Bubbling toilet and sink drainage problem.

[freddiecider]

we have recently had a new bathroom fitted. Since the fitting we keep having the same problem in that the toliet blocks easily with water rising very high then eventually draining away. It doesn't at seem to take more than one or two small sheets of toilet paper. The toilet and sink is a combination unit ( previously we had a separate toilet and sink). The sink doesn't drain well and only drains slowly. I notice that the water often appears to drain into the toilet and it makes a loud gurgling noise when it does so. This then causes bubbles in the toilet.

We have never had problems of this kind before in the 20 years of living in the house . We've had more problems since the new fitting than ever.

We have bought various gadgets to attempt to clear it including a toilet plunger but nothing has worked. When it first happened, the fitters came out and took the unit off and said they found something had been flushed down and blocked the system. it appeared to be temporarily cleared but the problem has recurred.

wish we had our old system back!!!

 

[terryplumb]

You have a partial blockage in the drainage set up. Time to get in a pro.

 

[freddiecider]

Thanks for the reply .

The bathroom was only done two months ago. Why would it have only caused the issues since then or is it bad luck?

Do you mean drainage set up of the new bathroom or a wider issue?

Bath and shower in that room are fine. Other en suite bathroom is working fine. All other sinks and downstairs toilet is fine .

 

[terryplumb]

Depends on the layout of your drainage system Freddie. Maybe just a section / branch where your problematic WC expels into. Maybe you have more than one vertical stack . its possible that your new installation is in some way responsible or just coincidence.

 

[freddiecider]

Line goes.......

Toilet (left) , sink (middle) , bath (right) . Soil stack (right) . This stack goes down into kitchen where everything appears to be fine. Checked drains outside which appear to be clear

These are all along the back wall with the toilet and sink being part of a combined unit. Positions were similar in previous configuration although toilet / sink were separate before.....

No problems with bath....

 

[terryplumb]

Can you post a pic ? From description , you must have a soil pipe ( around 4 inch diameter ) running horizontally from toilet to vertical stack ,either above or below floor level ,which is partially blocked ,before the bath etc .

 

[freddiecider]

Many thanks for your help . Yes your interpretation of our configuration is correct.

 

[terryplumb]

Cheers ,as said earlier I think there is a restriction between WC and bath . you really need to get the people back to resolve the issue. You indicated that they found a blockage on previous visit , what exactly did they find ? Did they install the horizontal waste pipe ,or re position it at all ( below floor maybe ) its sounding more like an installation problem to me.

 

[freddiecider]

Thank you.

When it first occurred they came back and took the toilet off etc. They then said they found kitchen roll in the toilet waste pipe towards the bath by the stack. We dispute this to be honest but it is hard to prove as there was a kitchen roll in the bathroom when it was first completed which my husband had been using to wipe the shower down. He's certain he never put any down the toilet. We haven't had any kitchen roll near the bathroom since.

Even since this problem has been ongoing. We are rarely using the toilet and certainly not putting any toilet roll down in fear of a worse blockage. We do flush it from time to time and use the sink.

They are sure that it is nothing to do with installation. They are charging us if we want them to come back and look again. Other plumbers aren't interested in sorting it as they say the original plumbers should sort it out!!

 

[terryplumb]

Could anything else have gone down ? Those hook on plastic things with a block of soap that people hang over the w.c rim. Baby wipes ,young kids or teenagers who might be responsible ? I once went to a call out from a tenant of mine who's toilet and bathroom basin were showing exactly the problem you have ,about 6 months after they moved in. I had completely ripped out and re furbished the bathroom prior to them moving in as first tenants and I had replumbed the entire house. Found a dish cloth in the soil pipe ,that could only have got there via the WC pan. They swore blind it was nothing to do with them !!!

 

[freddiecider]

Hmmmm!

The problem first occurred very quickly after installation. Not a lot is in the bathroom at all really as we haven't been properly using it. It's mainly my 14 year old son who uses it and he doesn't really use much other than a Nivea face wash and a sponge! No soap on string or anything like that in there at all. Daughter has en suite which is fine . No young children

Only feasible thought is perhaps the kitchen roll if there was more than they had originally found. I suppose it was 'possible' .

Thing is, if is already been removed and taken apart once , wouldn't this have been found then? I'm certain it wouldn't have been used after that which therein lies my dilemma ......

What would you suggest is the best solution? Them coming back and taking everything apart again? What if the problem recurs after then?

Would there be any point in us getting one of those coil type things to send down ?

 

[terryplumb]

I would ask them back. If its nothing to do with them they are perfectly entitled to be paid. And you are entitled to an explanation ,once they have examined the pipework ,of their findings as to what's causing the blockage. I wouldn't try to tackle it yourself.

Edit... Asked a question earlier ,re horizontal soil pipe . is it above floor or below ,and was this altered / changed in any way by fitters ?

 

[freddiecider]

I have no problem in paying if it is our fault. However, as I'm not an expert with it all , I am concerned that I won't know if it is my fault or not when they do come out and look! Also, if they have attempted to solve the issue before which seemed to solve it for a brief week or so , what if the same occurs again and again.

I'm not sure about the horizontal soil pipe. I'm thinking it would be above the floorboards as I'm not aware that they took any up. Will this make a difference? I'm presuming this would run below the cupboard of the vanity? Could it be that the 'fall' of this is not right?

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!

 

[terryplumb]

From pic and what you have advised the vertical stack is to the right of the bath . so the w.c must be at least 2.2 metres away ,and it doesnt appear to me that there would be sufficient fall on the pipe to clear the underneath of the vanity unit. So I think it is below floor level . if the fitters did not lift any flooring ,then they can't have done any work on that pipe run. They could only fit your new w c pan / pan connector into the existing branch pipe. So unless they dropped something physically into the pipe ,inadvertantly maybe , then they haven't made any relevant change to the pipework in question . when they came and found the " kitchen roll" , I assume they removed the WC pan. Which would only give them a limited view Into the soil pipe , as there had to be a right hand bend to take it toward the bath , unless they had a drain camera that they sent thru , did they ? Did they run drain rods into the pipework ? What exactly did they do ?I would raise the question ...at what point downstream from the WC did they find the kitchen roll ? If close to the wc ,there may have been more further down. Did they charge you for that visit ? If they didn't ,then they are to be commended , as many would charge you for sorting out something that they did not cause. Without sight of all your waste pipework and connections to it ,one is somewhat working in the dark with very limited info. There is no substitute for being on site. Give them another shot to sort it out ,take pics of pipework they expose ,if you can ,for future reference. And if you have further problems after that cross that bridge if and when you come to it.

 

[freddiecider]

Hi.
They took the whole unit off including toilet and sink. They used drain roads but definitely no camera. They said that they found the kitchen roll near to the stack pipe to the right of the bath.

They are going to come out an look again this week.

I will take photographs as we go.