Tips On Unblocking Urinals

[plumbandplumber]

I'm helping my brother run his pub whilst he's unwell. He has 3 urinals, and 2 are blocked and overflowing. This happened at the same time, so I'm thinking the blockage is in the main pipe between the 2 blocked ones and the one that's still OK.

Can anyone tell me the best way to deal with this? I have some tools with me. Should I use chemicals, or a mechanical method?

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Mike Jackson]

Mechanical. Take it apart.

 

[JCplumb]

Prepare to say goodbye to whatever you last ate though.
There's a powerful and unique smell that comes with disassembling urinal wastes, you'll remember it for a very, very long time...

 

[wetdrip]

Smear some Vick's vapour rub under you nose, as in Silence of the Lambs.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Cut as much of the waste out as possible, take outside and gently bang waste onto the floor inside a bin bag.

As as said its a strong smell so I would recommend not getting it on any carpets or your clothes, oh and wear rubber gloves.

 

[bright spark]

A smell you'll never forget. It'll lift the head off ye. If your going to the bother of taking it apart, I'd replace the traps off the urinals. Don't bother trying to clean them. It'll be like cement. Good luck

 

[IDCHAPPY]

Is is worse than poopy blocked cludgy's? can't say I've ever took apart pee wastes :lol:

 

[PhoenixServices]

If you have a wet vac stick the hose down the waste as you bang the pipe. (You will want to clean it we'll afterwards) And tell him if it is not done in 50mm pipe to get it redone in that.

 

[MOSSEP]

Breathing apparatus, goggles, long gloves and a bucket to throw up in when you eventually smell a trap full of calcified urine! :ack2:

 

[MOSSEP]

Dont do what I once did though and pour 'shift it' down there. It reacts really strongly with what ever chemicals are down the pipe and leads to an office being shut down due to the toxic fumes..... and still doesn't un-block it after 2 hours of belching acidic smoke.

 

[Ermintrude]

It's the ammonia released. The best thing to do is replace pipe and traps , you will be repeating it again I 10 weeks. The smell is horrific and you probably end up with a leak. Re do the lot in 50mm. And pour all the coca cola dregs down the urinals.

 

[lame plumber]

its just loads of small kidney stones/crystals collecting up over time, we used acid in the navy to clean the tubes through, but they were made of stainless steel, but agree about the stench, it filled most of the ship once and left us all gagging.

 

[plumbandplumber]

Thanks for all of your advice. Unfortunately, only the traps are accessible. All other pipework has been boxed in.

Would one of those coil/snake things in a drum clear inaccessible pipes? If yes, is a hand-cranked one OK, or will a drill-driven one be best?

 

[Ermintrude]

No the tees will make it impossible to clear. Is there a ridding eye at end of run? If boxed in just hire an extractor 300m3/h and pour phosphoric acid down traps.

 

[smtplumbing]

just remove the traps thats where it will be blocked

 

[Simon F]

probably replacing the traps would resolve it short term.
the pipes are likely to be working at half capacity along a fair length, it is like cement,
not worth trying to clean, for the price of waste pipe,
if possible just repipe as suggested already in 2"

 

[bright spark]

Even do the traps for the moment. Ask your brother if he's up to it how the gents toilets were in the past. Odds are ye might get away with just doing the traps. All the best

 

[rocketmanbkk]

Wear gloved and a mask or have a few drinks before you commence.

 

[plumbandplumber]

Thanks for all your help and advice. Will let you know how I get. Yes, couple of stiff ones needed I think - before and after.

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

. Yes, couple of stiff ones needed I think - before and after.

as long as you don't take them in the toilet you may survive!!

 

[Thegift]

Did a job once clearing a blocked urinals never again gagged so much my throat hurt, would rather do a filled to brim blocked drain any day.

I've made a promise to myself never go near a urinal again no matter how bad things get!

 

[Solderwire]

dont do what i did as an apprentice, poured down dambuster, it cleared the pub double quick.
made my eyes water, luckily everyone sat outside overlooking the beach so got away with it (just)
still didnt clear it though.

 

[Chris F]

I have been to one today. Blocked solid. bloke doesn't want it remaking so I took the traps off stuck some rods down the main run , hammer and chiseled the trap drops and now it's blocked in the 2 90 bends into the floor. I have told him to shut the toilet for the night , stuck some MELT down it and hoping to go back to either an unblocked 90 or a melted one
If it's not worked i have told him to call out a drain company to sort it. It's by far the worst one i have ever done. I had that much Vicks on my face i looked like i was melting.

 

[Chris F]

Oh and I've been told battery acid works.

 

[rocketmanbkk]

What battery acid to stop the smell?

Isn't that a bit dangerous? I'd stick to Vicks.

 

[Chris F]

Bu dum tisssssss

 

[stevetheplumber]

spirits of salts by the gallon works well