# Toilet is not flushing properly, any idea why **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2017, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089 "2017-10-16T22:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/21 "2017-10-17T19:15:32Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > I don’t know much about plumbing, but the kitchen sink, bathroom sink and shower are all draining fine. So if it were the vent pipe wouldn’t all the drains be not functioning? The times I experienced the problem the kitchen/shower drains didn’t drain enough water fast enough for the blocked vent to be an issue, so they worked just fine. Just the toilet got full and slowly drained and plunging never solved the problem. Got rid of the wasp nest in the vent stack and it solved it. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/22 "2017-10-17T20:20:53Z")
I had birds set up a nest in the range vent before. But that was when a different company owned the apartment and maintenance actually did maintenance, so the apartment fixed it. How would I test for a plumbing vent blockage vs sewer pipe blockage? ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/23 "2017-10-17T20:31:11Z")
Well…I think that is what your landlord is for. Barring that, “someone” probably needs to go on the roof and run a pole or snake down the vent stack to make sure it is clear. I would expect wasp and birds nests to be pretty close to the top though. I’m not aware of a ‘test’ to be able to determine one or the other, but even if there is one; it would still need to be fixed. Sucks that your landlord isn’t on top of things. Maybe you need to have a real flood in your bathroom for him to take action. ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/24 "2017-10-17T20:35:19Z")
I got it. Here’s what you do. Call him and tell him you’ve got water running out of the toilet and its destroying his floor, vanity, walls, and appartments downstairs. Throw a bathmat in the tub and get it all soaking wet. Run a wet mop around the bathroom floor. WHen he gets there, tell him you did your best to clean it up, but he should be careful on the wet floor, and visibly wring out the mat in the tub. Keep a few very wet towels nearby for evidence. imply you’ve tried plunging to no avail and you’ve heard that a clogged vent pipe thingy is sometimes the culprit. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/25 "2017-10-18T00:21:38Z")
One thing I think I’m noticing, this could just be coincidence, is that the longer it has been since the last flush the more likely the toilet is to work correctly. Meaning, if its been a few hours since I used it, and I flush it’ll work fine. If I flush, then wait a minute and flush again the water will rise instead of drain. Could that mean anything? If it were a blocked sewer line would it do that? Does that imply it could be due to the air vent being blocked? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/26 "2017-10-18T00:35:41Z")
We had really limey water, and once when our toilet was slow, we turned off the water, filled the tank with Lime-Away, and flushed. It took a lot of Lime-Away, but apparently our problem was so much lime build-up that stuff was snagging on it, and not flushing all the way to the septic tank. We did this twice, and the toilet was flushing normally, and continued to do so. After that, we did a bottle of Lime-Away every six months. Drano won’t clear lime. How hard is your water? You can get test strips at an aquarium store if you aren’t sure. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/27 "2017-10-18T00:58:54Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > One thing I think I’m noticing, this could just be coincidence, is that the longer it has been since the last flush the more likely the toilet is to work correctly. > > Meaning, if its been a few hours since I used it, and I flush it’ll work fine. If I flush, then wait a minute and flush again the water will rise instead of drain. > > Could that mean anything? If it were a blocked sewer line would it do that? Does that imply it could be due to the air vent being blocked? Are you on the first floor? Second? My guess: there are tree roots in the line, or a break causing a partial obstruction. The reason it drains properly after it’s been a while is because the obstruction is outside. So there is plenty of room for one flush of water to sit in your standpipe or main. Too many flushes, maybe a shower…no room for water to go, so your toilet won’t drain, except slowly as everything trickles by the blockage. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/28 "2017-10-18T01:02:01Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > One thing I think I’m noticing, this could just be coincidence, is that the longer it has been since the last flush the more likely the toilet is to work correctly. > > Meaning, if its been a few hours since I used it, and I flush it’ll work fine. If I flush, then wait a minute and flush again the water will rise instead of drain. > > Could that mean anything? If it were a blocked sewer line would it do that? Does that imply it could be due to the air vent being blocked? Actually, year, that does sound like a blocked vent, IF you are in a house. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/29 "2017-10-18T01:03:50Z")
