the loo

[Kassee]

My loo has been playing up for some time. It has not been flushing properly, my son broke part of the inside cystern off whilst trying to mend it and then turned the water off.

So for two/three months we were pulling saucepans of water down to flush the loo.

Now I've had someone out to put in new parts in the cystern. But its still not working right. The water seems to fill almost up to the brim of the toilet each time it flushes and it takes loads of flushes to clear the loo.

Could it be blocked - and if so - how would I go about unblocking it. By the way it is a fairly new installed bathroom suite - only about 5 years old. Thanks

[puternut]

Call the workman back as he obviously hasnt fitted the parts to the flush mechanism right.

If the cistern is filling too much than the height of the ball valve needs adjusting too but this shouldnt affect the flushing mechanism.

[EDDIE51]

Yes that is what happens when you have a blocked toilet, it needs clearing.

[puternut]

Apologies - did not read OP correct. DOH

[Kassee]

Thanks all - I live in a detached bungalow, and there doesn't appear to be an outside blockage, as the pipes lead across my back garden and down the sideway to the road - and there not blocked. Could it be blocked in side somehow, not far from the loo - my son thinks its due to the way we were flushing the loo for so long - with a saucepan of water - could that be right. It doesn't smell at all either.

Is there nothing like Mr Muscle drain unblocker that I could pour down the loo. thanks

[Kassee]

Also we dont have another loo - it is only loo in downstairs bungalow - pipe goes across back outside bathroom and then down the drive. Three other bungalow pipes lead across to my back - and they all go down my drive, but there appears to be no blockage on the outside anyhow.

[Kassee]

could we push drain rods down the loo ??

[tonyav]

You can buy drain cleaning products from most diy shops ( B and Q etc ) they usually contain caustic soda.

[EDDIE51]

You could use drain rods, as you say using pans of water is not enough to flush it fully , probably a load of paper jammed up just after the U bend.

[jno]

an ordinary "plumber's friend" might do to start with, if you have one

http://worshipfan.fil...08/09/cup_plunger.jpg

[starone]

Excuse me interrupting, just wanted to thank Eddie for his tip on vinegar for cleaning my stainless steel sink and drainer. It is now gleaming. His suggestion for what is blocking the loo is probably right too. Brilliant.

[EDDIE51]

Thanks starbuck vinegar is great for cleaning windows to, just put a bit on crumpled up old newspaper.

[chrissa1]

My house, (rented) suffered from this in the little downstairs loo under the stairs just after I moved in. My landlady got her "handyman" and he took up the drain cover in the garage.
It was completely blocked and backed up to within 2 inches of the rim. He cleared the drain with his rods.

My landlady's MIL who was 93 when she moved out obviously hadn't had her drains checked in years. It solved the problem.

[Kassee]

would a "plumber friend" flush it out - or bring it all in and over the floor - thats what it does with the sink

[commoner]

Used properly the plunger should push it out but you'll just have to suck it and see as they say....UGH! not literally might I add!

[The Builder]

I think I can put my finger on this, Kassee ........... as it were ;o)
It sounds as though your drain runs are clear if you've had a look in the manholes etc. You'll find the blockage is just a few inches from the WC pan. Most pans have a 90 degree pan connector on them.............. then, quite often another 90 degree bend to connect to a soil stack. It's those tight initial bends where a blockage usually builds up after flushing with a cistern that isn't working properly.

Too much information Alert!!!
A flushing mechanism is quite low-tech, but also critical in the way it clears a pan with a small amount of water.
The first thing I would try would be Methyl's "big plunger". I know I've said this before, but it's like the rubber thing on the end of a Dalek's arm ;o)

Shove it right into the bottom of the pan and pull with some gusto. In other words .............. give it some ...........

[The Builder]

Oh........... and refresh your cistern with one of these ..........

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p37186

and one of these ............

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p42876

[alavahalf]

If you dont want to go spending money on a large plunger, another alternative is... get your mop, supposing you already have one. Cover the mop head with a carrier bag and secure it to the handle with tape... and then try plunging using the mop.
As methyl has already stated some wise words ( "spectacularly foolish") about using a plunger... Beware.