The third in the Blockbusters series of Frequently Asked Questions we get from our customers. Have a burning question of your own? Ask us on Twitter
Q. What is a Saniflo?
A. Saniflo’s (or similar product) or electric macerators as they are sometimes known, are used to take the discharge from toilets and possibly sinks, baths, showers, washing machines etc. and to push that discharge up to the level of a mains drain. They are normally located in positions where it is difficult to get main drainage installed i.e. understairs/basements etc .
Q. What do I do if my Saniflo is blocked up?
A. You would normally notice if the Saniflo is blocked where the toilet is not discharging when it is flushed or the waste from the sink/bath/ shower is not running away correctly. You need to employ a competent specialist who is familiar with dealing with these units to carry out the unblocking or any repairs that are required.
Q. Can’t I just fix it myself?
A. If you are a competent person and are happy to dismantle the unit then go for it, but it is not always the most pleasant of jobs as you will normally be dealing with neat sewage, so glove up.
Q. Who can I get at quite short notice to fix or unblock the Saniflo.
A. Unblocking or repairing Saniflo’s is normally beyond the capabilities of the average plumbers because plumbers surprisingly don’t like dealing with neat sewage and drainage engineers don’t like macerator units. The best solution is to get a specialist who is familiar with dealing with Saniflo units and these can be found through Checkatrade – Which? – Yellow Pages – or simply Google it.
Q. How much is it going to cost?
A. Expect to pay anything up to £100 for a specialist to come out and unblock/dismantle and repair the unit (assuming it is possible to repair) plus any parts required.
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