Any plumbing experts here? I have a clogged water line.

[Arkitech]

The toilet tank in my bathroom does not fill up, I thought initially I had a clogged water supply line so I replaced that with a new one and still no go. So I turned the water valve on with the supply line disconnected and discovered that I was getting just a barely rusty trickle of water from the connection. However other water sources in that room are fine (shower and sink faucet). So I'm thinking maybe there is something lodged in the copper line for the toilet. I have an air compressor, would that be enough pressure to dislodge anything in the line (after I turn off the main water line of course)?


I've always had problems with that toilet filling up slowly, so maybe it's just been a dirty water line all along.

 

[Meractik]

I misinterpreted the OP.

 

[dr150]

Drano Gel.

Best stuff on Earth.

 

[jhansman]

Drano Gel.

Best stuff on Earth.

True. Shower drain gets slow every six months or so, and this stuff cuts right through the crud. The OP's problem is supply, however, not drainage. Can you verify if water of any usable pressure is coming out of the supply, either at the wall or from the line to the tank? If neither, you may be looking at some expensive plumbing repair. Just work your way backward from the toilet to the wall and hope it goes no further.

 

[Number1]

Take the water valve off, see if you got pressure, go from there. Most likely you valve is cloged

 

[Arkitech]

Take the water valve off, see if you got pressure, go from there. Most likely you valve is cloged

Which part is the valve? I'm a plumbing noob.

 

[Arkitech]

True. Shower drain gets slow every six months or so, and this stuff cuts right through the crud. The OP's problem is supply, however, not drainage. Can you verify if water of any usable pressure is coming out of the supply, either at the wall or from the line to the tank? If neither, you may be looking at some expensive plumbing repair. Just work your way backward from the toilet to the wall and hope it goes no further.

So far nothing is really coming out of the wall. But I have good water flow from the shower and the sink faucet.

 

[SMOGZINN]

I think you first need to do a careful inspection of the baseboards and surrounding walls for a water leak, it might be that a old pipe has rusted through.

Yes, you could try forcing a backflow with a high pressure air, and that might work, but it is probably a bad idea. Those pipes are not really rated to hold much pressure, and you already know that it is rusty. Make sure you cut off the water at the main, and open your main valve to prevent contaminating your water.

EDIT: BTW - What you are describing is classic conditions of a badly rusted pipe. Quick Google Search turned up this link:
Should I Replace Rusty Water Pipes?

 

[Juddog]

Similar thing happened to someone I know; the problem ended up being with the supply lines in the basement. Really OP you have to figure out where the supply line pressure issue starts, as far as how to do that, I'd hire a plumber if I were you. It's not going to be easy.

 

[DrPizza]

You're screwed. You simply don't get "clogs" in water supply lines. They're supposed to carry water, that's it. Occasionally, if you have really rusty water, you might end up with a bit of rust building up on the screen in an aerator fitting on a faucet. Otherwise, no, there's not something "clogging" the water line. Well, actually, there IS something clogging it - sounds like you have galvanized lines & the rust has built up enough inside to restrict the water flow to the point it's at now.

The only thing you can hope for is that you or someone shut a valve elsewhere & didn't realize/remember it. Since you're a plumbing noob, you're in for a quick learning curve, else you're hiring a plumber. I'd recommend replacing that line with pex - it's probably the easiest thing to replace the existing with for a homeowner. Nonetheless, unless there's a basement/crawlspace below that you have access to, or otherwise have access to where that water line runs, it's going to be a challenging job.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would replace the whole line up to where it T's off from, to be on the safe side. If it's really rusted to the point where it's detoriating and flaking inside, I would not trust it.

As a quick fix tou could maybe drain the whole system, open all faucets (just cold is fine), then try to force air through it like you said, and go from there, but I'd still look at replacing it. You can't just force air in it without having some faucets opened though. Depending on how bad the clog is this could maybe even worsen the issue or make it go somewhere else, it's a gamble.

Also is this a 1/4 inch all the way, or is it a 1/2 going to a valve then a 1/4 inch to the toilet? You might just have to replace the valve and everything after it. So no need to make holes in walls or anything. At least typically that's how it works. The valve reduces to 1/4. I can't see a 1/2 line actually clogging given the amount of pressure, so it's the valve itself most likely.

 

[DrPizza]

Wait a second... copper line for the toilet?? You're not going to have a copper pipe "clogged" with rust building up in it; that problem typically happens in galvanized pipe.

I take back part of what I said. Maybe you will be lucky and there's just some hunks of rust in the shutoff valve.

Which part is the valve? I'm a plumbing noob.

I don't take back the "you're screwed" part though. Seriously, you don't know what a valve is??!

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Remove the small valve that supplies the toilet with the water OFF.
Examine it, see if it functions, and is not damaged, or clogged.
If it's ok, then the clog is in the few feet of line between there, and where
it tee's to the line that feeds your sink, SINCE you told us that the sink
still functions normally. See if you can fish a wire, or easier yet, a weed whip
line in there. You may want to BRIEFLY turn the water back on. Have a
bucket, towels, sponge, and mop at the ready.
Then tell us the results, good luck.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Last time I ran into something like that piece of corroded stuff what stuck against the valve, effectively making the valve almost shut completely off. Easy fix.

Could also be the flex line between the valve and the toilet is messed up.

 

[runzwithsizorz]

Last time I ran into something like that piece of corroded stuff what stuck against the valve, effectively making the valve almost shut completely off. Easy fix.

Could also be the flex line between the valve and the toilet is messed up.

He said he had replaced that.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Missed that part.

I'm suspecting something caught in the line right before the valve then, or the valve itself isn't opening up fully.

 

[MonKENy]

take pictures, lots of them. Show what the valve looks like, show the water trickle, show the "rust"

 

[iGas]

Shut off the house hold water main valve, relief water pressure from a valve that is lower than the toilet water supply valve. Remove the toilet water supply line, unscrew the toilet water supply valve packing nut and check for clog. Replace the packing nut and stem with a new packing and stem. Take the flow tube off the toilet tank and check the screen at the inlet at the bottom to see if it is filthy or clog. Replace the toilet water supply line.

Turn on the house hold water main and check for leaks.

Electric hot water tank element failed if you find whitish bits in your valve or water line. Rusty line could indicate that there is an iron pipe connection that is failing.

 

[Red Squirrel]

While you're there put a clamp meter over your main line, make sure you're not leaking electrical current to ground. you should get no reading at all. I never heard of it happening but I suppose it's possible for such electrical leak to cause pipes to corrode faster especially if there's different metals used.

I'm going with the valve though. Either something stuck in there, or it's just failing inside.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Modern plumbing parts are friggin fantastic now a days. You can cut your copper in the basement and put on a $5 dollar fitting that is water tight and no soldering or anything. Then use plastic tube to go through the floor and another water tight fitting. You just push these things on by hand.

I, with no experience, put a new kitchen sink in upstairs, I even change it's location in the room.

 

[highland145]

I'm betting trash in the shutoff valve.

 

[jhansman]

FWIW, we re-plumbed our house several years ago, from galvanized steel to copper. We have highly mineralized water, and some of the horizontal lines had so much build up, you could not see daylight through them. Could you be dealing with some of this?