Unblock a toilet Leeds

Everyone has been there. All of a sudden, the toilet fills up ominously when you flush it and then doesn’t drain away as it should. Most of the time, the problem resolves itself and the water will eventually drain away. But on some occasions, the waste water either doesn’t diminish, or the toilet keeps blocking repeatedly. Knowing what the signs of a blocked toilet are, and how to deal it can help prevent a highly unsanitary situation from developing or becoming worse, Dr drainage details how to unblock a toilet.

Signs of a blocked toilet

This is not a glamarous subject, but an important one nonetheless. All too often, people will ignore the signs of a blocked toilet, because as mentioned above, frequently, a toilet will end up clearing naturally. But if you notice any of the following, on a regular basis – then it’s time for action.

• A bad smell – Yes – we know – bad smells are naturally associated with toilets. But if there is a lingering bad smell which seems to emanate around the house, this can be a sign that the drainage pipes have a blockage somewhere and waste might be backed up
• Gurgling sounds – Water often makes a sucking or squeaking sound when draining away, but if there are persistent gurgling noises happening, even when you aren’t using any water, this is an early warning sign that water isn’t flowing freely through the pipework
• Slow draining water – If your toilet bowl fills up and either doesn’t drain away at all, takes longer than usual to drain, or it appears that your toilet keeps blocking, this is the number one sign that something is down there that shouldn’t be!

What causes a blocked toilet?

Anything that goes into a toilet should be degradable in water. Anything that isn’t degradable will likely cause drainage issues with continued flushing of them. There are a great many items that do not belong in a toilet but the usual suspects that get flushed are items like wipes (baby wipes, makeup removing wipes) feminine hygiene products, rubbish (think hair balls, dust wiped from bathroom surfaces) and cosmetics. A surprising number of people will dispose of items down their toilets without thinking twice about whether they should be flushed into the water system. If this behaviour is continuous, a blocked toilet is an inevitable eventuality.

Self-help tips for unblocking a toilet

Before calling out a plumber or toilet unblocking specialist, there are some DIY steps that can be tried.

If your toilet is draining away slowly, but still draining, try these tips:

• Use a plunger – you’ll need one that’s suction cup is wide enough to create pressure round the neck of your toilet basin- if you don’t have a plunger – try using a toilet brush to manually plunge the water down and create the pressure required to push whatever item is causing the blockage through the system
• Try an off the shelf drain un blocker, this can help the break up of thick heavy substances such as oil that may be blocking your drain.

If your toilet is not draining the water away, try this:

• Use a drain rod (or coat hanger!) – Drain rods are designed to swivel around the u-bend of a toilet and effectively poke through or break up any items that are causing a blockage. You can use a wire coat hanger in a similar manner

When to call a professional

If your toilet keeps blocking, you’ve tried the self-help methods discussed here, or you notice any of the concerning signs mentioned above, it might be time to call the professionals in to help. It’s best to avoid leaving the toilet to see if it unclogs on its own for more than a week since an undiagnosed drainage issue could cause highly unsanitary circumstances for you and your family or business. The best course of action, is of course, prevention, but if it’s gone past that point, get in touch with a trustworthy, local business who can come and sort the issue for you.

Dr Drainage – The experts in all thing’s drainage

Hopefully our handy self-help tips will do the trick, but if you find yourself in a pickle with a blocked toilet, we have a dedicated team that are on call 24/7 who guarantee same day response. No one wants to be left hanging around with a blocked toilet emergency so give our trusted, friendly team a call and we will be right there to support. Use our contact form for a super speedy response.

You might think that a blocked drain is easy to detect. Sometimes it is. But other times, things that you might think are innocent or normal – like certain noises – can turn out to be something more worrisome and should be investigated. If left undetected, drainage issues can develop into more serious situations that can wind up being expensive, unsanitary and highly inconvenient. In this article, we break down some of the signs that can indicate a blocked drain.

