Hole in soil pipe, would this cause a slow flush?

[AP3]

Hey Everyone,

I think/thought that I had a blocked toilet. Filled up the bowl and drained away slowly. I went at it with a plunger to no avail.

The toilet is upstairs, and afterward I went downstairs (to look at getting a better plunger) to find stinky water coming through the downstairs bathroom ceiling!

A bit of investigation later, I found that the soil pipe above the downstairs bathroom has a hole in it:

You can see a gouge leading up to the hole, so I assume that it was damaged at some point, and has now given in.

My question is, would a hole in this pipe cause the slow flushing, or is this a red herring, and is the toilet blocked?

I'm going to get some epoxy putty to patch it until I can get someone more competent than myself to replace the bend. Are these fittings usually glued or push fit?

Cheers,
Andy

 

[denso13]

My question is, would a hole in this pipe cause the slow flushing

No, wouldn't cause that.

Are these fittings usually glued or push fit?

Usually push fit, but can be either.

 

[AP3]

Thanks, I thought as much!

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Afraid you've a Solvent Welded bend there, but you may be lucky, and be able to repair that damage. Clean the surrounding area, and roughen the surface with Glasspaper to provide a decent key, then glue a piece of PVC over the hole.

Otherwise, replacing the bend will be the only option, which will also mean cutting it out above and below, then making good the gap.

 

[AP3]

Thanks Hugh. I don't think there's enough pipe below it to cut it out, easily at last.

I can't help thinking about the toilet backing up and then draining slowly. Would it not cause a break in the siphon effect of flushing the toilet by admitting air?

 

[denso13]

Would it not cause a break in the siphon effect of flushing the toilet by admitting air?

An open vent admits air all the time anyway, there is no siphon effect on normal toilets.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Thanks Hugh. I don't think there's enough pipe below it to cut it out, easily at last.

I can't help thinking about the toilet backing up and then draining slowly. Would it not cause a break in the siphon effect of flushing the toilet by admitting air?

Ah, well that's going to make replacing it slightly more fun, hope the repair method will prove satisfactory.

Toilet backing up and draining slowly is a sign of a Blockage downstream. The Stack into which this WC goes, do you know if it's terminated at the top externally as an open vent or internally with an Air Admittance Valve? If the Latter then I would be looking outside for any Inspection Chambers, lift the cover and see if there's any signs of a problem....

 

[AP3]

All the other toilets are fine (there are 4 in total), so I'm assuming it's internal. The stack is external and vented at the top.

 

[Daveydub]

That hole has probably been there for a while and only leaking now because of the blockage. Mend the hole and you may clear it with a plunger or a mop with a plastic bag over it.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

All the other toilets are fine (there are 4 in total), so I'm assuming it's internal. The stack is external and vented at the top.

That should simplify matters and mean the issue is in the Pan or not far beyond. I would expect water and waste to be squirting out the hole if the issue was downstream of the damage, if issue is still present, I'd be confident it'll be in the pan or the outlet of the pan.

 

[Madrab]

As suggested - you may get away with repairing that. Get a similar bend and then cut out the same section from the new bend at the same place, that way you should be able to closely match the profile of the pipe at that point so the fit is as tight as possible.

Roughen up both mating surfaces with a rough grade paper, like 60grit, to give a good clean key and then use solvent cement or similar to glue them together

 

[denso13]

Wrap some of this around it, good as new, it's out of sight anyway.

 

[AP3]

Sorry, wrap some of what around it?

 

[denso13]

Sorry, wrap some of what around it?

Oops, https://www.toolstation.com/petro-tape-10m/p72819

 

[AP3]

Brilliant, thanks! I've got some JB Water Weld due for delivery today, so I'll try that first. It that fails I'll try this tape.