Sluggish toilet mystery, round 2, expert help needed.

[MossRoad]

Let's just admit it fellas... no one really wants to put their hands down the potty to find out what might be in there, now do they.

 

[orezok]

I own and manage about 100 student rental units. Lots of toilets. We had a toilet mystery once. Toilet would clog with any solid material but would pass water well when flushed with only liquid. Snaked it many times. No joy. We finally pulled the dang thing, put on the long gloves and explored. Pulled out lots of Q-tips. The tenant threw them in the toilet each day and they caught just right in the trap. The snake would punch right through them, water would flow right through, but solids got stopped.

I've pulled lots of things out of toilets. If it isn't mineral deposits, it's a foreign object. Just pull it and you'll find your problem.

Reminds me of a condo project I built one time. We had one 4 plex building that had a drainage problem when nearing completion of construction. Since all of the units had the same problem we determined that it was the lateral. First we tried putting a garden hose down the exterior cleanout and we noted that water was flowing through the next downstream manhole. Since we were still under construction we could be sure that the water was only from our hose. Pulled the hose out and tried the units again and it backed up again. Did the hose thing several times and same result. We finally called in jetter to clean the line. Put a capture screen in the manhole to see what the issue was.

It turns out that the painter used that building to do all his cleanup and had dumped a considerable amount of paint down the drains. The garden hose would push through the muck but then it closed back up again.

Needless to say, the painter got a substantial bill.

 

[N80]

Let's just admit it fellas... no one really wants to put their hands down the potty to find out what might be in there, now do they.

No. But I've done a lot worse. Had to shovel out the old septic tanks of a river cabin my grandfather built. Had to get in to do it.

 

[Soundguy]

Reminds me of a condo project I built one time. We had one 4 plex building that had a drainage problem when nearing completion of construction. Since all of the units had the same problem we determined that it was the lateral. First we tried putting a garden hose down the exterior cleanout and we noted that water was flowing through the next downstream manhole. Since we were still under construction we could be sure that the water was only from our hose. Pulled the hose out and tried the units again and it backed up again. Did the hose thing several times and same result. We finally called in jetter to clean the line. Put a capture screen in the manhole to see what the issue was.

It turns out that the painter used that building to do all his cleanup and had dumped a considerable amount of paint down the drains. The garden hose would push through the muck but then it closed back up again.

Needless to say, the painter got a substantial bill.

our painter did the same 14ys ago when we had a house built. everything flowed but the garden tub. the garden tub was being used by all the workers to clean tools... toilet 3' away would flush.. but the tub backed up..

 

[Soundguy]

Let's just admit it fellas... no one really wants to put their hands down the potty to find out what might be in there, now do they.

it's because we KNOW what is down there.

 

[deerefan]

Get a bottle of Dawn, or equivalent, and squirt some in the fill tube in the tank. Flush the toilet. The soap helps the water get thru the bowl ports at the rim quicker, increasing pressure and helping provide a thorough flush. This is a quick test to pinpoint or eliminate if the ports are clogged.

 

[JRobyn]

You mean that things don't just "disappear" once they're flushed? True story; when my dad was getting up in years and not really thinking so good anymore, he got a job being the janitor at the local rural library. After a few months, all the drains started backing up. They tried all the usual fixes to no avail and finally had to have a plumber in. They eventually found all of dad's rubber gloves in the main building drain line grease trap. Dad just couldn't understand why it would be a problem if he flushed his used rubber gloves after cleaning the restrooms.

(Sorry Dad; RIP)

- Jay

 

[JeremyL]

I'm having the same problem with the toilet at the farm house that we only go to about once a month. Solids frequently don't go down. I haven't pulled the toilet to take a look-see.

One theory I have is that since we don't use it much, we aren't putting enough water through the system to keep the solids wet and flowing to the septic tank. PVC waste pipes are accessible in the basement, there are a good number of bends, and no clean-outs. Toilet and pipes are all from 1981.

