Plumber types I have a question

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Plumber types I have a question

Posted: 12/23/2011 5:01:32 AM EDT

My one toilet flushes slowly but only during the winter. It is on an upper floor so it isn't a problem with the septic tank being full or the downstairs toilet would overflow. There is another toilet in another bathroom about 4-5 feet away and it works fine year round. The only thing I have noticed is that the slow toilet doesn't have as much fall in the drain pipe - approx 1-2" per foot. I have snaked and augered out the pipes in the past with no improvement.

Why does this only happen in the winter months?

Posted: 12/23/2011 8:48:18 AM EDT

[#1]

Condensation in the vent freezing up and blocking/partially blocking the vent???

Posted: 12/23/2011 9:02:35 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Condensation in the vent freezing up and blocking/partially blocking the vent???

This....Sounds like the vent is being blocked.

Posted: 12/23/2011 12:11:26 PM EDT

[#3]

Not cold enough. Although I do notice that when it gets really windy the vacuum on the vent pipe actually causes the water level in the bowl to go down. It hasn't been that windy lately though.

Posted: 12/23/2011 9:57:16 PM EDT

[#4]

when you say it flushes slowly, do you mean the water level in the bowls rises slowly, and doesn't siphon until the the end?

1 or 2 inches of drop per foot on a drain of that size is a ton. even a 1/2 per foot is a pretty good slope. on a 3 or 4 inch drain an 1/8 in per foot is acceptable.

Try the bucket test, pour a 1 gallon bucket of water into the bowl, and see if the siphon is started quickly, if yes it's probably tank related, if no, its bowl related.

Posted: 12/26/2011 10:29:38 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Condensation in the vent freezing up and blocking/partially blocking the vent???

This....Sounds like the vent is being blocked.

A vents only purpose is to keep a fixture trap from siphoning out, If there was no vent then you would have a vacume in your drain liine and it would actually drain faster.

If the toilet is old, I would just replace it as that is most likely your problem.

Posted: 12/26/2011 12:07:08 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Condensation in the vent freezing up and blocking/partially blocking the vent???

This....Sounds like the vent is being blocked.

A vents only purpose is to keep a fixture trap from siphoning out, If there was no vent then you would have a vacume in your drain liine and it would actually drain faster.

If the toilet is old, I would just replace it as that is most likely your problem.

No, with a vacuum behind the falling water the draining would be slower (and a lot of glub-glub as the trap siphoned).

Posted: 12/26/2011 12:59:56 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

Quoted:

Condensation in the vent freezing up and blocking/partially blocking the vent???

This....Sounds like the vent is being blocked.

A vents only purpose is to keep a fixture trap from siphoning out, If there was no vent then you would have a vacume in your drain liine and it would actually drain faster.

If the toilet is old, I would just replace it as that is most likely your problem.

No, with a vacuum behind the falling water the draining would be slower (and a lot of glub-glub as the trap siphoned).

The "glub glub" is the air coming back threw the trap because with out a vent there is no where for it to go. The same thing happens when the clog is between the trap and the vent, but this is a symptom not the cause.

I am not sure what you are talking about with "falling water" but I can assure you with out something in the vent physically blocking the drain that is not his problem.

Posted: 12/26/2011 2:05:12 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Condensation in the vent freezing up and blocking/partially blocking the vent???

This....Sounds like the vent is being blocked.

A vents only purpose is to keep a fixture trap from siphoning out, If there was no vent then you would have a vacume in your drain liine and it would actually drain faster.

If the toilet is old, I would just replace it as that is most likely your problem.

No, with a vacuum behind the falling water the draining would be slower (and a lot of glub-glub as the trap siphoned).

The "glub glub" is the air coming back threw the trap because with out a vent there is no where for it to go. The same thing happens when the clog is between the trap and the vent, but this is a symptom not the cause.

I am not sure what you are talking about with "falling water" but I can assure you with out something in the vent physically blocking the drain that is not his problem.

You can get glub-glub from air going either way through the toilet trap.

Trap it under falling water and it comes out, create a vacuum behind falling water and the air goes in.

Posted: 12/27/2011 8:15:32 PM EDT

[#9]

No news from the OP?

Posted: 12/28/2011 1:19:11 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
No news from the OP?

Nope. Still doing it.

The water starts to swirl and go down but never does fully flush. I use a small bowl (aboout 1/2 gal) of water and pour it in when the bowl water is at its lowest and then it will flush fully.

Posted: 12/28/2011 10:06:51 AM EDT

[#11]

Are you using those blue tablets in the tank ? Wife used them here and they clogged the drain holes under the bowl rim resulting in a situation similar to that which you describe. Flushing it out with hot water in the tank was the cure. Blue tabs no longer used and the problem has not returned.

Posted: 12/28/2011 4:59:01 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:
Are you using those blue tablets in the tank ? Wife used them here and they clogged the drain holes under the bowl rim resulting in a situation similar to that which you describe. Flushing it out with hot water in the tank was the cure. Blue tabs no longer used and the problem has not returned.

Also chlorine tabs will do this too.

Check the water level in the tank. And that the refill tube is in the overflow.

Check all the rim holes, and the siphon jet.

The odd part is that it works fine in the summer.

What brand/model toilet is it? (maybe a pic)

Posted: 12/28/2011 5:48:00 PM EDT

[#13]

Tag for solution.

I have a love-hate relationship with toilets.

Always want to know more.

Posted: 1/5/2012 12:51:46 AM EDT

[#14]

I got the tank pumped. The pumper guy said that the tank needing pumped wouldn't have anything to do with the issues I was having. However, the toilet now flushes normally so obviously there was something going on between the two.

Posted: 1/5/2012 11:28:00 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
I got the tank pumped. The pumper guy said that the tank needing pumped wouldn't have anything to do with the issues I was having. However, the toilet now flushes normally so obviously there was something going on between the two.

Have the vents checked.

The vent stack for the toilet is likely partially blocked.

Not that the tanks is closer to empty it is easier to push air into it that should have gone out the vent in the first place.

Posted: 1/5/2012 6:10:40 PM EDT

[#16]

Was this a lower level bath?

Posted: 1/5/2012 11:48:08 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Was this a lower level bath?

Upper level.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Plumber types I have a question

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