Soil Pipe Problem

[RussellS]

Hi, I hope someone can help me here.

We moved into a new house last October and we have just started having a problem with the downstairs toilet/shower room. The shower has started to not drain very well and when the toilet is flushed the shower drain gurgles. The toilet pipe goes straight through the wall and into the outside soil pipe shown below. The shower pipe runs under the bathroom floor about 2m and then through the wall and into the same soil pipe (bottom pipe in picture). The middle pipe comes from the bathroom sink.

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If I unscrew the inspection cover from the top of the soil pipe everything works fine - no gurgling and the shower drains perfectly. Therefore I assume my problem is being caused by a vacuum in the soil pipe although why it has been fine until now is a mystery (to me anyway).

At first I thought I could just fit an air admittence valve to the top of the pipe but after a little research it appears that these should not be fitted externally. It also appears that the soil pipe should extend up above the roof line and then left open.

If anyone could advise me on this I would be grateful.

Many thanks

Edit: I forgot to mention that there is another soil pipe further along the same wall serving the upstairs bathroom that is extended above the roof line and open at the top.

 

[Bosswhite]

Do you have a second toilet/bathroom in the property which is connected to a Soil and vent pipe , vented above roof level , it may be tee`d off to the above soil pipe . ?

 

[RussellS]

Yes, there is another soil pipe further along the same wall of the house that serves the upstairs bathroom and does extend above the roof line and is open at the top. This then goes underground and presumably connects to the same underground pipe as the first one. The two are only a few meters apart but there is a chimney between then which I assume is why they couldn't be connected to one pipe above ground.

 

[Bosswhite]

Check where the two soil pipes meet (Inspection Cover) possible blockage, also check which way the drain flows (from open vent to shower room or vice versa), (shower room to vent pipe.) (inspection cover again)

 

[RussellS]

Thanks Bosswhite, you were absolutely right.

There are two inspection covers, one right next to each soil pipe and they were both full up to only a few inches from the top. I then checked the next one on the drive and that was the same. I then went to the large one on the other side of the drive which is the last one on the property from where it goes to the main drain. This was blocked up also.

So a quick trip to Toolstation to get a set of drain rods (I've got a set somewhere but since the move I can't find anything) and it is all clear now and everything is free flowing. It seemed to be mainly toilet paper blocking it all up.

Many thanks for your help.

 

[RussellS]

Just one other thing, after I cleared the inspection chamber I noticed this and I'm just curious as to what it is:

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It is the threaded pipe on the right hand side that seems to have a cap on the end or maybe it is just the head of a bolt. Anyway, what is it for.

Here is a close up picture of it:

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[Echo the husky]

It is the threaded pipe on the right hand side that seems to have a cap on the end or maybe it is just the head of a bolt.

It's one of these. I don't know why it's there though!

 

[Bosswhite]

As above its a test bung, whoever built the inspection pit could have forgotten it was there,

I cant think of a logical reason why it is there, is there an extension running from the inspection pit elsewhere that is not in use.??
get the original builders in to remove it and examine it with a camera snake, it must be going somewhere and could be blocked.
It may be it was originally going to be another Air Vent and the builders changed their mind so wacked in the test bung instead as a dead end .
The problem is going to be that the rubber/plastic seal will perish in time if that is the case

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

The chamber is made of black plastic, the thin strip of orange visible indicates to me a pipe has been inserted into that blocked off socket. Odd, but as said, remove the bung before it does come free and lodges elsewhere. If it gets stuck halfway along the next run you'll have fun getting it out.

The line then needs tracing once opened up, if not in use then a proper permanent cap should be fitted, even if excavation is required to do so, or rats may find it a useful exit....