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