First floor apartment ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/30 "2017-10-18T01:21:55Z")
As a test should I fill my tub with water and see if it drains properly? The tub drains properly during a shower, but that is probably only 10 gallons. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/31 "2017-10-18T01:35:51Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > As a test should I fill my tub with water and see if it drains properly? The tub drains properly during a shower, but that is probably only 10 gallons. Yeah, that would be a gradual flow. Probably slow enough to creep through. Toilet flush of gallons at a time might act differently. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/32 "2017-10-18T02:14:26Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > Are you on the first floor? Second? > > My guess: there are tree roots in the line, or a break causing a partial obstruction. > > The reason it drains properly after it’s been a while is because the obstruction is outside. So there is plenty of room for one flush of water to sit in your standpipe or main. > > Too many flushes, maybe a shower…no room for water to go, so your toilet won’t drain, except slowly as everything trickles by the blockage. This is my guess, too. In a house my wife and I rented, we had the same problem. Never a problem with the shower or kitchen, but the toilet would do just as described in the OP. Out of state landlord, but he was responsive. Plumber came out and said “roots in the sewer line, between the house and the city line.” Plumber told us the only way to fix it was to put in a new line from the house to the city line. Owner paid to have roto-rooter take care of it. It fixed the problem, but only temporarily, it seems. We moved within a year and saw where they were putting in a new sewer line after we left. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/33 "2017-10-18T02:50:04Z")
> [@Sigene](#): > > There are two possiblities, the drain is clogged as mentioned earlier. But there is a second possibility. > > The Vent stack could also be blocked. Home drains have a vent pipe that leads to the roof so that the drain properly. This works like the vent in a gasoline can, as you pour liquid out, the liquid will come out better if there is a opening where air can come in and replace the liquid. If this gets blocked, then the liquid can’t leave as easily. > > You’ve got a bird nest, wasp nest or something in the vent pipe on the roof blocking it and preventing the water from leaving your toilet. > … > …at least you _might_ have it blocked. I second this, especially if the vent stack doesn’t have an elbow on it curving downward and/or a screen. A squirrel, leaves or what have you are also other possibilities that could clog it up. ---
**Author:** ![anomalous1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@anomalous1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anomalous1)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/34 "2017-10-18T03:01:01Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > This is my guess, too. In a house my wife and I rented, we had the same problem. Never a problem with the shower or kitchen, but the toilet would do just as described in the OP. Out of state landlord, but he was responsive. Plumber came out and said “roots in the sewer line, between the house and the city line.” Plumber told us the only way to fix it was to put in a new line from the house to the city line. Owner paid to have roto-rooter take care of it. It fixed the problem, but only temporarily, it seems. We moved within a year and saw where they were putting in a new sewer line after we left. Also an issue I had at my previous residence. The cheap fix it dumping copious amounts of root killer in the septic tank or flushing it (not in OP’s case, obviously). But it will always come back over time. I suppose checking the “balloon” in the toilet and adjusting it to a higher or lower level, as well as the supply line valve (to increase or decrease pressure) and then checking the fill valve in the toilet tank to see if it keeps running or isn’t filling properly. A narrowed wax ring under the toilet (build up of the worst kind) can also cause the issue. If you can rule all of that out on your end (still the landlords problem, but fixable by you), it may well be a problem with it draining to the tank/street etc… How long has this been going on? Suddenly or is it a chronic issue? