| 1. Water level in the toilet tank is set too | | | | this may bring false hope. Some types of |
| low... | | | | small blockages may let water flow by and may |
| | | | appear to yield to the plunger. Then the |
| A lot of people lower the level in the toilet | | | | toilet will reclog when other "stuff" such as |
| tank to save water by adjusting the inlet | | | | toilet paper pass by. If this is the case, |
| valve float so that the valve turns off | | | | you can try to use a toilet snake. |
| sooner. Yes, it does save water, but a lower | | | | |
| water level means less power to move all the | | | | This is a special wound-wire apparatus that |
| doo-doo from the bowl. | | | | is inserted into the toilet bowl and through |
| | | | the drain hole at the bottom. |
| Sometimes, the doo-doo has to make a long | | | | |
| trip to the septic tank or public sewer. | | | | These special snakes have a rubber cover to |
| | | | protect the porcelain from scratching. |
| There are other things that can be done to | | | | |
| save water and still get a good flush. | | | | Be careful anyway! Once the end of the snake |
| | | | in inserted into the drain, rotate the snake |
| Put a stone, a brick, or even a water-filled | | | | as you push it into the drain. |
| plastic soda bottle in the tank. The object | | | | |
| displaces water, so when the tank fills, the | | | | You may need to pull it in and out to get it |
| water level is the same, but less water is | | | | to follow the internal bends of the toilet. |
| used. Because the level stays the same, the | | | | Once you have pushed about 4 feet of snake |
| force with which the water drives into the | | | | into the drain, withdraw it and pour a few |
| toilet also stays nearly the same, just for a | | | | gallons of water into the toilet bowl to see |
| shorter length of time. Just take care not | | | | if the flow is improved. |
| obstruct any of the toilet's moving parts! | | | | |
| Install water dams in the tank. They are flat | | | | If this method does not work, the next step |
| pieces of flexible plastic-covered spring | | | | is to remove the toilet from its base. Don't |
| steel that are installed in the tank on one | | | | rush this step... most drain blockages are |
| or both sides of the overflow tube/flapper | | | | not total, but you should wait at least a few |
| assembly. When you flush, the water level | | | | minutes for water to drain below the floor |
| drops quickly, but the water behind the dams | | | | flange, or you will have a flood! You are |
| is held back. You get the right combination | | | | looking for 1) small items that are stuck in |
| of force and saved water. | | | | the bends of the toilet, 2) an overly wide |
| | | | wax seal under the toilet (which can slow |
| 2. Venting problems... | | | | down the flow enough to prevent proper |
| | | | flushing), or 3) something stuck at the top |
| In order for any of your plumbing drains to | | | | of the floor flange. I have things as varied |
| work properly, a source of air must be | | | | as pencils and nightlights stuck in toilets, |
| allowed to enter the system behind the water | | | | as well as clogs of burnt matches! Junior... |
| flowing through the pipes. If air is not | | | | how many times have I told you not to play |
| easily available, a vacuum forms behind the | | | | with matches? If blockage is not visible, you |
| water and slows it down. | | | | may need to use a plumbing snake to clear the |
| | | | lines. Depending on the extent of the |
| This air is supplied by the venting system... | | | | blockage, this may require a pro or rental of |
| an arrangement of pipes that connect all the | | | | heavy-duty snaking equipment! 4. Full septic |
| drains in your home to a source of fresh air. | | | | tank... |
| | | | |
| You may not even be aware of this system's | | | | A rule of thumb for septic systems: if you |
| existence, since the pipes are normally | | | | don't remember the last time you had it |
| concealed within the walls... | | | | pumped out, make the appointment |
| | | | immediately!! If you allow a septic tank to |
| except for a small pipe that projects through | | | | overfill with solids, the result can not only |
| the roof. These vents are specially sized, | | | | be blockages into your home plumbing drains, |
| located and sloped so that no waste water | | | | but also the movement of solids into your |
| drains through them and so they allow | | | | underground septic system fields. The fields |
| adequate air for your plumbing system. | | | | are where the overflowing water from your |
| | | | septic tank is absorbed into the earth. The |
| If additional fixtures are added to your | | | | small amount of solid waste normally in this |
| plumbing system, such as in a basement | | | | waste water is easily digested by bacteria in |
| bathroom, these must be connected to your | | | | the fields. |
| existing vent system or must be supplied with | | | | |
| their own vents. Mechanical vents can be used | | | | In the case of a solid waste overflow, the |
| to save the expense of through-the-roof | | | | large volume of solids can overwhelm the |
| venting and the possibly difficult pipe | | | | bacteria and cause the earth around the |
| installation. However, these devices must be | | | | fields to become less porous. The waste water |
| approved by your local plumbing code. | | | | will then accumulate near the surface of the |
| | | | ground, making it both marshy, smelly and a |
| Back to toilets... because a toilet moves | | | | health hazard! This is not a laughing |
| such a large quantity of water, a lot of air | | | | matter... restoring septic fields can cost |
| is needed. Without this air from the vent, | | | | $10000 or more dollars! And if the septic |
| the flush "stalls" and the bowl does not | | | | code in your area has changed since the |
| drain fully... not the most pleasant sight!! | | | | original installation, you may be forced to |
| If the vent is blocked, the vacuum formed | | | | spend five to ten times that to bring your |
| behind the large "bolus" of waste water tries | | | | system into compliance with the new |
| to get air elsewhere. The force can be strong | | | | standards... nothing to sneeze at!! 5. |
