My question is regarding both toilets in my house. In the past year, they both have been running sluggish, and once every 2 months or so they will gurgle and then overflow. It seems to be the 2nd floor one mostly. My husband will use a plunger and it will still be sluggish, but won't overflow for another 2 months or so. A few days ago we got a toilet auger and used it on both toilets - nothing seems to be blocking in the toilets. The are one right above the other, and we have a septic system. Also, when this started to happen I also noticed a septic-like smell in my washer in the basement (the septic system is right in front of where the washer machine is). We are now thinking it may be the vent on the roof. The sinks or shower doesn't seem to be affected. Any suggestions??
COMMUNITY FORUM
Venting does come to mind. Any chance of checking to see if vent pipes are clear from the roof down?
It's interesting that this problem seems to have developed in the past year. This suggests that the vent pipes were properly installed.
Also...regarding the sewer smell in the washer: Does the washer drain hose go UP to washer height then drain DOWN into a standpipe or tub? If so, this is a GOOD thing, as it prevents backflow (accidental siphoning from drainpipes into the washer). Also if so, it's unlikely you're getting waste water into the washer (hopefully you're not)--unless waste water is getting into the fresh water supply elsewhere--and we really don't want to "go there", do we...
We are planning to check the vent as soon as we can borrow a large ladder, but we are in Rhode Island, so we also need a warm day!
Also, washer hose goes up into PVC then down then into a bigger PVC then out the cement wall. I've never noticed any wetness in the washer, just the smell, which is why I thought the toilet problems may be coming from the vent. It seems if it is blocked the fumes maybe going into the washer seeing the septic is so close to the washer. I just thought the toilet problems and the fumes from the washer pointed the problem being the vent.
If it is the vent and we can't get to it for another month or 2, is there any temporary solution??? Plunging it seems to work for a short time, although they are still sluggish.
I have a sluggish 2nd story toilet. That last piece of toilet paper never wants to go down. The tank fills fine, and it seems to take about 10 seconds for the tank to empty but the bowl never empties, there is no "swoosh" and "glug-glug" as the water leaves, in fact, there is no enthusiasm. We have snaked the tank, removed it from its seat and cleaned out the pipes underneath, but it still has no enthusiasm while flushing. Are there lime deposits blocking the emptying of the tank into the bowl, and should we probably invest in a new toilet, this one is from 1972?? Advice???
