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