Where’s the Family Plumber?

I could have done with my brother-in-law or nephew as the Tecma decided to go on strike.  Of course the industrial inaction occurred a a critical moment when action was urgently required. 

After two attempted flushes and a rising water level I decided to take stock of the situation. 

I either had to prevent more water entering the system or connect a temporary bilge pump to the bowl.  The obvious solution was to disconnect the main water by switching off the electrical supply to the water pump.  Whilst this prevented more water entering the bowl Tecma still stubbornly refused to work.  All noise and no action!

So whilst I had solved the potential overflow I hadn’t fixed the underlying problem.  My next thought was dry paper had jammed the impeller.  I was unlikely as we have been very careful to ensure dry paper doesn’t enter the system.  However it was a possibility, so I decided to let Tecma have a 30 minute rest.

Thirty minutes later and the problem still existed.  I considered bailing…. But then rejected this as the “action of last resort”.

After scrounging around in the hedgerow I found a twig about half the diameter of my little finger and 40cm long.  I used this to give a brief twirl in Tecma’s mouth and this resulted in an immediate large and smelly “belch”!  Tecma wasn’t on strike…….. He had wind!

After I’d “burped” him he happily went back to work.   Another lesson learned.