Onoff Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 The upstairs en suite has a blockage! Not really been right since the cess pool needed emptying and backed up. Water will eventually drain but not paper. Tbh the 110 soil runs in the loft are a bit ad hoc, modded as I've been doing the new downstairs bathroom. WC waste comes straight thru from the en suite into the loft hip end on the left of the picture. Theres an AAV just out of picture. Comes across in the grey at a few degrees slope. Drops and turns thru 90deg through the two branch arrangement to the right: Then straight along at a few degrees slope again: Out the eaves at the end and straight down the wall. Pretty sure the blockage is in the near horizontal runs or that double branch arrangement. Was going to try a cup of washing up liquid down the pan first followed by a bucket of hot water down the pan. If things don't shift I've just bought a bath bomb for some fizzy, effervescent, sh!t shifting action! Was tempted to remove the AAV and drop it into the run there i.e after the wc trap. Slightly worried it might force the joints apart! Any suggestions? Ta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 In the past I've found that sodium hydroxide usually clears anything pretty well. Make up a really strong, hot, solution and pour it carefully into the pan, ensuring there's enough to flow down to the blockage (a bucketful will do). Leave it for an hour or so to do its thing, then flush several times to clear everything out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 You have two capped off sections there, have you not opened them up for a bit of turd watching. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: You have two capped off sections there, have you not opened them up for a bit of turd watching. Just done so...pictures to follow! ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 15 minutes ago, Russell griffiths said: You have two capped off sections there, have you not opened them up for a bit of turd watching. Be better than watching dancing on Ice later on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 10 minutes ago, Declan52 said: Be better than watching dancing on Ice later on. @Onoff performing La Fontaine de Merde... Pre flushing I could take the lower cap out and see that pipe going off to the left, the lower, flatter one was blocked up. Post flushing and the level rises to as shown below. In the absence of any sodium hydroxide I've thrown a cup of car shampoo in, hopefully to soften things up a bit and maybe cut through some fats. When it goes down I'm going to drop this in and get SWMBO to tip a bucket of hot down the pan whilst I hang on for dear life to these push fit joints. SDS bits I've just noticed could come in handy! ? Gotta have date nights like this to keep the romance alive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 It's now had 1 cup car shampoo, 1kg of soda crystals and a bath bomb dropped down the upper cap as above. Followed by a bucket of hot down the pan. No movement as yet. Not much fizzing either. Maybe I'll hear a big WHOOSH in the middle of the night! Interestingly and I presume its correct but as I push in / take out the cap the AAV click-clacks. Failing that I'll get some sodium hydroxide tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 “. No movement as yet. Not much fizzing either. Maybe I'll hear a big WHOOSH in the middle of the night!” - this your romance night then ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 32 minutes ago, pocster said: “. No movement as yet. Not much fizzing either. Maybe I'll hear a big WHOOSH in the middle of the night!” - this your romance night then ??? Just to get the party started I've added a cup of vinegar from the Christmas pickled onions, one of Diet Coke and a cup of baking powder! Treat 'em right is my motto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiehamy Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Kept for such times! Used it once on shower waste, cleared no bother and problems never returned! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 5, 2020 Author Share Posted January 5, 2020 3 minutes ago, jamiehamy said: Kept for such times! Used it once on shower waste, cleared no bother and problems never returned! I've reserved one at Homebase. Collecting tomorrow. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan52 Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 13 minutes ago, Onoff said: Just to get the party started I've added a cup of vinegar from the Christmas pickled onions, one of Diet Coke and a cup of baking powder! Treat 'em right is my motto! Only missing a packet of mentos for a full on explosion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russell griffiths Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Get ya hand in there you softy. