Macerator and Saniflo repairs in Bristol

What a macerator does

A macerator, often called by the brand name Saniflo, lets you fit a toilet, shower or basin where there’s no gravity route to the drain. Think basement flats, loft conversions, or a downstairs toilet under the stairs. It breaks waste down and pumps it through a small-bore pipe to the soil stack. You’ll find a lot of them in Bristol’s converted houses and lower-ground-floor flats.

Common faults

• Running on and off by itself: often a leaking non-return valve or a toilet cistern letting water trickle through
• Humming but not pumping: usually a blockage or a jammed impeller
• Bad smells: a failed seal, a blocked vent filter, or limescale build-up
• Very loud or grinding: something solid in the unit, or worn parts
• Water backing up into a shower tray: blockage or pump failure

Looking after a macerator

Only toilet paper and human waste should go in. Wet wipes, sanitary products, cotton buds and dental floss are the usual causes of breakdowns. Bristol’s hard water also leaves limescale inside the unit, so descaling it with a product made for macerators every few months helps it last.

Installation

Where a new toilet or shower room can’t reach the drain by gravity, a macerator can make it possible. The waste run and the unit’s position need planning, and the unit needs an electrical supply from a qualified electrician.