Your Saniflo blockage can be due to a variety of reasons, normally caused by a foreign object that has been put into the macerator by accident. If a sanitary towel or Tampax (as they are commonly known) is dropped down the toilet, it can and will jam the motor. When the motor can’t turn, it cannot pump out the water, and then the toilet, bath, shower, basin or bidet will back up with water — sometimes this can be unpleasant.

Other blockages can be caused by toilet or hand wipes. These are normally made from synthetic materials and after so many have gone into the macerator, they knot together and will jam the motor.

Limescale is another cause of blockages. If you live in a hard water area and have not descaled your Saniflo Macerator as required (2–3 times a year), after about three to five years your Saniflo will be packed with limescale and will need cleaning out by hand, as no descaler will be powerful enough to do the job. DO NOT use spirits of salt, drain unblocker or similar products as you will damage your macerator.

This will be due to large amounts of sanitary towels, Tampax or hand wipes being thrown down the toilet. They knot together and get caught on the blade, throwing the macerator off balance as it is turning, causing it to vibrate or shudder out of control.

When your macerator pump does not switch on to take the water away, the toilet water will rise up in the toilet bowl, sink, shower, basin or bidet. Your natural instinct — as with a normal toilet — is to flush the toilet again to clear a blockage. With a macerator pump this is a big mistake.

If your pump does not switch on, do not add more water to it. Otherwise, the water level will be higher than your macerator pump and water will leak out of the air vent.

There is a safety valve for emergencies inside the vent. It works on a float basis: when the water level rises in your pump, the valve closes. If you’re lucky, no water will come out of the vent — this is the case 90% of the time. Sometimes the water will dribble out.

If someone has poked a screwdriver or coat hanger down the vent in the past, they have probably knocked it off, so the water will gush out. If this happens, you must get a bucket and a jug and empty the water from your toilet to get the water level down lower than the macerator pump to stop your property from being flooded.

The most probable cause is a foreign object being thrown down the toilet. There are metal blades inside your macerator pump and anything other than toilet waste that comes into contact with them will cause a dreadful noise.

Other possible causes for macerator pump noises could be due to a worn motor. If it is worn out it will make a knocking sound as it is running, and you will need a new macerator installed.

If your macerator pump is making a buzzing or humming sound, it is most likely due to a foreign object being inside the macerator chamber jamming the motor. These objects need to be removed.

Another possible cause is that the electrical capacitor is blown due to the pump being overloaded and will need to be replaced. Worst-case scenario — the motor is worn out and will not turn anymore. In this instance, you will need a new macerator pump.

If your macerator pump does not switch on and off by itself, it is due to a variety of reasons. If your macerator pump is blocked, your machine will not switch off until the water has cleared as the machine is still full.

Your machine will also not turn off due to a worn-out microswitch or a damaged membrane which has become caked in limescale or has shrunk from excessive use of toilet cleaning liquid. These cleaners shrink the membrane over time and don’t allow the microswitch to turn the machine off.

In this case, it is best to change the membrane and microswitch together to cure the problem.

There are many reasons for this type of problem. If you have a leaky tap, an overflowing toilet, a faulty microswitch or the plumber connected your new boiler to the macerator pump, it will start on its own.

Your macerator pump will need to be inspected. The most common cause is a faulty membrane or microswitch which would need to be changed. The other symptoms can be checked by yourself visually.

This is generally not a good sign. If you’re lucky you will have loose electrical connections leading to your macerator pump — these will need to be checked inside the macerator too.

The most probable cause is your macerator pump is worn out and water is leaking into the motor itself, fusing or tripping your electrics. The motor cannot be repaired — you will need to replace your Saniflo Macerator Pump.