Toilet problem - cistern fault or blockage?

Gille · 8 Aug 2006

Hello, I have a intermittent fault with the flush on my toilet. The toilet
is newish, fitted about 12 months back with the rest of the bathroom suite.
What is happening is that when you flush it does not always take all of the
waste away or you find after the flush it leaves bits of mashed toilet
paper in the pan. This has been ongoing for a few months but recently there
has been a few occasions when the water in the pan has filled up to the rim
of the toilet after the flush and then slowly drained away. This is clean
water not waste backing up. I have had my hand down the toilet and also fed
some hose down the toilet into the soil stack to see if there is a blockage
but there does not appear to be one. Before I call for a plumber can anyone
suggest anything?

tincup · 8 Aug 2006

Hi

Probably blockage.

How far does the waste pipe travel before it meets the soil stack?
What fall do you have on the waste pipe?

Hope this helps

Gille · 23 Aug 2006

Hello all, help still needed. I had a plumber out the other day who cut into the soil stack, checked the bend from the toilet to the stack and checked the actual toilet. There was no obvious blockage other than a small amount of a paper in the waste pipe at the back of the toilet, nothing in the stack, all clear. I thought everything would be ok but this evening the problem has started again. Each time I flush, even with no waste or paper in the toilet, it is filling to the rim and then running away slowly. This is a mystery. Has anyone any thoughts before I call the plumber back. I am starting to think I have a badly designed toilet, is this possible?

Agile · 23 Aug 2006

You have looked at the toilet end but apparently not at the outlet direction.

It sounds as if the drain is backing up for some reason. This could be 10 m or even 100 m away from your toilet.

Any corrolation with wet weather?

Tony

ChrisR · 23 Aug 2006

Not clearing the necessary, is the bain of modern bad pan design. SOme pans are just awful - even some expensive ones.
Filling to the rim certainly indicates a blockage though.

Gille · 23 Aug 2006

I have had this problem in both wet and dry weather, it was happening back in July during the very hot weather. I am diy and not a plumber so excuse me if I ask some daft questions. I have just been outside while the wife flushed and the water sounds like it's travelling down the waste stack ok (plastic stack) but the toilet bowel is still filling to the rim and running away slowly. What angle should the waste pipe at the back of the toilet be at? I presume not straight but on a slight angle away from the toilet.

bster · 23 Aug 2006

is it a syphonic pan?

Agile · 23 Aug 2006

Fall should be 1:40 which is quite gentle.

Tony

Gille · 23 Aug 2006

what is a syphonic pan?

Gille · 23 Aug 2006

Sorry daft question I think the toilet is a flush down, the water is not sucked out. Anymore thoughts?

ChrisR · 23 Aug 2006

The fall at the back of the pan should be steeper, traditionally 14º, which is about 1 in 4.
Fortot about siphonic pans - mutter mutter little washer mutter - have a google!

Nige F · 24 Aug 2006

Not old enough to be syphonic

Plobabry a Tlomas Clapper Thrunderbox

bster · 24 Aug 2006

Not old enough to be syphonic

you never know what people have fitted, may have been a 'new' recon syphonic WC in an old colour to match existing suite etc....

JohnD · 24 Aug 2006

I like syphonics!

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Toilet problem - cistern fault or blockage?

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