blocked drain

[carmalee]

Advice need please - noticed the water draining off my bathroom was above the drain cover this morning - the usual disgusting scummy appearance - have emptied about eight bowl fulls of water from the drain and put down some drain cleaner follwed by very hot water -now I think about it lately, the water in the loo has risen up the bowl when it's flushed. Wriggled a flexible pipe around and got a load of smelly black scum. The water level now is just below the drain cover but I'm sure it's still very, very sluggish and probably still blocked to some extent. Have no one at home to help so any advice for single (verging on old!) lady that won't involve calling a plumber?

[jackthehat]

Do you have a manhole cover somewhere on your property ?

[carmalee]

JTH - not sure - there is a huge concret slab out side my back door which I couldn't possible lift

[jackthehat]

Hmmmmm.........
It may be under there......is there nothing that you could use to lever the slab up at a corner to check ?
Or can you see into your neighbours garden and check to see if they have one ?

[carmalee]

appreciate the thinking but am in an old farm cottage at the end of a farm track - no neighbours - will go and see about leavering but watch out for post reading - what can I do for a squashed foot whilst waiting for the medics to arrive.

[jackthehat]

OK.

Are you connected to the mains sewer or do you have an independent system ?

[carmalee]

that concrete slab is just that - a concrete slab (wasn't too difficultt with the leverage thingie - thanks) rented property and as far as I know, mains cos have never had septic tank emptied and no mention of it in paperwork. Have just had another look at the offending drain and the water level is still just under the drain cover even though I've run a load of water (hot)

[jackthehat]

Right......a process of elimination, now.

The 'waste' from your house has to get to the mains sewer; this is usually a direct route, although if it isn't, you could reasonably expect to find a manhole cover right over a 'change-of-direction' as this is the most likely spot for a blockage to occur.
Have a look at the ground between where your stack/stench pipe enters the ground and the public path/roadway to the front of your house.

[carmalee]

am nominating you in the New Years Honours list! - actually located a manhole cover beneath the hedge - opened it up and a huge, huge blockage for Africa coming from the lavatory pipe - cleared and have been running water through the system which is now as clear as a mountain stream. Lavatory bowl water level no longers rises up the bowl. JtH - Unblockers R Us - next time you are down on Romney Marsh I owe you lunch. Am so, so grateful (and slightly pleased with myself for doing it) but couldn't have managed without you. Thank you, thank you thank you

[jackthehat]

An absolute pleasure.......:D

[10ClarionSt]

This might just be a blockage that you can deal with yourself. Use a normal household mop and try forcing the water down your toilet with it whilst it's flushing. It may not work but it's worth a try. It won't do any harm.

[ChuckFickens]

"This might just be a blockage that you can deal with yourself"

Really, who'd have guessed that after the post on 11:31 Tue 31st May 2011