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewpot Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 4 hours ago, Onoff said: I've reserved one at Homebase. Collecting tomorrow. Cheers. Be careful if you use it in the toilet - seriously. If it's like the stuff I put down a blocked bog a while ago, it's pretty much pure sulphuric acid. I followed the instructions exactly, but after only a little had gone into the pan, there was a pop, and the porcelain cracked. I presume it was a thermal reaction with the water, though someone else may have a better idea. That could've been a very bad day, except that Wickes had a near-identical toilet pan on the shelf, and at a discount. The old pan was out, and the new one in before my morning tea was cold. Has to be said, previously I've used it successfully and without problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 4 hours ago, Stewpot said: Be careful if you use it in the toilet - seriously. If it's like the stuff I put down a blocked bog a while ago, it's pretty much pure sulphuric acid. I followed the instructions exactly, but after only a little had gone into the pan, there was a pop, and the porcelain cracked. I presume it was a thermal reaction with the water, though someone else may have a better idea. That could've been a very bad day, except that Wickes had a near-identical toilet pan on the shelf, and at a discount. The old pan was out, and the new one in before my morning tea was cold. Has to be said, previously I've used it successfully and without problem. I wasn't intending pouring it down the pan as it's clear from there to the two branch junction, rather I was going to pour it down into where the cap lid is off that last picture above. That being said I've a few bottles here of 37% sulphuric acid for topping up batteries. I wonder if that would do the trick? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyscotland Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 2 hours ago, Onoff said: I wasn't intending pouring it down the pan as it's clear from there to the two branch junction, rather I was going to pour it down into where the cap lid is off that last picture above. That being said I've a few bottles here of 37% sulphuric acid for topping up batteries. I wonder if that would do the trick? I'd be careful unless your loft is very well ventilated and the blockage/standing water well below the cap lid. Those products can produce a lot of bubbling and fumes, possibly moreso if mixed with the concoction of things you've already got in the pipe. Definitely stand well back either way. My normal go-to for blocked/slow drains is caustic soda powder (also at homebase) works very well with cold water per the packet instructions or for more stubborn blockages a kettle of boiling water poured down after it produces a much more violent reaction and has never failed yet. But either way it's another "open the window and stand well back" job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishjohn Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 (edited) thiis where my karcher drain clearing hose would be handy 2 jets point forward and 4 backwards to drive it downn the pipe very worth while addition to pressure washer for turd boring etc I have bad pipe from my garden through next doors garden to main drain chamber -- he had a tree planted over the drain and suspect roots have got into to it so once every year or 2 iget a back up --this always clears it in 5mins Edited January 6, 2020 by scottishjohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Try flushing half a bag of crushed ice. The weight and abrasiveness of the ice scours the pipes clean. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 Why don’t you try “rodding” it with a length of hosepipe, I have found this good, and if you connect the hose to a tap you can blow the blockage apart when you reach it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 13 minutes ago, joe90 said: Why don’t you try “rodding” it with a length of hosepipe, I have found this good, and if you connect the hose to a tap you can blow the blockage apart when you reach it. With above-ground plastic soil pipes it's very easy to push the joints apart by rodding them - one of our clients did just that with a 1st floor toilet blockage. The joints of the pipe separated and they ended up with a load of sh!t soaking into the plasterboarded ceiling of their main reception. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 I have a drill powered snake coming later today as backup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocster Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 21 minutes ago, Onoff said: I have a drill powered snake coming later today as backup: Sex toy !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 11 minutes ago, pocster said: Sex toy !! It's yours once I've finished with it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 55 minutes ago, joe90 said: Why don’t you try “rodding” it with a length of hosepipe, I have found this good, and if you connect the hose to a tap you can blow the blockage apart when you reach it. I (often?) do the main clay drain in the garden like that. In the loft it'd be a case of having to get the hose up there (no problem) and shouting (screaming? ? ) at whoever is operating the outside tap to shut things off in a hurry if it all turns to sh**! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 6, 2020 Author Share Posted January 6, 2020 2 hours ago, scottishjohn said: thiis where my karcher drain clearing hose would be handy 2 jets point forward and 4 backwards to drive it downn the pipe very worth while addition to pressure washer for turd boring etc I have bad pipe from my garden through next doors garden to main drain chamber -- he had a tree planted over the drain and suspect roots have got into to it so once every year or 2 iget a back up --this always clears it in 5mins I've been looking at 10/20m copies of the Karcher one on Amazon, circa £30. I like the idea it might scour the inside of the pipe clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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