Best way to unblock bath waste drainage pipe?any tips please

[and1c]

ok guys.
Ive been renovating this house for the last 12 months (what a PITA) but anyway Ive just tarted the bathroom up as I've now moved in.

I noticed straight away that the bath drains off really slowly and after a bit of investigating can clearly see what can only be described as 'orrible gunk down the bath waste pipe.

I tried a plunger on it tonight for a good 10 minutes but its not budging! After some plunging I did start to hear water gurgling and for a moment I thought I had cracked it! but no. Once i ran the bath and tested it, it seems as blocked as ever.

The sink seems to be tapped into the same drainage pipe as when I ran the sink I could hear the bath gurgle!!

Anyway, can anyone give me any nuggets of advice on how I can fix this? cheaply if possible (I did think of a rod plunger type method but Im not sure if this would dislodge the blockage further down the pipes!)

Also, I dont 'think' the external soil pipe is back vented if I understand the meaning of this correctly. The soil pipe comes straight out of the bathroom and down into the ground...whereas my neighbours goes up to the roofline and has a nice little vent assembly at the top.

Am I correct in thinking this stops the traps being pulled to drain?
I read about a Hep V O waste valve being used instead but I have no idea what that is!!

All advice gratefully appreciated

 

[EliteHeat]

I'm no expert on drainage, but why not just cut out all of the old 40mm plastic and replace it? it's not expensive.

HepVo is a waterless seal that replaces a traditional trap and is (probably) nothing to do with your problem.

As to the other bit, the soil pipe must be vented. Sometimes there is an internal air admittance valve - which I believe are prone to becoming stuck.

I'm sure that someone who knows more will be along soon to help you out!

 

[and1c]

I'm no expert on drainage, but why not just cut out all of the old 40mm plastic and replace it? it's not expensive.

HepVo is a waterless seal that replaces a traditional trap and is (probably) nothing to do with your problem.

As to the other bit, the soil pipe must be vented. Sometimes there is an internal air admittance valve - which I believe are prone to becoming stuck.

I'm sure that someone who knows more will be along soon to help you out!

Hmm, thanks for the info mate.
I was trying to avoid having to take the bath sides off as I had to make new custom bath panels and they will be a major pain to remove.
With that said it looks like Im going to have to

Im just not sure if there is also a blockage further downstream because after I plunged it I could hear trickling water (as if the bath was still draining) permanently. Im not sure what, if anything this means but I have not had it before!!

 

[EliteHeat]

Hold on, you've been renovating this house for 12 months but don't want to take a bath panel off? what exactly do you mean by renovating?

Hang on a minute! you're not one of those scottish blokes off TV who think that adding a vase of dried twigs to a house after all the workman have left is what actually sells the house are you?

 

[and1c]

Hold on, you've been renovating this house for 12 months but don't want to take a bath panel off? what exactly do you mean by renovating?

Hang on a minute! you're not one of those scottish blokes off TV who think that adding a vase of dried twigs to a house after all the workman have left is what actually sells the house are you?

very good
No, what I meant is after renovating it for 12 months... I cant be bothered to take the bath panel out Because its wooden panelling and there are about 50 screws to remove..and the bathroom was MEANT TO BE FINISHED BY NOW!
But tis done now... going to replace the plastic pipe and see if that cures it.

By renovation I mean back to bricks in every single room, all windows out replaced with upvc, damp proofing, two storey extension (2 rooms, 1 per storey), complete rewire to the whole house, complete new central heating system and all new rads and pipework.....which is not that much compared to some but has been done on a budget, and with a bloody slim workforce!

But Im sick of this house now and my enthusiasm is waning

 

[Dan Robinson]

Perhaps an access panel would have been a good idea?!

How could you have renovated a house and then found the drains blocked at the END?


Still - maybe next time

 

[and1c]

Perhaps an access panel would have been a good idea?!

How could you have renovated a house and then found the drains blocked at the END?


Still - maybe next time

with hindsight

Yes! an access panel would have been a good plan


and the drains ARENT blocked
but the bath waste pipe is!
The sink empties like a volcanic whirlpool and if I fill it up, plug out and turn on the taps it doesnt back up so Im confident that its not a problem in the main pipes

 

[tryitandsee]

I know exactly how you feel, it becomes yet another job to sort out.

Have you tried caustic soda and boiling water, be careful. as fantastic 'fireworks' when boiling water poured on.

Another thought, can you access the pipe from outside, cut it, push garden hose in and flush, replace with push fit (at cut) so you can access it again in future.

I had the same problem once before, but it was an old bath trap onto lead, no amount of plunging, caustic soda headaches would shift it. It turned out to be the small access drain off screw protruding into trap that was catching all the hair, junk etc. Apart from cutting all the kids hair off, I had to replace trap in the end.

Keep your spirits up, from what you have described re renovations, you have done bl..dy well

 

[petetheleak]

Get along to your local plumbers merchants and ask 4 a bottle of 1 shot drain cleaner or similar .For about £6 its worth trying 1st.
Follow safety instructions cause its powerfull stuff, smear some grease or similar on your metal plug hole sometimes can etch the metal.

 

[and1c]

I know exactly how you feel, it becomes yet another job to sort out.

Have you tried caustic soda and boiling water, be careful. as fantastic 'fireworks' when boiling water poured on.

Another thought, can you access the pipe from outside, cut it, push garden hose in and flush, replace with push fit (at cut) so you can access it again in future.

I had the same problem once before, but it was an old bath trap onto lead, no amount of plunging, caustic soda headaches would shift it. It turned out to be the small access drain off screw protruding into trap that was catching all the hair, junk etc. Apart from cutting all the kids hair off, I had to replace trap in the end.

Keep your spirits up, from what you have described re renovations, you have done bl..dy well

thanks mate.
I'm going to try some of this industrial drain cleaner and see if that shifts it first.
After getting a look under the bathlooks like an old lead pipe disappearing under the floor at a mighty shallow angle (its certainly not upvc!)

Meaning to get to it to replace Im going to have to take the bath out and the floor up.
That isnt going to happen if I can avoid it
so if the unblocker stuff doesnt work I think I will try your idea of accessing the pipe from outside the house and using some rods to try and unblock it!

petetheleak

thanks also.
Im getting hold of some of that today and will give it a whirl and report back!

 

[bobthebender]

Pour a kettle of boiling water down bath waste then add some caustic soda and quickly stand back before it bubbles up and gets you.
leave it alone and it will eat through the blockage.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Kiss goodbye to the stainless steel plug hole then...

 

[and1c]

Well. I bought some of that Domestos sink and plughole unblocker to see if that would clear this damned blockage.

It smells like mighty mighty strong bleach

Anyway, I followed the prescribed instructions...left it a fair bit longer than the prescribed 30 minutes...and...

bingo.

It only bloomin worked

bath now drains 100% as it should.

Well chuffed and £6 well spent!

thanks for the advice to those who offered help on this problem