M
Mike Jackson
Had a call from a landlord the other day to go and look at a toilet that wasn't flushing properly. The letting agents had apparently sent round their handyman to fix it, followed by their plumber and it still wasn't working and were now recommending a new loo.
I went round this afternoon and got the full tale from the tenant. The flush had failed on the loo and she had contacted the agents who had sent round their handyman. After 5 hours, during which time he replaced the syphon, snapped and replaced a gate valve and badly scratched the tenants toilet seat he left with everything supposedly working. It wasn't and he was sent back a further two times. He still failed to get it working properly so the big guns were called in and the "plumber" was dispatched.
After two visits during which he managed to flood the bathroom because he hadn't tightened the overflow he also failed to fix the problem and was now suggesting that the toilet was faulty and a complete new WC was required. During this farce 3 new syphons and two new float operated valves had been fitted.
After hearing the tale of woe I ventured to look at the mystery toilet. There was a new fluidmaster float operated valve fitted and that was working perfectly. On flushing the loo it was extremely stiff and a slow flow ensued eventually emptying the cistern. The syphon was a two part jobby so I took it apart and the diaphragm was in perfect order and all was working as it should.
Only one thing it could be, an obstruction in the pan. I was now suspicious that the "handyman" had inadvertently allowed some sealant or something to drop into the pan. Off with the water, drain the cistern and take the cistern off. Out with the boroscope and into the dark abyss of the flush inlet the camera snaked. What's that I spy blocking the outlet? Something black and looking decidely rubbery. I tried fishing with a length of mains cable to no avail. Out with the wet vac. I wrapped a damp towel around the hose and applied it to the inlet and the close coupling doughnut wedged in the outlet shot up the hose.
I reassembled the WC and it now works perfectly. The landlord is refusing to pay the letting agent and the tenant is submitting them a bill for her new toilet seat.
I went round this afternoon and got the full tale from the tenant. The flush had failed on the loo and she had contacted the agents who had sent round their handyman. After 5 hours, during which time he replaced the syphon, snapped and replaced a gate valve and badly scratched the tenants toilet seat he left with everything supposedly working. It wasn't and he was sent back a further two times. He still failed to get it working properly so the big guns were called in and the "plumber" was dispatched.
After two visits during which he managed to flood the bathroom because he hadn't tightened the overflow he also failed to fix the problem and was now suggesting that the toilet was faulty and a complete new WC was required. During this farce 3 new syphons and two new float operated valves had been fitted.
After hearing the tale of woe I ventured to look at the mystery toilet. There was a new fluidmaster float operated valve fitted and that was working perfectly. On flushing the loo it was extremely stiff and a slow flow ensued eventually emptying the cistern. The syphon was a two part jobby so I took it apart and the diaphragm was in perfect order and all was working as it should.
Only one thing it could be, an obstruction in the pan. I was now suspicious that the "handyman" had inadvertently allowed some sealant or something to drop into the pan. Off with the water, drain the cistern and take the cistern off. Out with the boroscope and into the dark abyss of the flush inlet the camera snaked. What's that I spy blocking the outlet? Something black and looking decidely rubbery. I tried fishing with a length of mains cable to no avail. Out with the wet vac. I wrapped a damp towel around the hose and applied it to the inlet and the close coupling doughnut wedged in the outlet shot up the hose.
I reassembled the WC and it now works perfectly. The landlord is refusing to pay the letting agent and the tenant is submitting them a bill for her new toilet seat.
