Marc_ely

Pardon the pun...
But in all my years in the UK I can count the number of times I've had to unblock a toilet on one hand.
Yet over here they get blocked almost every week (generally by my 11yr old!)

Looking at the waste pipes in Lowes (yes, that does constitute a hobby), they seem about the same diameter as the UK wastes. Maybe the U-bend in the pan isn't as sophisticated?

Any ideas?

Beaverstate

Low flow toilet? Less water less umph perhaps. Either way Pulaski will be along in 4 or 5 hours.

kins

What I want to know is why do ours only block when my husband is travelling on business for several days?

robin1234

I've lived in the U.S. for 25 years and have never once had a blocked toilet. So maybe some specific toilets are poorly designed, or some specific plumbing installations not up to scratch...

ChocolateBabz

We used to have this problem, esp. when The Dude was younger and made 2 discoveries

1) He was under the impression that 10 wet wipes per #2 was acceptable and expected the toilet to cope with that motherland in 1 flush.

2) Our toilets were design for a quick flush for a pee - handle down and up or a long flush for the larger business - handle held down until cistern is empty and release.

After a brief demonstration to the men in the house along with an optional "How to Change a Toilet Roll" workshop, all is now flowing smoothly

SultanOfSwing

Isn't it more the pipes than the toilets, because the pipes have a narrower diameter than the ones in the UK?

By all accounts, the toilets have a more powerful flush, but then again water pressure wasn't really something that seemed to exist back home

scrubbedexpat099

Origin of the word "crap"
It has often been claimed in popular culture that the slang term for human bodily waste, crap, originated with Thomas Crapper because of his association with lavatories. A common version of this story is that American servicemen stationed in England during World War I saw his name on cisterns and used it as army slang, i.e. "I'm going to the crapper".[10]

The word crap is actually of Middle English origin and predates its application to bodily waste. Its most likely etymological origin is a combination of two older words, the Dutch krappen: to pluck off, cut off, or separate; and the Old French crappe: siftings, waste or rejected matter (from the medieval Latin crappa, chaff).[10] In English, it was used to refer to chaff, and also to weeds or other rubbish. Its first application to bodily waste, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, appeared in 1846 under a reference to a crapping ken, or a privy, where ken means a house.[10]

Nutek

Flushing between discoveries is probably best, rather than trying to cope with two at once.

Nutek

Is he the one who came with Bathroom Barbie?

Mallory

Having just spent six weeks in the UK, I was definitely glad to get back to US toilets/plumbing, mixer taps, garbage disposal, water pressure, washing machines that don't take two hours to wash, dryers that actually dry, and a big fridge. The weather was lovely while we were there (Indian summer), which helped a little bit with trying to dry clothes. Compost bins under the sink (OMG).

You live in California, and there is a drought. I guess the toilets don't get enough water. I can't remember ever having a blocked toilet in the US.

scrubbedexpat099

I spend a lot of time unblocking toilets and the issue is pipe sizing.

SultanOfSwing

That's what I said.

Well, it's a combination of the size of the pipe and the size of what is put into the pipe, I suppose.

scrubbedexpat099

We agree, is that not good?

Electricity is similar, all a bit wimpy.

I assumed, maybe incorrectly this is why Garbage Grinders are so common. I do not have one myself.

SultanOfSwing

I don't have a garbage grinder either. Just the narrow pipes. Though I've been able to eliminate blockages by making sure I do a pre-flush if I need a lot of paper, or if I've just eaten a burrito. Haven't had to use the plunger in a while, luckily.

When I do, it is almost always preceeded by a bunch of creative swearing as I watch the water level rise and rise and rise, which will usually make my daughter piss herself laughing, or start crying

scrubbedexpat099

I have a snake but that is a worst case scenario, as I have my own septic system I maybe more careful what I put down there. The Kitchen waste goes into its own grease tank, and they charge a lot more for emptying that even though I do not put much grease down it.