ATOT Plumbers: Toilet help needed.

[GagHalfrunt]

Toilet just started acting up. Here are the symptoms:

The tank fills and retains water normally.
When flushing the bowl won't really flush. It just kinds of fills to the brim as new water comes in.
After it fills the water slowly leaks out of the bowl until it's gone entirely. While it's happening you can hear the sound of the water escaping.
Once the water disappears completely there's a gurgle and then a couple of inches of water bubbles back into the bowl. Bowl retains maybe 1/20th of it's normal volume.
Back to step one. Flushing again fills the bowl completely, water drains out slowly until gone and then a little comes back into the bowl from where it normally leaves

No evidence of leaking anywhere around the toilet or on the ceiling of the room underneath the toilet.

 

[sdifox]

One Second Plumber

http://www.onesecondplumber.com/

 

[PsiStar]

You make big poop.
Eat more fiber, use less paper.
Now plunge toilet

 

[sdifox]

You make big poop.
Eat more fiber, use less paper.
Now plunge toilet

he might have low flow toilet, which will occasionally require extra help to clear the way.

 

[kalrith]

You just need to plunge it really, really well. My toilet did this about two months ago. It took about 15 minutes of plunging, flushing, plunging, flushing, etc. to get it to go down. I haven't had a problem with it since.

 

[FoBoT]

You make big poop.
Eat more fiber, use less paper.
Now plunge toilet

i concur, your big p00p has partially blocked the exit

plunge plunge plunge it until it is back to normal ^_^

 

[BoomerD]

Definitely SOMETHING blocking the terlet from draining properly.

Plunger would be my first choice. NOT one of the cheap ass plungers like this:

But rather, a GOOD plunger like this:

BTW, from that site:
http://drainrescue.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/how-to-plunge-your-toilet-the-right-way/

 

[Capt Caveman]

Some kind of blockage.

Plunger or snake, your choice.

 

[lxskllr]

Definitely SOMETHING blocking the terlet from draining properly.

Plunger would be my first choice. NOT one of the cheap ass plungers like this:



But rather, a GOOD plunger like this:

Pics Clipped

BTW, from that site:
http://drainrescue.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/how-to-plunge-your-toilet-the-right-way/

I've always had better luck with the cheapies. As a bonus, they make nice trumpet mutes when you aren't plunging toilets :^D

 

[marvdmartian]

If plunger by itself won't do the trick, try running a couple buckets of HOT water (get it from the tub) down the toilet, then plunge again. Sometimes it helps to loosen those really hard turds! :sneaky:

 

[*kjm]

Make sure your air vent for your sewer is not blocked. The air vent could have a nest or something else blocking it.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Put a bit of javex and let it sit overnight, maybe plunge the javex in so it gets closer to the affected areas.

If it's still doing it and it's not clogged the next step is check to make sure the vent is not clogged (PVC pipe that will be sticking out of your roof near washroom). If something got on it and got sucked in it may be restricting air flow. This would cause things to drain ok, but less well.

I'm suspecting it's a partial clog though.

 

[StageLeft]

Plunge it. Do it right. My dad for years used to do it the wrong way, basically starting it above water level then pushing an air bubble down, then take it back out for more air, then down another air bubble pushed through. At some point I figured the proper way to do it (put it down in the hole and just up and down over and over). When my dad saw me do it this way he said it was wrong. I said it was right. I unclogged it and he was silent. I think it dawned on him that holy sh*t for decades now I've been plunging a toilet wrong. I am win.

Anyway if that doesn't work get a snake, they are cheap and the best way to man up for a clog. It will unclog anything.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Okay thanks. All I've got is a cheap-ass plunger and that isn't working. I'll try the hot water thing tonight and get a better plunger if necessary tomorrow.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Okay thanks. All I've got is a cheap-ass plunger and that isn't working. I'll try the hot water thing tonight and get a better plunger if necessary tomorrow.

If the plunger isn't working, get yourself a snake. It'll do a better job.

 

[StageLeft]

Okay thanks. All I've got is a cheap-ass plunger and that isn't working. I'll try the hot water thing tonight and get a better plunger if necessary tomorrow.

Have you really manned up on it? Put it in the toilet to the hole and pump the water down then let it up enough to expand the bell shape back only, then back in, and then just in and out, the goal being to move the water back and forth. It's extremely unlikely that a simple #2 even from a large fat ass could have blocked your toilet to the point you need to get a snake.

 

[lxskllr]

Plunge it. Do it right. My dad for years used to do it the wrong way, basically starting it above water level then pushing an air bubble down, then take it back out for more air, then down another air bubble pushed through. At some point I figured the proper way to do it (put it down in the hole and just up and down over and over). When my dad saw me do it this way he said it was wrong. I said it was right. I unclogged it and he was silent. I think it dawned on him that holy sh*t for decades now I've been plunging a toilet wrong. I am win.

Anyway if that doesn't work get a snake, they are cheap and the best way to man up for a clog. It will unclog anything.

A single push down medium hard, and then yanking up very hard works well too. That technique is especially good for drains with an overflow hole, as it helps keep water mess down.

 

[sdifox]

You guys never used One Second Plumber?

 

[StageLeft]

You guys never used One Second Plumber?

I have heard about it. I think it works well. Is there any concern about the pressure from it causing bursting on old piping?

 

[sdifox]

I have heard about it. I think it works well. Is there any concern about the pressure from it causing bursting on old piping?

Not supposed to. I think it is probably safer than a hard plunge. The difference is there is more air, not necessarily higher pressure.

 

[StageLeft]

Not supposed to. I think it is probably safer than a hard plunge. The difference is there is more air, not necessarily higher pressure.

I would definitely try it before paying for a pro to come over!

 

[Number1]

You might have plugged water delivery outlets. The only way to find out is to stick your head in the toilet and visually check underneath the bowl ring for any obstructions.

You should really wait until the bowl is emptied of water before you do this otherwise the extra volume your head puts in the toilet might make it overflow.

I know, it's a dirty job but somebody needs to do it.

Please post results.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Plunge it. Do it right. My dad for years used to do it the wrong way, basically starting it above water level then pushing an air bubble down, then take it back out for more air, then down another air bubble pushed through. At some point I figured the proper way to do it (put it down in the hole and just up and down over and over). When my dad saw me do it this way he said it was wrong. I said it was right. I unclogged it and he was silent. I think it dawned on him that holy sh*t for decades now I've been plunging a toilet wrong. I am win.

Anyway if that doesn't work get a snake, they are cheap and the best way to man up for a clog. It will unclog anything.

Yeah I actually unblocked my main sewer line this way. My sewer started to backup and the laundry tub was almost full, so I plunched at the tub as it was the most convenient location. I could hear the water just moving up in the stack so I just kept going up and down and the movement of water eventually pushed the blockage away. The javex helped too...

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Have you really manned up on it? Put it in the toilet to the hole and pump the water down then let it up enough to expand the bell shape back only, then back in, and then just in and out, the goal being to move the water back and forth. It's extremely unlikely that a simple #2 even from a large fat ass could have blocked your toilet to the point you need to get a snake.

Yep, I manned up, but the plunger wimped out. The rubber bell was too small and too soft, so all I was doing was inverting the thing. The bell turned inside out rather than creating a decent seal.

The hot water trick worked great though. Did a batch and let it trickle down, refilled the bowl and let that trickle down and then it flushed and refilled normally.

Thanks ATOT.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Also, any other bizarre drain problems? It's possible your vent stack is acting up

Try turning all of your sinks on full, then flush the toilet