| enough to pull water from toilets and sink | | | | Blocked toilet bowl inlet holes... |
| traps as it flows down towards the sewer. | | | | |
| Because the standing water in a sink trap | | | | In many toilets, the water entering the tank |
| keeps sewer gas from entering your home, this | | | | when flushed comes through small, angled |
| is a serious situation! If you think you have | | | | pinholes around the underside of the seat |
| such a blockage, it can be tricky to clear. | | | | rim. The water rushes through these angled |
| Some plumbers use a garden hose, and insert | | | | holes at high speeds, causing the water in |
| it into the roof vent, working it down into | | | | the bowl to swirl and the water level to |
| the vent gradually to wash out the blockage. | | | | rise. Any blockage in these holes will |
| | | | decrease water flow and movement, resulting |
| Since drain pipes enlarge as you move towards | | | | in a poor or incomplete flush. |
| the sewer, a blockage on top (such as a birds | | | | |
| nest) will not block the system further | | | | These holes can be cleared by using an unbent |
| along. Of course, if you see the blockage | | | | paperclip or safety pin. Simply push the |
| close to the top of the vent, it is wiser to | | | | device-of-choice in and out of the holes to |
| try to remove it from the top! I heard a | | | | ream out any blockage. |
| story from a friend in a plumbing parts | | | | |
| department about a plumber that did what I | | | | 6. The toilet drain pipe does not have a |
| have just described. He was working alone, | | | | proper downslope... |
| and, as he twisted and turned the hose, | | | | |
| didn't realize that the hose had turned into | | | | It is imperative that drain pipes not be |
| a toilet drain pipe, goosed it's way through | | | | level! Based on the applicable building code, |
| the toilet flange, into the toilet, and into | | | | all drain pipe must have a minimum slope, |
| a bathroom, flooding the bathroom. So the | | | | generally expressed in inches per foot of run |
| lesson here is to have an observer... | | | | (such as 1" of rise for every 10' of pipe |
| | | | run, or length. Sometimes, because of |
| just in case! If you find that the birdies | | | | settlement in the home, pipes that may have |
| are nesting in your vent, or other creatures | | | | at one time had a sufficient or barely |
| or debris fall into it, put a piece of | | | | sufficient slope no longer do. When this |
| galvanized screen oven the vent to prevent a | | | | happens, water pools in the pipe. When you |
| reoccurrence. Many birds, like campers, love | | | | flush, the large mass you are trying to get |
| to come back to the same place every year! 3. | | | | rid of runs smack dab into the sitting water. |
| Blockage in the toilet, floor flange or | | | | The collision stalls the flush, leaving a |
| drain... | | | | present for you in the bottom of your bowl. |
| | | | Happy Birthday!! The solution (as if there |
| Sometimes, it takes nothing more than quickly | | | | was an easy way) is to restore a slope to the |
| pouring a few gallons of water down the | | | | pipes! How this can be done, and the expense |
| toilet to loosen and wash away a blockage. | | | | involved, all depends of how exposed the |
| First, wait until the level in the bowl has | | | | pipes are: If they are in a basement with an |
| dropped to below half full, or drain it out | | | | unfinished or drop ceiling, go buy a Lotto |
| manually (Yecch). | | | | ticket, 'cause you just got really lucky! Put |
| | | | a level on the pipes to see whether they |
| Then fill a 3 to 5 gallon bucket with water | | | | slope downward towards the sewer or septic |
| and quickly pour the contents into the toilet | | | | system. If they are level or or have a |
| bowl. If the water seems to flow free, try | | | | negative slope (slope in the wrong |
| flushing with an empty bowl first. If this | | | | direction), check all pipe supports. If the |
| works, try a flush with a wad of toilet | | | | supports have broken or stretched, lift the |
| paper... you know, the "usual" amount! If | | | | pipes into the proper position, and use |
| this works, you probably have solved the | | | | perforated metal plumbers tape to hold them |
| problem. If not, more drastic action is | | | | in place. Always use screws for this, in case |
| needed! A plunger will often free up simple | | | | you need to "fine tune" your adjustments! If |
| blockages that occur with the toilet in "the | | | | the drain pipes are concealed, they will have |
| bend" or at the floor flange. Using a plunger | | | | to be exposed before there can be any thought |
| is easy, though sloppy! If the toilet is | | | | of repair. |
| full, you may need to bucket out a little | | | | |
| water to limit splashing. | | | | If the pipes are within a concrete slab, grab |
| | | | the two jacks... the jackhammer and the Jack |
| Seat the plunger into the drain hole in the | | | | Daniels! Taking up a concrete floor is beyond |
| toilet bowl and pump it up and down a dozen | | | | the instructional mandate of this site. |
| or so times. The water hopefully will drain | | | | |
| from the bowl. DON'T FLUSH YET!! First, get a | | | | If they are between a finished ceiling and |
| 5 gallon bucket, fill it with water and pour | | | | floor, this won't be fun, either. You will |
| it quickly into the toilet bowl. This way, | | | | need to determine where the pipes are, then |
| you have some control over the water flow. If | | | | cut out the plaster, drywall, etc., before |
| the blockage remains, you won't flood the | | | | proceeding to adjust them. |
| floor (again?). The added benefit of this | | | | |
| high volume flushing is that the force helps | | | | However you decide to proceed, be sure you |
| to clear the blockage more thoroughly. If the | | | | have exhausted all other possibilities |
| drain flows freely, pour an additional three | | | | concerning pipe blockages, overfull septic |
| or four buckets of water through the | | | | tanks, etc., before taking a wrecking ball to |
| toilet... necessary overkill!! Only then can | | | | your home. |
| you attempt to flush! Unfortunately, even | | | | |