New WC blocked already

[bruce_phipps]

I installed a new bathroom a couple of months ago. 70s bungalow. Right from the start, I noticed that the WC sometimes required 2 flushes to clear toilet paper. The new WC pan is smaller the old model and the cistern is smaller. The WC is now partially blocked, following a toilet paper flush. Symptoms: The water rises high in the pan, almost to overflow, then drops slowly to normal volume. What I've tried:

• Hand round the bend. All clear. Nothing within reach. The bend is very tight.

• Dump a bucket of water in.

• Use a mop. I get a decent "pop" when I remove the mop but nothing comes out. Maybe I should persevere?

• Hose pipe. I shoved a length of hose pipe round the bend. It went about 18 inch then met a solid obstruction. I think the obstruction was actually the waste pipe, not any compacted toilet paper + waste (no debris was returned with the hose pipe).

Any ideas? The blockage must be in the WC area, I reckon. Why should my outside waste suddenly block up?

Thanks Bruce

[George]

This house I'm in, when moving in it had one o those continental jobbies in(all in one very low cistern) and it was doing exactly what you're describing,after much frustion in clearing blockages I decide to change the loo and cistern.

That solved it.

Don't know whether thats the case of yours though?

[bruce_phipps]

I suspect it may be a common problem with modern WCs. They are more compact and have smaller flush volumes. How I miss my beige coloured 1970s Armitage Shanks WC! Bruce

[The Natural Philosopher]

Shove some caustic down it.

[bruce_phipps]

Thanks. I'll buy a plunger and give it a go with that first.

bruce

[4square]

I refitted our bathroom a few years ago, with a complete suite from B & Q. This included a close-coupled WC, and it has never been as efficient as the old one, which was the usual 70's pattern, low- level cistern with a flush pipe about a foot long, IIRC. I have thought, there must be a British Standard for such things, and mine is probably below it! Also with the new one, the cistern syphon is one - piece, so if the plastic washer in the lifting part fails, the cistern and pan have to be seperated to remove the syphon to get at the washer. The old one had a syphon with a joint in it, it came apart for maintenance. Such is progress!

[David in Normandy]

Have to agree there. The old fashioned toilets with the tank high above the toilet never suffered from that problem. I need to invest in a couple of new wc's as part of our renovations. It seems that in the interests of economising water usage that efficiency has gone out of the window with some designs. On my last visit to the plumbers merchant the manager was saying the same thing and actually advised against buying a couple of the toilet designs they had on display due to "poor evacuation".

[bruce_phipps]

A good description of the problem.

Bruce

[David in Normandy]

Those were the actual words of the manager of the plumber's merchant, quite apt. It shows that you can't just buy a toilet that looks "nice" nowadays without consideration of whether they actually work properly.

Unfortunately you don't get chance to try them out in the store before buying :-)

[Huge]

Well, you could...

But don't expect to be a customer for very long.

[RobertL]

My 2.5 year old daughter tried to flush every loo in our local hombase at the weekend saying "no fush" after each one and shaking her head sadly.

R

[Andy Hall]

I did see a little girl do just that in B&Q once. She even pulled the handle to flush it and was most perplexed when nothing happened.

[robgraham]

And then there's the low flush for a pee variety !! The trouble there is that most old drains rely on the continual traditional amount of flush to get the 'evacuation' all the way to the system. After 6 months of low flushing, our drains blocked solid and there had to be digging session to get into them and clear the blockage - old drains typically also lack rodding points !!

So don't install low flush loos onto old drains !

Rob

[Dave Liquorice]

Also been know to happen in prop toilets on TV sets. Thats was female as well, seat down, loo paper in bowl... What is it with women, don't they look where they are going to plonk their bum?

[Dave Liquorice]

I find this rather annoying as well. I've seen enough modern loos that don't flush well, either throug lack of evacuation or not washing the bowl down all the way round to want to see how any prosective new loo does actually flush.

I believe there is a British Standard turd that makes should be designing to clear in a single flush.

[Andy Hall]

Cling film tightly and carefully located over the porcelain and then the seat put down (as they always want) works well as an education.

[David Hansen]

On Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:38:13 +0000 (GMT) someone who may be "Dave Liquorice" wrote this:-

In the House of Lords, at least a decade ago, they were discussing the subject and one of the bods asked what tests were performed on toilets. One of them got up and explained the ball of newspaper and sawdust tests, which I hope are self-explanatory in this group.

I doubt if anyone in the House of Commons, then and especially now, would know such details. I have thought much more highly of the House of Lords compared to the other place ever since.

[John]

of fall, etc).

[Bob Mannix]

Favourite joke but worth repeating:

"Did you hear about the member of the House of Lords who dreamed he was making a speech in the House... ...who woke up and found he was"

[Andy Champ]

I saw a video clip of a Japanese test once. They used modelling clay mixed with expanded polystyrene, in eye-wateringly large bits. Much better model than newspaper.

Andy