, it's a bit of a phobia!) and I don't have kids that try flush things like toy cars or bannana! I can't think what the problem would be? But its getting me down. I can't afford a plumber and even if I could I don't think I could handle the embarrassment. I've looked online to see about buying toilet augers... but I don't see the point in buying one when I've pretty much done the same thing with, unwound coat hangers, and long lengths of hose pipe shoved down there, donned rubber gloves and manually poked around... (you would not believe the amount of hand wash and sanitizing gel I am getting through! Germ phobic! So this is really my worst night mare!)
    I think the toilet has always been a bit iffy... but its worse now and I can't think what I've done to make it worse... I've wondered if the person upstairs has maybe flushed something and blocked the pipe further down the line and its affecting my toilet because mine would be the closest to the sewer system..?
    I can't do anything like take the toilet off the wall or anything because, well I just cant, I don't know what I'm doing and I would end up making things 10 times worse...
    Sorry this is so long, I really just wanted to give as much information as possible, because any suggestion is welcomed... I'm getting so upset by it, and stressed out, I'm even starting to have terrible nightmares, most of them being where the toilet overflows sewage and toilet water or just gets really mega clogged, so much so that it never flushes properly again! And now I'm paranoid to go to sleep thinking I'm going to wake up to a catastrophic scene in the bathroom!
    Thanks in advance!
    smoothy's Avatar
    smoothy Posts: 25,492, Reputation: 2853
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    #2

    May 14, 2010, 05:49 AM

    You are obviously NOT in the USA so we have to be careful about tossing out brand names of products many are not available everywhere...

    But where you are at... can you find a product that is essentually Liquid Sodium Hydroxide? 3.5 liters of carefully poured into the toilet, followed aby another 3.5 liters of cold water, then left overnight before its flushed may help the problem... if that doesn't you may need to contact building management, as the main drain will be their problem most places. And there is a partial blockage in that drain... that you will not reach with a coat hanger.

    The fact you are on the ground floor YOU would see any blockages first... and notice and partial blockages first.

    Also... this DOES need resolved because if it becomes a total blockage... if its in the main line... guess where everything is going to go when the people from the upper floors flush... etc... you see the point.

    Main question is... If it's a Flat... (appartment or Condo in the USA) whoever is responsible for the building and common areas will be responsible for the main drain... BUT you may be responsible between that and your unit. Are there any other units on the ground floor, are they having problems too? If there are and they don't... it may be beyond the trap in the toilet... but before the mail building drain.

    See if you can try the product I described above... Put a note on the toilet to flush it before YOU use in in the AM... so there is no risk of being splashed by sodium Hydroxide. It is extremely caustic.

    If that does not work you will need to rent or buy an auger... or pay a plumber that has a really long one if the building will not do it.
    hkstroud's Avatar
    hkstroud Posts: 11,929, Reputation: 899
    Home Improvement & Construction Expert
     
    #3

    May 14, 2010, 12:08 PM

    I agree with Smoothy except I don't think any type of chemical will work. You apparently have something stuck in the pipe between your toilet and the main stack. The main stack is the vertical pipe that goes up to the floor above you. If the blockage were in the main stack your neighbor's toilet would be backing up into yours. What ever it is that is blocking the line is solid and will not desolve or it would have done so by now. It is probably something left by the previous occupant.

    What is happening is, the solid object in stuck in the line but water can pass. The line is not completely blocked but as tissue and solids pass they get caught on whatever is in the line and further block the flow. In time the tissue and solids dissolve and things work for a while until more tissue comes along and gets caught.

    You are going to have to call a plumber and have the line rodded to clear whatever is blocking it.

    There is certainly no need for embarrassment. This happens to everyone and the plumber has seen it a thousand times. That's why he is in business.
    smoothy's Avatar
    smoothy Posts: 25,492, Reputation: 2853
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    #4

    May 14, 2010, 12:56 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by hkstroud View Post
    I agree with Smoothy except I don't think any type of chemical will work. You apparently have something stuck in the pipe between your toilet and the main stack. The main stack is the vertical pipe that goes up to the floor above you. If the blockage were in the main stack your neighbor's toilet would be backing up into yours. What ever it is that is blocking the line is solid and will not desolve or it would have done so by now. It is probably something left by the previous occupant.

    What is happening is, the solid object in stuck in the line but water can pass. The line is not completely blocked but as tissue and solids pass they get caught on whatever is in the line and further block the flow. In time the tissue and solids dissolve and things work for a while until more tissue comes along and gets caught.

    You are going to have to call a plumber and have the line rodded to clear whatever is blocking it.

    There is certainly no need for embarrassment. This happens to everyone and the plumber has seen it a thousand times. That's why he is in business.
    I agree with you, I think something is stuck too... I just wanted to eliminate any possibility there was a blockage that might be dissolved by a chemical before they pay for a plumber... something they said they would have trouble affording. I have this issue ever year or two. Probibly tree roots in my case... and low flush toilets don't help any.
    ballengerb1's Avatar
    ballengerb1 Posts: 27,378, Reputation: 2280
    Home Repair & Remodeling Expert
     
    #5

    May 14, 2010, 01:51 PM

    Get a toilet auger and work the toilet, 99% of clogged toilets are right at the end of the toilet's integral trap.

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