Further Problems With My Plumbing.

[wolf63]

Follow on from.  https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/How-it-Works/Question1885424.html

My toilet became partially blocked again.  I had to call out an emergency plumber via some sort of agency.  It cost lots of money.

So, would it be reasonable for me to put something like Baking Soda and Vinegar down the toilet weekly/monthly to prevent it happening again.

 

 

[albaqwerty]

Have no idea about the baking soda and vinegar, my first thought was a 1.5l of ordinary coke but I suspect that's more for cleaning than an anti blocker.

[Togo]

You said this in your first post. "The plumber came with a plunger on a long stick and unblocked it. He did say that it was coincidental that it blocked just after being upgraded." 

He would if he was part of the upgrade team wouldn't he. I would be making a complaint to the people responsible for the upgrade and telling them in no uncertain terms that they have caused this ongoing issue that has so far cost you £££ and that you hold them responsible for all ensuing costs. Promise to get in an independend assessor to check their work unless they put it back to the previous fit for use state.  

[Gizmonster]

In my opinion, there's possibly something causing a blockage further down the pipe.

I would call someone out with a camera, so they can send a camera down the pipework and investigate further.

My friend and I bought a bungalow quite a while ago and after the new toilet had been fitted, the tenant kept complaining that it was constantly getting blocked.  We called a guy out with a camera and he found that a bit of the old toilet that had been demolished on removal, had fallen down the toilet and got stuck on a bend in the pipe.  A few bashes with the camera and he managed to dislodge it and push it down into a connecting drain, which was much bigger so it wouldn't be a problem there ..... no more blockages after that  :)

[bednobs]

We recently had a problem with a toilet becoming blocked. After several call outs on my emergency insurance (which I recommend) it was discovered one of those cages that hold room block had fallen down and was logged, preventing poo getting past. The emergency bloke did not have anything of sufficient power to shove it further on nor anything to grab it to bring it back.

[bookbinder]

If our toilet becomes blocked, I give it a few hefty shoves/plunges with a toilet brush. That always works.

[gingejbee]

There is no one answer. What's going to remedy the problem depends entirely on what's causing it.

[Canary42]

What acton did the emergency plumber take and did he say anything about what caused the blocage.

Togo's suggestion sounds good to me.

[wolf63]

alba - I think coke is supposed to clean the loo.

Togo and Gizmonster and Canary - your advice is appreciated but the last thing that I could cope with just now is a confrontation or ongoing repair battle  My mental health is not good at present.  Any other time I would relish the battle.

Bednobs - I was more concerned about the amount of loo roll that I use.  I am going to think about claiming it on my insurance.

Bookbinder - I may purchase a plunger.

gingejbee - true

Thanks to all of you.  I can't believe that I am getting into such a pickle over this.  I have a track record - making myself ill by excessively worrying about something.

 

 

[Canary42]

I had blockage problems some time ago and bought one of these.  I've had too use it on several occasions, I think my toilet design is flawed somehow.  

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendationref=asc_df_B01HBS1PAC?mcid=9dca4bda48f43dd4ae051df2796d5176&hvocijid=18145331133097954433-B01HBS1PAC-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18145331133097954433&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045774&hvtargid=pla-2281435178578&gad_source=1&th=1      

If you do try it, be careful when you lift it out as it may be full of dirty water (which I managed to splash all over the floor 🤣)

 

P.S. I know just what you mean about little niggles driving you mad. I now try to adopt the attitude expressed by a bus driver once when I praised his forebearance at a particularly obnoxious motorist - he replied "i just let it all wash over me, otherwise I couldn't do this job". Good luck.

[wolf63]

Canary, my brother told me to get one of those.

The bathroom is on the rear of the building.  Behind us is a flat roof belonging to a shopping centre.  It is only one storey high but there is no external access to this area.  This may prove problematic in the future.

I have a thick skin and had a stressful job with DWP.  Nothing normally bothers me.  But I can't cope with this sort of problem.  I don't know if it's just who I am or part of my Manic Depression.  

Happy New Year to all of you

[calmck]

Use only white toilet paper and not any of the eco brown ones as they tend to clump. Many places in Portugal still ask people to put toilet paper in a bin and not flush it. You could try this for a week. Lidded pedal bin with plastic bag inside. Debris from works causing the blockage seems very possible

[Rosetta]

We had a similar situation to bednobs and Dynerod had to disassemble the loo and then put it back together. I now use the stick on jelly type things instead of the blocks in plastic cages. It does sound  its more likely blocked by debrit from the upgrade, it doesn't sounds  like a coincidence to me.

Wolfy, if its bothering you could you get your brother involved. I think he might live in England but he may be willing to shout at people over the phone for you.

Is your flat rented or owned by you? Do you use quilted loo roll, maybe change to unquilted

Hope you get it sorted

[10ClarionSt]

Wolf, this happened to me and I just used an ordinary mop as a plunger. Might be worth a try before paying out lots of dosh. But if you have insurance with someone like Servicecare, then use them. It's what you pay for.

[The Builder]

There's more going on here than any amount of chemical can fix, Wolfie. I agree with Giz here. A camera would be a sensible idea. You're one floor up. The problem may be down below at the foot of the drain. Your recent roddings may well have just disturbed things enough to give a temporary solution. We just don't know. A camera should certainly give some indication.

My instinct is that the problem lies within the layout of your bathroom drainage though. I certainly don't like the sound of WC contents coming up through the shower tray.

Easy for me to say, but if I were tackling it, I would have to be quite ruthless and get behind the 'boxing-in' to investigate the layout of the connections (bath/shower/basin/WC) to the soil stack (vertical 110mm pipe that runs down to the main drain.)

Disruptive, but at least it should get to the bottom of it.

 

[Tilly2]

...so to speak!

[wolf63]

I'm still thinking about what to do.  I will get back with an update when I actually do something.

I had the shower running this morning and there were no glugging noises.