Toilet Draining
#1
11-13-17, 05:31 AM
Toilet Draining
Having a problem with my toilet bowl not able to hold water. It's a good quality toilet, not very old. Can see no leaks or cracks anywhere around the toilet. If I keep filling it by pouring H2O into the bowl, it eventually stays. The toilet was unused for a few years, but house was heated. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanx.....Charlie.
#2
11-13-17, 05:39 AM
Group Moderator
It is normal for the water to drain from a toilet to a certain point. If you slowly pour water into the bowl it will not rise. The water will just drain out though the trap. If you quickly dump a bucket of water into the bowl it will cause the toilet to flush.
#3
11-13-17, 08:05 AM
Member
If water stays when you add it to the bowl then it sounds like your problem is not the bowl holding the water but more like the bowl not getting the water. If that is the case then look inside the tank and see if you have water flowing to the overflow tube in the center. If you have the modern fill valve there should be a little plastic tube sending water to the overflow tube, which is what sends water to your bowl.
#4
11-13-17, 08:26 AM
Member
Not sure I'm following you.
If the water level is dropping once the bowl is full and the full valve closes, the flapper is leaking.
Simple to check add some red food coloring to the tank, if it shows up in the bowl the flapper or seat is leaking, could also be the chain is too short or catching on something cause it to not allow the flapper to fully close.
What style fill valve do you have, a picture would help.
https://www.fluidmaster.com/toilet-p...t-is-too-loud/
If the water level is dropping once the bowl is full and the full valve closes, the flapper is leaking.
Simple to check add some red food coloring to the tank, if it shows up in the bowl the flapper or seat is leaking, could also be the chain is too short or catching on something cause it to not allow the flapper to fully close.
What style fill valve do you have, a picture would help.
https://www.fluidmaster.com/toilet-p...t-is-too-loud/
#5
11-13-17, 09:49 AM
Thanx all for the replies. I've tried very lightly pressing the flush handle, not flushing, just enough to fill the bowl to the usual water height. In time, the water level slowly falls to the point where the toilet starts to gurgle, with water only in the bottom of the bowl, allowing the gurgling. No sewer smell, so the trap is still viable. After several attempts to get bowl water level to correct height, it works....the water stops draining. I've done most of the plumbing in my house over the past 30 years, replacing ballcock and accessories several times, but at a loss to understand what's going on. I'm on a septic tank, and well. Thanx again.....Charlie
#7
11-13-17, 11:51 AM
Group Moderator
I suspect you have a plumbing vent problem. Luckily for now it is mostly sucking so you are not getting a sewer gas smell but I would check your vents to make sure one isn't clogged.
#8
11-14-17, 05:55 AM
The vents were my first thought...nest, leaves, etc.....b/c I occasionally get a bubble or two from the toilet, when I drain the bath tub....but the vents are clear. the bowl drains in about 3 to 5 minutes...and again, on my 2nd or 3rd try to fill the bowl, the water stays. This is the 3rd toilet I've put in. Curiouser, and curiouser. Thanx for the replies.....Charlie.
#9
11-14-17, 07:31 AM
Group Moderator
Then you may have a partial clog somewhere especially if you are getting occasional bubbling. I don't think your problem is in the toilet though so I would focus on the drain and vent lines.
#10
11-14-17, 10:27 AM
Super Moderator
x2 on partial clog. A filled line blocks the vent somewhat and when the line drains slow it creates a siphon effect and pulls the water from the toilet... Bubbling is a dead giveaway...
#11
11-14-17, 12:21 PM
Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: U.S.
Posts: 4,807
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
X3 on partial clog and siphoning. Hopefully it's only a clog and not a belly in the main drain line.
A belly is a cracked/collapsed pipe, usually cast iron. If you snake the pipes and the problem continues, I would consider getting a camera in the line.
Also you might need a snake with a cutter head.
A belly is a cracked/collapsed pipe, usually cast iron. If you snake the pipes and the problem continues, I would consider getting a camera in the line.
Also you might need a snake with a cutter head.
#12
11-14-17, 01:00 PM
Thanks for all the great replies, folks. The last time I was in the crawl space I had thought that the pitch of the sewer pipe from the toilet wasn't steep enough.....and maybe a large Ca Ca would temporarily block the vent/drain lines. Will investigate in the spring. Thanx again all you nice folks.
