http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=287x7610Oh my.
Yeah, we all know how this "a friend" thing goes; the Polynesian queen primitive, the primitive woman bothered by cold weather, is really talking about herself.
troubleinwinter (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 03:18 PM
Original message
toilet/septic/air vent
A friend called & said that their second story toilet goes "glump, glump" at flushing (her husband described it as a gurgling shoosh). The other upstairs toilet and downstairs do not do this. It has been going on for a very long time.
The husband thought it was a septic issue, though their house is newish and certainly has tons of capacity for their two-person household, and they have it pumped 2-3 yrs, which is way overkill. I cannot see how a septic issue would effect one upstairs toilet.
I suggested a clogged air vent to the waste line at that toilet.
????
amerikat (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 09:51 PM
Response to Original message
1. Has it done this since they owned the house?
I'm not a plumber but in my experience it's rare for a vent to get clogged if it's designed and installed properly.
I would do this as a test....turn of the water supply to the toilet, remove the tank lid and manually lift the flapper valve and hold it open until the toilet flushes completely.
Does it still make the same sound?
troubleinwinter (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 10:30 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. I don't think it's always made the sound.
I did a bit of reading, and have seen that "glug-glug" noise can be an indicator of clogged waste air-vent.
I wondered what on earth would clog a vent assuming it is properly covered against birds' nests, leaves & whatnot. One possibility that was mentioned is insect nests, such as wasps.... interesting! Also, these people live within a couple of blocks of the beach in Calif... I wondered about blowing sand packing up somehow.
I will pass along your test idea- but what is that looking for? Waste air-venting issue would still make the sound, right? Are you thinking it could somehow be related to supply piping?
amerikat (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-09-09 11:57 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. I'm thinking the flapper valve is closing and opening more than once with each flush. It could be a vent problem, maybe a bees nest. residential vent pipes are usually 2"s or less not big enough for a birds nest. Sand doesn't seem likely.
Try the test it's easier than going up on the roof and looking in the vent. I asked if they always had the problem because I thought It may have been installed incorrectly or designed wrong from the beginning.
troubleinwinter (1000+ posts) Fri Apr-10-09 12:26 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. Ahhhh... Flapper problem.
Wouldn't that be funny?!!! A simple fix.
Kool. Thanks! We'll see what happens next!
troubleinwinter (1000+ posts) Fri Apr-10-09 12:31 AM
Response to Reply #3
5. I wasn't thinking bird nest but mud-daubers (wasps). They love small spaces. Who knows at this point.
I could only imagine sand being an issue if perhaps the vent pipe were shaped in an 'L' shape, which would not be usual. I wouldn't think it would be acceptable during construction building inspection? The house is 7-9 yrs old.
I think the flapper idea is surely a beginning look-see.
Now, if I were the primitive woman bothered by cold weather, I'd be mindful of my duty towards the working class, the blue collars, the union workers, and hire one of them to fix the problem.
After all, the primitives are for the working class, the blue collars, the union workers.
