Any plumbers? Toilet problems

[DrGonzo]

I'm wondering if your wax seal leak is just a result of your plunging efforts to get the water to go down. I'm wondering if you real issue is that your vent is clogged. drain lines require a vent pipe usually on top of the roof to let sewer gases to escape and keep air behind the water. If that vent pipe gets clogged or blocked you don't get the air behind the water "or not enough air" which makes it seem like the toilet is clogged as it is fighting pressure for the water to go down. It is more noticeable on septic systems since it all goes into a underground tank.

When you flush does you sink or bathtub drain gurgle at all? That's a good sign you have a vent problem as it is pulling air out of the closest fixture in order to get the water to drain. The problem is that when the sink or tub does gurgle, it means there was enough vacuum pressure to pull the water out of those fixtures traps and now you have a way for sewer gas to get into the house. Anytime a drain gurgles it means something is pulling the water out of the trap.

I would either tell your landlord or just go on the roof if you can and check out the vent stack. Birds/squirrels/etc sometimes make a nest i there and can clog it up. Also leaves and whatnot from trees can clog it up also. Sometimes it works itself free and others it needs to be snaked or blasted free.

[stealthee]

That sounds very plausible Gonzo. I'll look into that. Thanks.

[CoopKill]

Not sold on Beef's solution. Being that I see many toilet issues a year, most being supply line issues, and runner up being old wax rings blown out by plunging my advise is go with the wax ring.

The other posted solution scares me as the foam crap they are made of will dry/crack/harden/disintegrate over time where wax does not. The wax ring will not affect how it flushes, but will allow framing to get wet if blown out. They are very easy to replace as the newer style has a funnel bottom that sits in the pipe centered. Be sure to clean the old off, hover the toilet over the bolts, and set in place. Smash down till solid, add nuts, blow it up at will...

[j2k4]

Bill = knows his shit, and all related issues.

[CoopKill]

My job has been shitty at times...

[Beef6]

Not sold on Beef's solution. Being that I see many toilet issues a year, most being supply line issues, and runner up being old wax rings blown out by plunging my advise is go with the wax ring.

The other posted solution scares me as the foam crap they are made of will dry/crack/harden/disintegrate over time where wax does not. The wax ring will not affect how it flushes, but will allow framing to get wet if blown out. They are very easy to replace as the newer style has a funnel bottom that sits in the pipe centered. Be sure to clean the old off, hover the toilet over the bolts, and set in place. Smash down till solid, add nuts, blow it up at will...

The possibility of the foam/material drying out was the reason I choose not to use it. Id be curious to see long term results with them.

[stealthee]

Well, my landlord called me to talk about the situation before he made it out to the house. I told him about the information gleaned here, as well as information found in my own searches. At that time he informed me there wasn't even a vent pipe.

Sidebar: The house was built sometime in the late 1800's and there was no plumbing in the house. The bathroom and laundry room are an addition and apparently when they were added they had no way of getting the vent to the roof. :shrug:

He said he would go check it out and go from there. Well, he ended up replacing the entire toilet and guess what? It still doesn't flush.

Now, I guess his next plan of action is to cut out the pipe where the vent should be and replace that. I guess it's possible that the vent area is sufficient air for the toilet to flush, but something has gotten in there causing the air to be blocked and not allowing it to flush.

[DrGonzo]

Yeah, you have a serious venting issue and seeing as that addition is not to code I'm not sure he is even legally aloud to rent it out. I'm don't know rental construction codes for PA but most places have to meet minimal code standards to even be allowed to use the dwelling as a rental property. The insufficient venting will allow sewer/septic gases into the house as the flushing issue is causing too much vacuum pressure in the line to the septic tank and is pulling the water sitting in the traps out trying to get to air. If they couldn't vent tot he roof they could have used a cheater vent but that's all up to local codes.

[stealthee]

Like I said, I am not really sure. I never paid attention when I was under there a few weeks back when my water line to my washer froze.

[j2k4]

I can't believe we've overlooked the most obvious problem, the problem that leads to all your other difficulties:




















You weren't shitting, you ARE full-of-shit, no shit.

While this in no way helps with your current dilemma, it should be noted.

For the record, you see.















Hope your sub-floor job goes no further than one joist in either direction, and stops at least a half-inch from the wall behind your shitter.

If your landlord offers you a rent-break in lieu of repairs, MAKE IT WORTH YOUR WHILE.