Anyone really good with plumbing???

[alexjohnson16]

One of the toilets in our house is acting very weird, and I'm not sure why...

When you flush it, it seems that the water coming into the bowl is coming faster than usual, and it will overflow if you dont pull the lever back up (it sticks in the down position after coming back up about halfway)...

Then the bowl will drain, it takes about 30-45 seconds, it will go down slowly, and when it hits the hole at the bottom it has goes "glug glug glug"... Not sure how to describe it...

Any ideas on what could be causing this and how to fix it???

Update: Fixed it by using a plunger for about five minutes and flushing... Seemed to clean itsself out and flushes fine now...

Thanks for the help ATOT.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

replace the guts

/thread

 

[Eli]

Sounds as if it's partially clogged.

Our toilet does the glug glug thing when it's not completely plugged, but draining slowly...

 

[Colt45]

check the mechanism in the tank.. i dont know the real name.. i dont fix toilets daily

 

[Nomada]

lube the ballcock.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

Originally posted by: Colt45
check the mechanism in the tank.. i dont know the real name.. i dont fix toilets daily

ballcock

Edit: Anyway he is getting stuck halfway.....he needs to replace the guts. Odds are it is also failing to seal which is wasting eater.

Edit 2: Since we are getting technical it is a water closet not a toilet.

 

[mobobuff]

The plug isn't closing all the way. The weight of the rubber stopper plug is supposed to bring it back down once the water has drained from the tank and into the bowl, sounds like something is stopping it from coming back down. Because it fails to plug that hole, the new water coming into the tank just goes into the bowl, slow enough to not create a vaccum in the U-bend (which causes a flush) it simply drains itself slowly. So your troubles should be solved if you fix the problem with the plug not situating itself back in the hole upon the emptying of the tank into the bowl. You can take the lid off the tank and look down, you'll notice an attachment on the lever is attached to a chain, or jagged plastic strip, which is hooked to the plug. Tinker around with this mechanism and you'll probably find the reason why it isn't going back down.

To drain the tank so you're not working under water, you can close the water intake valve and flush the toilet, the tank will empty and no new water will fill it.

 

[alexjohnson16]

Will look into replacing everything tomorrow...

Thanks for the help.

 

[mrrman]

Originally posted by: Eli
Sounds as if it's partially clogged.

Our toilet does the glug glug thing when it's not completely plugged, but draining slowly...

I agree...maybe something was flushed down it when it shouldnt have been. You may need to get the snake out...not that one lmao or pull the toilet out and check down the pipe for obstructions.

 

[shilala]

It's either plugged or not vented properly.
If the snake doesn't get it, go up on your roof and throw a garden hose in your vent. There's probably bees building a nest in it.
If that doesn't get it, you'll need to pull the toilet and inspect it to see if something is stuck in there. While it's up, you can rod the drain.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: QuitBanningMe
Edit 2: Since we are getting technical it is a water closet not a toilet.

Actually, I think water closet and toilet are both the "room" but the pot itself is a commode.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Sounds like you need to get a snake and clean the trap. Toilets have built-in traps.....if gunk has built up over the last few years, you'll need to scrape it out. You can get a plumber's snake from most hardware stores to clean it out without having to remove it.

 

[amcdonald]

I would like to take a second to thank the person who decided it should called a ballcock.

 

[zixxer]

it's partially clogged. Personally, I'd try draino

 

[jaedaliu]

i agree with the others that it sounds like the p-trap built into the toilet is partially clogged.

DON'T SNAKE IT!

ok, that being said, snake it with a special toilet snake. If you use a normal snake, there's a good chance you'll ruin the finish and don't know what's going to happen, but it'll probably look like an old toilet that nobody would want any guest to ever see. The tool to use is long with a handle on one side and a rubber 90 degree neck at the other with the snake head coming out. I don't know the name of it, but i use it like 3 times a week. Damn my 10 person household and people with solid waste that gets stuck! (i think they need to modify their diet, it's always the same person)

 

[DrPizza]

Tell wife/kids/yourself not to flush paper towels, tampons, etc. 10 to 1 that's your problem.
Sorry mobo, I disagree completely. You should be able to hold the flapper open 100% of the time and it shouldn't overflow the toilet, nor would it cause it to flush poorly (starting from a full tank)

 

[spacejamz]

on a somewhat related note, are those 'guts' that use a floating thingey to determine when the water stops better than the standard ballcock???

the inspector we hired when moved into the new house said to replace all of them with the float mechanism (can't remember why he told us that though)....

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: spacejamz

on a somewhat related note, are those 'guts' that use a floating thingey to determine when the water stops better than the standard ballcock???

the inspector we hired when moved into the new house said to replace all of them with the float mechanism (can't remember why he told us that though)....

I'm wondering that as well... unless there was an issue with the type you had failing over time.

 

[alexjohnson16]

Updated in OP.