Overview of the Toilet Blocking Issue
At a property on Kalang Court in Patterson Lakes VIC 3197, our team at Your Choice Plumbers was called out after the owners reported that the upstairs main bathroom toilet had been blocking repeatedly over a long period of time.
The owner explained that this toilet had always caused trouble and that he had regularly managed to clear the clogs himself, but this time the blockage had reached the point where he could no longer get it moving.
This is exactly the type of issue where homeowners start asking, “why does the same toilet keep blocking?” or “why does one toilet always clog even when we are careful?” In this case, the owners were already being careful with toilet paper use and knew the toilet had a long history of problems, which immediately suggested there was a deeper issue involved.
Initial Diagnosis and Key Clues
After listening to the owner’s explanation and asking detailed questions about the symptoms, one critical detail stood out.
When the upstairs main bathroom toilet blocked, it also affected the:
- shower
- basin
- bath
That told us straight away this was not just a simple internal toilet blockage.
As an experienced plumber Patterson Lakes, when a single bathroom toilet blocks and other nearby fixtures in the same bathroom are also affected, it usually points to a defect, restriction, or non-compliant fitting within the suspended branch drain serving that bathroom.
That diagnostic clue made it clear that to get to the bottom of the issue properly, we needed to:
- clear the blockage first
- remove the toilet
- inspect the branch drain internally with CCTV
Initial Clearing and CCTV Drain Inspection
We advised the owner of the process and he agreed to proceed.
The first step was to clear the blockage using a Rothenberger Ropump, which allowed us to restore enough flow to continue investigating.
We then disconnected the toilet and inserted our Ridgid SeeSnake CCTV drain camera into the 100mm UPVC toilet drain.
The problem became obvious almost immediately.
The camera revealed that the toilet branch had been connected into an 88-degree UPVC sewer junction installed on its back, which is not suitable for this type of toilet connection and does not comply with the correct sanitary drainage principles under AS/NZS 3500.2:2021.
Why the Toilet Kept Blocking
We explained to the owner that the issue was not being caused by toilet paper use alone — the real problem was the way the drain had been built.
When the toilet was flushed, waste and toilet paper were dropping into the incorrectly installed 88-degree junction and failing to discharge properly. Because the fitting was effectively sitting in the wrong orientation, there was no proper fall through the fitting to help carry the waste away.
In a compliant setup using the correct graded fitting, such as a properly positioned 45-degree junction arrangement, the shape of the drain helps direct toilet waste and paper smoothly into the branch line.
In this case, the non-compliant 88-degree junction allowed waste to settle in the pipe instead of flowing away cleanly.
That is why:
- the toilet kept blocking repeatedly
- the owner had to keep clearing it
- the whole bathroom branch drain was affected when the blockage built up
This is exactly the kind of hidden defect that homeowners cannot solve by changing toilet paper habits alone.
Repair Recommendation and Access Works
Once the cause had been confirmed on camera, we explained that the only proper solution was to open the ceiling below, remove the defective drain section, and rebuild that part of the suspended branch drain using compliant pipework and fittings.
The owner was happy to proceed because he finally had a clear explanation for why the problem had kept returning for so long.
To gain access, we cut the plaster ceiling below the affected bathroom drain line and exposed the suspended sanitary pipework.
Repair and Drain Rectification
We carried out the rectification works by cutting out the defective 88-degree junction and replacing it with the correct compliant fitting arrangement.
This included installing a 45-degree junction on its back, which allowed toilet waste and paper to discharge freely down the drain as intended.
Once the new drain section had been installed, the branch line had the proper discharge path needed for normal toilet use without recurring blockage.
This repair resolved the real cause of the bathroom drainage issue rather than just temporarily clearing another clog.
Outcome and Client Result
- recurring blockage cause accurately identified
- toilet removed and branch drain CCTV inspected
- non-compliant suspended drain fitting confirmed
- defective drain section cut out and rebuilt correctly
- full upstairs bathroom branch restored to proper operation
- plaster repair arranged for the next day
The owners were extremely relieved to finally understand why the toilet had been causing trouble for so long and even happier to have the problem permanently rectified instead of just cleared again.
Compliance & Prevention Insight
This case highlights why recurring toilet blockages should never be dismissed as a simple usage issue.
When the same toilet keeps blocking, especially if nearby bathroom fixtures are also affected, there is usually an underlying drainage problem that needs to be investigated properly.
It also shows the value of CCTV inspection. Without camera confirmation, this could easily have been treated as “just another blockage,” and the owner would likely have continued dealing with the same frustrating problem again and again.
Compliance with Australian Standards
All work carried out by Your Choice Plumbers is completed in accordance with the relevant requirements of AS/NZS 3500.2:2021, helping ensure sanitary drainage systems are installed and repaired correctly.
In simple terms, this means your toilet and bathroom drainage system are built to discharge properly, reducing the risk of repeated blockages, poor flow, and ongoing plumbing headaches.
Our Home Plumbing Experts Approach
As part of our Home Plumbing Experts approach, we focus on both repair and prevention.
We offer a Complimentary Property Protection Audit as part of our service, assessing key areas like water pressure, hot water temperature, and flexible hoses — helping homeowners stay ahead of potential plumbing failures and avoid unexpected water damage.
👉 Find out more about our blocked toilet Melbourne services.