Should we take more showers to keep the waste pipe clean and sweet?

( At other properties, I once took a pair of scissors out of a toilet's trap, another time it was the spindle that holds the TP roll.)

 

[N80]

My toddler son once flushed a small hairbrush when we lived in a rental house. It stuck midway in the s bend. I could barely see it from the bottom of the toilet when I removed it. Could not dislodge it with a coat hanger so I tried to poke at it with a metal rod. Ended up poking a hole through the porcelain of the s bend which is much thinner than the rest of the toilet. Bought a new one and installed it myself. Did not even want to tell the owner.

 

[sldva00]

Not much more to add concerning what to check for. If you do decide to replace the toilet, I've had great success using Toto Drake II toilet. It is expensive, but I went from using the plunger just about every day to once in the 6 months I've had it. Very satisfied with it. I thought I would have clogged it up, but my 4 year/old clogged it. Guess he used way too much toilet paper or through something down while sitting.

There have been several occassions where it doesn't flush on first flush, water level just rises. But I wait for the tank to refill and flush again holding the lever a little longer and it does the trick.

 

[kenmac]

Let's just admit it fellas... no one really wants to put their hands down the potty to find out what might be in there, now do they.

People actually pay me very good $$ to do just that and worse

 

[MossRoad]

People actually pay me very good $$ to do just that and worse

I gladly do it for money, but for some reason, when its your own fault, or the fault of a close loved one.... yeeks!!!!

 

[kenmac]

well, here's Amazon.com: Toilets Buying Guide ya'll some good reading on the different types of toilets ,different flushing types, larger flush valves /S traps, etc. those with the 3'' & 4'' flappers (in the bowl )along with a larger S trap really do a fantastic job of flushing

 

[kenmac]

I gladly do it for money, but for some reason, when its your own fault, or the fault of a close loved one.... yeeks!!!!

A close love one doesn't get charged for ADVISE on how to proceed with repairs

 

[ruffdog]

I'm just wondering if something made it past the flapper and is partially blocking the jet at the bottom of the bowl. You know...it's like that power jet of water that shoots toward the drain when flushed. With a good jet, it should shoot Mr. Hankey right out of there.

 

[kenmac]

Question: If I put in a new low flow toilet is the existing DWV system adequate? In other words, does the pitch of the main line down to the septic tank need to be altered since less water will be carrying...the load, so to speak....down the pipe?

Negative . I have never had to alter any drain lines just because I replaced a toilet. It should flow just fine

 

[PILOON]

" There are NO repeat NO valves in a toilet bowl."

All depends,
At our lake most of us installed RV toilets for the low flush ability as we are very environmental minded.
Those RV units DO have a flapper like valve.

 

[PILOON]

I'm having the same problem with the toilet at the farm house that we only go to about once a month. Solids frequently don't go down. I haven't pulled the toilet to take a look-see.
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I saw the same problem at a client's chalet.
At the septic tank entry port the solids actually backed up and exited like a plug but got stopped by the baffle.
When I first looked in I thought the workers had forgotten to cut the entry pipe.

Told the clients to take more showers or simply run the water often.

This is one situation where water saver appliances work against you.

 

[JRobyn]

I have had very good performance from the relatively inexpensive replacement toilets that both Costco and Sams sell ("Water Ridge" IIRC). Bought 3 for the new house and liked them so well that we bought 3 more for the old house. Dual flush "buttons", one for larger loads, one for smaller. I was concerned about finding replacement parts for them, but so far after several years of use, none have been needed.

- Jay

 

[EddieWalker]

My current favorite brand for toilets is the Jacuzzi brand. This is the only brand that I've installed that I never hear any complaints from my clients, and I install quite a few toilets every year. I have a Crane commercial toilet in my house and it's nothing to brag about. One day I'll replace it with a Jacuzzi one. I've read great reviews of Toto, especially about their glazing process and how nothing sticks to it, but the few that I've seen in higher end homes haven't impressed me.

Eddie