There’s a strange smell

If there is a bad smell emanating around the house, it can be an indication that there’s a blockage somewhere in either your internal pipework or in part of the drainage network around your home. Sometimes, a smell might come up through your kitchen sink, and this can happen when food waste has been flushed down there whilst washing up. It’s super common for people to dissolve left over bits of food, using hot water from the tap whilst doing the dishes. But if this happens on a regular basis instead of being scraped into the bin, sludgy food can become backed up in the pipes around the sink and cause foul smells. If left for long enough, this situation can cause more serious issues which are harder to resolve yourself. If there are bad smells coming up through your bathroom sinks or from the toilet, as well as the kitchen sink, this is a telltale sign of an underlying drainage problem and should be investigated quickly. Often, a smell arises before any visual indicators. So, catching a blocked drain at this stage could save you from a more serious problem and a more costly resolution.

Water isn’t draining away

It’s not uncommon for the water in a toilet to rise unexpectedly when flushed. This is often just a sign that either a lot of tissue or a foreign object has been flushed down. Usually, this will resolve itself and become unclogged. However, if the water in your toilet, bathroom and kitchen sinks are either draining slowly or not draining at all, then this is definitely a signal that there is an issue with the pipework or a blocked drain. Additionally, if flushing the toilet causes water to gurgle or rise in your sinks or vice versa, then it’s almost certainly time to call someone out to investigate. Checking any external drains to see if there is water bubbling or rising around them can give you an idea whether the issue is related to the sewer drain or more internal.

Unusual sounds and noises

If your pipes or sink are making unusual sounds, such as gurgling or sucking, this is an indication that something abnormal is going on with your drainage. Unfamiliar noises in your pipes are usually caused by air being trapped somewhere because of a blocked drain. Sometimes this might force the air to come back up or out through the toilet or a sink plughole – which can then lead to the foul smells outlined above. Occasionally, gurgling can be temporary and might just be a larger than usual item trying to make its way out of the pipes, however, if any unusual sounds persist, don’t hesitate to get it inspected.

How to resolve a blocked drain

It goes without saying that any serious investigative work on drainage should be expedited by a professional. Do not go removing any manhole covers or trying to unscrew pipework yourself as this can not only be dangerous but also cause damage to your and potentially others property. If any of the above signs are consistently recurring within your own house, then you need to contact a professional

drain specialist, who will come and diagnose the issue and provide solutions. If you believe the issue lies outside your own property, then it will usually be the responsibility of the local sewage and waste water utility company to investigate and resolve. Establishing where the issue lies is often unclear though and the first port of call will usually be to involve professional drainage specialists who can determine who is responsible.

Dr Drainage – The Blocked Drain Specialists

If you are concerned about any strange noises, smells or rising water coming from your pipes, then Dr Drainage can help. Covering the Leeds area and beyond, they have a 24/7 emergency call out service and promise to be with you on the same day. Dr Drainage provide a friendly, professional service and can help with both diagnostic and solution drainage work. With their team of specialist engineers, they have you covered for any drainage issue. Contact them today to get the help you need.

A drain survey & inspection can help to find:

• Blockages
• Leaks
• Displaced joints
• Wear, tear & corrosion
• Corrosion, wear and tear
• Collapsed drains
• Cracked drains
• Scale build-Up
• Poor Insulation

The benefits of getting a CCTV Survey

If you have already purchased your home by the time you discover drainage problems, they’re your responsibility. A CCTV Drain Survey can help you find hose issues before you sign any contracts, if any issues are found it’s the responsibility of the seller to repair it.

This will not only save you money but ensure that you are not going to have any problems with blocked pipes once you move in.

The process is quick and easy and should take a few hours to complete.

If you have any concerns before purchasing or even after buying your new home it’s better to get these sorted as soon as possible.

Arrange a CCTV Drain Survey

The quicker we uncover any potential problems lingering beneath a house that you intend to buy, the better.

However, a CCTV Drain Survey is a good idea even if you have already bought the home, helping you uncover issues before they become even more expensive concerns. If you’re building an extension, have a leak or any blockages then you should consider a CCTV Drain Survey.

Dr Drainage is a licensed, experienced team that can carry out a CCTV Drain Survey in no time.

We offer CCTV Surveys for home buyers in all locations throughout Yorkshire. Give us a call or fill out our contact form for a quick response. Our engineers would be happy to talk you through the process and give you a fee estimate.