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IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

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Toilet trouble

Toilet is all of a sudden clogged. Nothing other than the usual amount of waste and TP (end of discussion) has gone down the toilet in question. Used the plunger, not much luck. I may have to go to Home Depot and pick up a toilet snake.

What are some reasons that could cause a toilet to become slow/stopped like this. At least we have a 1/2 bath so our personal needs are taken care of.

I need some suggestions to get the toilet flushing again. Hopefully pulling up the toilet and going down the flange with a snake will be a last resort.

As for the landlord, our agreement when we moved in 10 years ago was that the tenant was responsible for drain stoppages. The building has since been sold and we're on a slightly different set of terms (per verbal agreement) like we're now responsible for lawn care and snow removal in exchange for a rent discount and cats are now OK. The tenancy we're on now is a month to month tenancy at will (which happened after the lease expired in 2003, and the building changed owners and the occasional rent increase).

The dog you see in my avatar is my grandma's dog so don't think I'm hiding one in the closet when the landlord comes knocking (although that dog would be happier with us as Alaskan Malamutes are active and not a good fit for shut-in elderly but at least he forces grandma to get out of bed and stay active but I think a cat would be appropriate for her). I have a cat that is neutered (which is a good thing as unneutered male cats can spray and create a real stink with landlords).

Raphion
join:2000-10-14
Samsara

Raphion

Member

Things such as toothbrushes and children's toys are classic causes of persistent toilet clogs. Something accidentally dropped in and flushed can get lodged in the trapway with obvious consequences.
tcope
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join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT

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I'd look first for an indication that the toilet itself is not working correctly. It's been a few years but as I recall you should fill a 5 gallon bucket with several gallons of water and pour it quickly into the bowl to see if it "flushes" okay. What creates a good flush is a sudden flow of a lot of water. If the tank is releasing the water very slowly, you won't get a good flush. However, it seems that the bowl may be filling and not draining so it might very well be stopped up. I'd still try filling the bowl quickly with a couple gallons of water to see what happens. Just my thoughts.

Thane_Bitter
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join:2005-01-20

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Plugged that it doesn't flow at all, or plugged that water flows, albeit slowly but plunging doesn't clear it out?

If its the latter case a very large wad of toilet paper can plug up the passages around the obstruction and allow the plunger to push out the entire mass in one go.

Lurch77
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join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

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It can be something as simple as a very large movement with the right consistency (if you know what I mean). But I've never not been able to clear one of those with a plunger. Do you have youngsters in the house? They find water fascinating and will thrown everything in there and try to flush it.

Some humor for you crappy day.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· mUEr_CJ8

dcurrey
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join:2004-06-29
Mason, OH

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said by Raphion:

Things such as toothbrushes

Yep that is my favorite thing to correct. Two year olds are a lot of fun.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
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join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

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It flows slowly. It seems to be picking up speed when I fill a medium sized wastebasket with water (of course without trash in it) and the rush of water seems to be pushing the clog out but now it seems to have water around the base.

If I have to pull that toilet up, I am going to replace it as it is from 1988 and I've already overhauled it once with new components (flush and fill valve) in the tank a couple of years ago. I'll probably replace it with an elongated version and the newer toilets use less water so the landlord will appreciate the water savings.

dcurrey
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join:2004-06-29
Mason, OH

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Assuming you didn't spill anything the water could be an indication of problem with wax ring. It will have to be pulled.

Elongated toilets are nice. Really like the Right Height.

I recently replaced two of mine. One with a American Standard Champion 4 that thing could seriously hurt somebody if they get a swirly in it.

Second one was an American standard Dual flush.

Both are elongated right height. Might be a bit expensive for a rental property.

mackey
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join:2007-08-20

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Water around the base? Assuming it's not from a spill, that water = bad wax ring + clog in the drain line after the toilet. It could very well be the clog was there all along and the plunger blew out the wax ring.

This toilet doesn't happen to be the lowest drain in the house does it? If it is it could be your main line.

/M

chip89
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join:2012-07-05
Columbia Station, OH

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I just you call someone like roto rooter at my house that I rent the toilets all the sudden started draining every slow and water would not fill up the blow all the way it turned out to be a blocked sewer line. The only way I found out about was after the Tp built up all the way it blocked the line casing it to back up.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
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join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

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said by mackey:

This toilet doesn't happen to be the lowest drain in the house does it? If it is it could be your main line.

/M

The toilet in question is the upstairs toilet. The lowest drain is the washer standpipe in the basement. The downstairs (main floor) toilet works fine.

If it was the main line, I'm sure my basement would have a nasty mess of sewage on the floor.

Beezel
join:2008-12-15
Las Vegas, NV

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Beezel to Lurch77

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said by Lurch77:

It can be something as simple as a very large movement with the right consistency (if you know what I mean). But I've never not been able to clear one of those with a plunger. Do you have youngsters in the house? They find water fascinating and will thrown everything in there and try to flush it.

Some humor for you crappy day.

Or they are replicating the Champion 4 tests with a non Champion 4 toilet.

Michail
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join:2000-08-02
Boynton Beach, FL

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One of my kids flushed a bar of soap down the toilet. It got stuck somewhere up in there and swelled up. All a snake did was punch holes right through it.

I had to eventually remove the toilet to get the bar out.
microphone
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join:2009-04-29
Parkville, MD

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Before removing the whole toilet, try using a toilet auger and see if it grabs anything.

robbin
Mod
join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

robbin

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No point in that as the wax seal is leaking -- the toilet has to be removed to replace the wax anyways.

NS4683
join:2000-08-25
NJ

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Why would you replace it if you're a renter? Get the landlord to fix it.

ropeguru
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join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

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What dcurrey See Profile said. If you are getting water around the base, then the wax seal has probably failed and it will also cause the issues you are seeing as the proper seal cannot be created to pull the water out of the toilet.

chip89
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join:2012-07-05
Columbia Station, OH

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Mine built up slowly the I only found out about it after It filled up and Backed up.

robbin
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join:2000-09-21
Leander, TX

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said by ropeguru:

the wax seal has probably failed and it will also cause the issues you are seeing as the proper seal cannot be created to pull the water out of the toilet.

The wax seal has nothing to do with whether or not a toilet flushes. It only purpose is to keep sewer gas out of the home.

ropeguru
Premium Member
join:2001-01-25
Mechanicsville, VA

ropeguru

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said by robbin:

said by ropeguru:

the wax seal has probably failed and it will also cause the issues you are seeing as the proper seal cannot be created to pull the water out of the toilet.

The wax seal has nothing to do with whether or not a toilet flushes. It only purpose is to keep sewer gas out of the home.

Really? I have had several toilet that became slow to flush and after replacing the wax seal everything worked great. And no, no other debris removal took place during the install excedpt removing the old wax ring.