Toilet problem , Need Help

[djale]

Hi

Need your help, I bought townhome 4 months back. ater moving to this home with in a week, there was water flow in all 3 toilets(1 ground floor, two of them on second floor) I used reguler plunge to push water down, after that downstaire toilet and 1 upstair toilet are okay. no problem from 4 months, but 2 toilet on second floor has same problem all the time, we don't use that much, but some times guest use it then problems occurs, if i flush 10 times i see the problem 6-7 times, some times waters comes to top level and flows on the floor. In the tank I see the water level some times 1 inch low of old mark. I pressed the ball type thing in the tank, then i see the water comes to full.

how can solve this problem? why i am gettin problem with only one toilet? I think all 3 toilets use same pipe, Can pour some cleaning lequid in bowl to clean the pipe? or increase water pressure? please help. I don't want to spend $300 or $400 for this repair.

Daya.

[LazyPup]

While all three toilets probably share a common vertical stack, they each have a separate horizontal waste arm from the base of the toilet to the stack.

In your post you stated that this toilet is not used very often, and sight unseen, i would guess you have cast iron soil pipes. As cast iron pipes age they form a rust scale on the inside that is like a super heavy sandpaper. As the effluent flows through the pipe bits and pieces are caught on the surface scale. Those bits and pieces then dry and form a sludge on the pipe wall. over time the process is repeated and the scale builds up like a paper machee on the pipe walls.

Regular household type drain cleaning tools are not suitable to resolve your problem. The common wire snakes are only effective on pipes up to about 2 inches, and a closet auger can only clean the trap in the toilet itself.

In order to resolve the problem you will need to run a powered drain auger (roto-rooter type machine) equiped with a 3 or 4 inch cutter depending on the actual diameter of the line.

As you stated in your post, drain cleaning services can be exhorbitantly expensive. In this area they charge $75/ 15 min.

There is a couple alternatives.

1. You can rent a drain cleaning machine at most tool rental companies and some hardware stores or big box home supply centers.

Drain cleaning machines are basically simple to use. You first lift the toilet, then insert the end of the cable and cutter into the pipe, turn the switch to the forward position and press on the foot control to run the motor while you manually feed the cable into the pipe.

You then switch the machine to reverse and run the machine while pulling the cable out of the pipe and pushing it back into the machine.

Some of the heavier machines have and auto feed mechanism as well. You press the foot switch and hold a lever to activate the feed mechanism.
(Illustration below.)

If you elect to rent the machine, i would suggest you reduce your overall cost by running it in all three toilets while you have the machine.

2. There is another method, although it has limited results. You can buy a 3 to 4 inch drain cleaning bladder at any hardware store for about $20. The bladder is attached to a garden hose and inserted into the drain. When the water pressure is turned on the bladder expands against the pipe wall locking it in place, then it begins pulsing a blast of water through the pipe to clean it. Once the clog is free you turn the water off, the bladder contracts and you can pull it out.

With some minor exception, tank type toilets all work on a gravity flow system, so increasing water pressure to the fill valve will have no effect on the flushing ability of the toilet.

NOTE: if you elect to lift the toilets to clean the drains you will need a new wax ring for each toilet. Wax rings are available at any hardware store for about $1.50 each)

[LazyPup]

Drain cleaning bladder in use.......

[djale]

Thank you very much, I will try one of your method... You are very helpful.

quote:Originally posted by LazyPup

While all three toilets probably share a common vertical stack, they each have a separate horizontal waste arm from the base of the toilet to the stack.

In your post you stated that this toilet is not used very often, and sight unseen, i would guess you have cast iron soil pipes. As cast iron pipes age they form a rust scale on the inside that is like a super heavy sandpaper. As the effluent flows through the pipe bits and pieces are caught on the surface scale. Those bits and pieces then dry and form a sludge on the pipe wall. over time the process is repeated and the scale builds up like a paper machee on the pipe walls.

Regular household type drain cleaning tools are not suitable to resolve your problem. The common wire snakes are only effective on pipes up to about 2 inches, and a closet auger can only clean the trap in the toilet itself.

In order to resolve the problem you will need to run a powered drain auger (roto-rooter type machine) equiped with a 3 or 4 inch cutter depending on the actual diameter of the line.

As you stated in your post, drain cleaning services can be exhorbitantly expensive. In this area they charge $75/ 15 min.

There is a couple alternatives.

1. You can rent a drain cleaning machine at most tool rental companies and some hardware stores or big box home supply centers.

Drain cleaning machines are basically simple to use. You first lift the toilet, then insert the end of the cable and cutter into the pipe, turn the switch to the forward position and press on the foot control to run the motor while you manually feed the cable into the pipe.

You then switch the machine to reverse and run the machine while pulling the cable out of the pipe and pushing it back into the machine.

Some of the heavier machines have and auto feed mechanism as well. You press the foot switch and hold a lever to activate the feed mechanism.
(Illustration below.)

If you elect to rent the machine, i would suggest you reduce your overall cost by running it in all three toilets while you have the machine.

2. There is another method, although it has limited results. You can buy a 3 to 4 inch drain cleaning bladder at any hardware store for about $20. The bladder is attached to a garden hose and inserted into the drain. When the water pressure is turned on the bladder expands against the pipe wall locking it in place, then it begins pulsing a blast of water through the pipe to clean it. Once the clog is free you turn the water off, the bladder contracts and you can pull it out.

With some minor exception, tank type toilets all work on a gravity flow system, so increasing water pressure to the fill valve will have no effect on the flushing ability of the toilet.

NOTE: if you elect to lift the toilets to clean the drains you will need a new wax ring for each toilet. Wax rings are available at any hardware store for about $1.50 each)