A blocked toilet that keeps coming back is rarely just the toilet.
A toilet that won't flush properly, or that empties slowly and then refills too high, is usually a simple clear. But a toilet that blocks repeatedly, especially if it's the only one in the house doing it, often points to a partial blockage further down the soil pipe rather than anything wrong with the toilet itself.
We clear the immediate blockage first so the toilet is usable again, then check whether it's a one-off or a sign of something further along the run that needs a proper look.
A blocked toilet in Childwall's postwar housing is usually a different job to one in Garston's older terraces — younger drainage tends to block from what's been flushed, while older soil pipes can be narrower and more awkward to clear properly. We find out which you've got before working out the fix.
Most blockages clear from the pan or the nearest access point without lifting the toilet. We'd only need to remove it if the blockage sits in the trap itself, which is uncommon.
Wipes, cotton buds, nappies and sanitary products are the biggest cause of repeat blockages — even ones marked 'flushable' don't break down the way toilet paper does.
