Slow draining toilet

Hi there,

Long time since I've been here, hoping for some insight into a problem that's really getting me down. If I can crack this it's not just helping a fellow diyer out but will help with my mental health as I am totally fed up.

I have a cloakroom toilet with basin just to the left side of my kitchen. The toilet drains slowly (the bowl fills up to top then away in around 10 seconds) it seems to be venting through the overflows in the basin and utility room sink. When I plunge with all the overflows sealed the plugs pop and water comes through. When held down the plunging still does not shift anything.

There is a vent at the front and back of the house. Front is unaffected. I went into loft and cut open the vent pipe and it made no difference. Snaked with a 6m snake.

I've snaked the toilet, basin and utility room and kitchen sinks. Full 6m snake in all but the kitchen sink which I can't seem to get past a joint.

So far I am convinced there is a blockage between the kitchen sink and utility room and or cloakroom toilet. The kitchen sink seems unaffected. When you flush upstairs toilet or use the utility or cloakroom sink the toilet bubbles/gurgles

There is a rodding point outside the cloakroom in the path but one of the screws is chewed. Not sure if it's worth drilling it out to get access and also not sure if it's worth it as I believe that there is a blockage between the join between the vent and possibly a smaller drain pipe.

Are there any tests? All pipes are concealed within the walls.

Cheers
Roy

 

Gotta be a blockage between the washing machine and kitchen sink surely? What route does the soil pipe take to the soil stack? Inside or outside the house?

 

Thanks for answering. Everything is internal within the walls. Perhaps I need to try to snake under the kitchen sink again. It just seemed to get stuck. I'm considering trying to get under the house but I would need to remove some flooring

 

I know you mention a ridding point, but are there any manholes available to check?

 

Aldo the house is 1997 build in Scotland. I have no idea how the venting for a cloakroom at the side of the building works.

 

There is a manhole at the front of the building. Scottish water came out and had a quick look with cctv but said there was nothing much wrong (they wouldn't go much further that they needed to as it's not communal) . At least I know the main sewer line is working. The stack at the front of the house is closer to the main drain and no problems at all.

Possibly related I have had sewer rats (brown) in the loft as identified by pest control. I caught one. I believed this could be coming through the stack somehow.

 

I believe there is crouching space under the floors and I can get access as I remember seeing a hatch cut in the cupboard under the stairs. The floating floor could be removed with a little effort if I thought it would be worth investigating under floor

 

Hope this helps, keep us posted, Nige.

 

Thanks Nige. I'll invest in some rods then as I'm sure they will be a worthwhile investment. Do you think the drain pipe could be blocked then rather that a vent or perhaps at a junction?

 

Could you suggest a minimum spec required for the job from screwfix or tool station?

Again, thanks

 

I've found a cheap set made by silver line. They should do for a one off

 

I do think that . And your rods will do fine , just remember ALWAYS turn them clockwise as you pull/push them - or they might unscrew

 

Be wary of these. I owned a set of rolson (very cheap ones) way before I knew about decent brands, and loaned them to someone and he returned it to me snapped.

 

Fingers crossed guys I'll report back. I'm thinking a little bit of duct tape on each join will secure things enough for a wiggle

 

Two available rodding points opened and rodded with full rod length, no difference. One was on rear lawn pointing towards rear stack, the other after the cloakroom toilet pointing to the front drain. When flushing toilets at rear no water appears at main drain at front of building. When toilet on front stack is flushed water flows freely through main drain.