Lavatory waste wants to stay in pan

[JBR]

I hesitated to join in this discussion, but I too have a problem with flushing away my poo.
Personally, I put it down to these EU mini-water tanks. I usually have to flush twice and sometimes three or more times.
Of course, it could be something to do with diet. If the poo contains a large proportion of fat, for example, it might prefer to float rather than sink.

 

[Bod ...]

Could a durgo valve be stuck? Or a bird nesting on the soil and vent pipe.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Same problem here too, affecting both upstairs and ground floor toilet, identical models and it has been the same for 40 years since they were installed and quite large tanks. There is no increase in level as they are flushed, so back pressure, they are just poor flushers. Simple fix, is a 1L jug kept to hand, full of cold water, which is poured in at the same time as flushing - works every time.

The only problem was 20 years ago, when the upstairs one began to back up due to a blockage. The blockage which I discovered, was a piece of broken caste iron pipe, likely dropped down when the cast pipes were replaced with plastic, 20 years before.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Diet also plays a part, peoples eating habits change through the seasons, and it makes a difference to what is 'produced'. Working in the Water Industry, and talking to colleagues on Sewage Treatment operations, they've said sludge production is down currently, simply due to incoming sewage containing less solids.

 

[Jackrae]

If your turd is long and won't bend then it cannot 'travel'. Ocassionally I've ended up dropping a bucket full of water into the pan whereby the Newtonian forces of a mass of water overcome the non-Newtonian characteristics of what's stuck

 

[Alec_t]

A massive dump that won't shift.

A bucket of water emptied quickly down the pan is almost guaranteeed to shift the most stubborn offender.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

This is where the old style 'High Level' cisterns came into their own. The flush was like a Tsunami, and so devastatingly effective, nothing stood a chance.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

This is where the old style 'High Level' cisterns came into their own. The flush was like a Tsunami, and so devastatingly effective, nothing stood a chance.

Fashion over function, although I would have thought a modern version of high level would have been a very sensible idea - up at a high level, allowing the pan to be fitted closer to the wall and a better flush. It would just need a longer remote control.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Fashion over function, although I would have thought a modern version of high level would have been a very sensible idea - up at a high level, allowing the pan to be fitted closer to the wall and a better flush. It would just need a longer remote control.

Absolutely, with the requirement for aesthetics cistern could be concealed in a suitable position and only the pan need be visible. Although some seem to be taking concealed cisterns to the extreme...

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Absolutely, with the requirement for aesthetics cistern could be concealed in a suitable position and only the pan need be visible. Although some seem to be taking concealed cisterns to the extreme...

 

[RandomGrinch]

This is where the old style 'High Level' cisterns came into their own. The flush was like a Tsunami, and so devastatingly effective, nothing stood a chance.

...this sort of reminds me of a building I used to work at...

An organisation acquired a 10 storey office block and carried out a small refurb to get it fit for use. To save money on maintenance, ongoing servicing and legionella treatment, they decommissioned the large, pumped cold water storage tank on the roof.
It was only when the building was fully occupied, several months later, that it was discovered that five stories of toilets couldn't be flushed properly!
I believe at great cost, all of the toilets were converted to a vacuum waste system soon afterwards!

 

[Lucky Luke]

Thanks for clarifying. From that it is unlikely you have a blockage, more the flush isn't powerful enough to clear the pan. The WC is circa 30 years old, do you know if it is still using the original siphon?

Hugh, the entire syphon was replaced about 17 years ago. The problem seems to have gone now, I'm glad to say. (And, with reference to other contributors' questions, my diet has not changed in the slightest —it's been exactly the same for years). More than being concerned, now, I'm just puzzled.
L.L.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Hugh, the entire syphon was replaced about 17 years ago.

Might be time to think about changing it again, given whats happening. Slight air leak may be enough to reduce the effectiveness of the unit, resulting in a slightly less powerful flush, which is in turn causing the issue you describe.

 

[JBR]

This is where the old style 'High Level' cisterns came into their own. The flush was like a Tsunami, and so devastatingly effective, nothing stood a chance.

Yes indeed. I remember wen ah wer a lad having an outside toilet with such a cistern. Never a problem flushing away the strongest opposition, though the drawback was a freezing cold bottom in the winter.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Yes indeed. I remember wen ah wer a lad having an outside toilet with such a cistern. Never a problem flushing away the strongest opposition, though the drawback was a freezing cold bottom in the winter.

Grandparents in Birmingham had one, they didn't get an inside Loo until the early 80's. Used to keep an old Chamberpot under the bed when we stayed as kids rather than go all the way through the house and outside during the night. (Still swear blind the Landing Floor sloped too, Mum says it probably did...) They always had Izal toilet paper in there too, as it didn't go damp. By god that was rough on your ar$e.