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/35 "2017-10-18T03:01:59Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > This is my guess, too. In a house my wife and I rented, we had the same problem. Never a problem with the shower or kitchen, but the toilet would do just as described in the OP. Out of state landlord, but he was responsive. Plumber came out and said “roots in the sewer line, between the house and the city line.” Plumber told us the only way to fix it was to put in a new line from the house to the city line. Owner paid to have roto-rooter take care of it. It fixed the problem, but only temporarily, it seems. We moved within a year and saw where they were putting in a new sewer line after we left. So how large are plumbing pipes, and how do they connect? I have an apartment in an apartment building, I’m on the ground floor. I assume all the pipes from my building congregate into one big pipe, is that the pipe that is blocked? Wouldn’t that necessarily have to be a pretty large pipe? And wouldn’t other people in the building be seeing the same problem? I once read the smallest diameter pipe in a toilet system is 2". How big are the pipes people are discussing that connect the building to the sewer? From what I recall of reading about atherosclerosis, you can have an artery that is pretty much blocked but that doesn’t really impede blood flow until it is almost totally occluded. Wouldn’t the same apply to these pipes, even if they are 90% blocked they’ll still mostly work fine? ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/36 "2017-10-18T04:48:33Z")
It’s a bit of a long shot, but… have you changed toothbrushes lately? Sometimes, when people throw out a toothbrush, they miss the can, and it goes in the crapper. Nobody wants to reach in and get it, so they pull the flush, and it goes away. Except it doesn’t. It doesn’t make it around the bend, and gets stuck, where it blocks just enough flow to back up the flush. Plunging doesn’t help, the water just flows around it. Snakes miss it by going to one side or the other. Chemicals don’t help. The only way to fix it is pull the toilet, and push it out from the bottom end. It’s a messy job, and a whole lot of no fun ( I hate doing plumbing, and everything plumbing related is no fun). As I said, it’s a long shot. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/37 "2017-10-18T13:57:04Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Say what? A [plunger](https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Plunger) works by forcing water [both ways](https://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/toilet-repair/how-to-fix-a-clogged-toilet/view-all/)through the pipes. From the second link: > I don’t even know how one would plunge a drain and get only suction - a plunger with a check valve? It’s not difficult to collapse the bell, create a seal, and pull up, no check valve required. I already explained exactly why you don’t want to forcibly push a blockage further down the pipe. Of course, f you choose not to accept advice from an experienced professional, you’re welcome to go with the on-line “handyman” ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/38 "2017-10-18T14:49:37Z")
> [@Dobbs](#): > > It’s a bit of a long shot, but… have you changed toothbrushes lately? > > Sometimes, when people throw out a toothbrush, they miss the can, and it goes in the crapper. Nobody wants to reach in and get it, so they pull the flush, and it goes away. Except it doesn’t. It doesn’t make it around the bend, and gets stuck, where it blocks just enough flow to back up the flush. > > Plunging doesn’t help, the water just flows around it. Snakes miss it by going to one side or the other. Chemicals don’t help. > > The only way to fix it is pull the toilet, and push it out from the bottom end. It’s a messy job, and a whole lot of no fun ( I hate doing plumbing, and everything plumbing related is no fun). > > As I said, it’s a long shot. Yep, perfect example of a blockage that needs to come out the way it went in. There is one other method that may work( if you’re lucky) a wet vac may be able pull obstructions back out. You can use a wet rag or some water to create a seal around the hose. FTR, with just a plunger or sometimes a wet vac, I’ve pulled out paint brushes, toothbrushes, pencils, pens, Q-tips, straws, cell phones, etc… ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/39 "2017-10-18T22:41:09Z")
> [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > This is my guess, too. In a house my wife and I rented, we had the same problem. Never a problem with the shower or kitchen, but the toilet would do just as described in the OP. Out of state landlord, but he was responsive. Plumber came out and said “roots in the sewer line, between the house and the city line.” Plumber told us the only way to fix it was to put in a new line from the house to the city line. Owner paid to have roto-rooter take care of it. It fixed the problem, but only temporarily, it seems. We moved within a year and saw where they were putting in a new sewer line after we left. We’ve had the tree problem also, and our symptoms were just like Wesley’s. We have a house, and we can check by taking off the cap to the sewer line and seeing if flushing produces a good stream of water. If it does, the blockage is downstream (which it usually is.) We’ve gotten handy at running an electric snake through a trap on the side of the house, but that doesn’t even work if the tree root got big enough. None of this is stuff I’d play with in a rental. The scenario of poop all over the floor (or in the shower) might well happen if nothing gets done. I’d bug the landlord if it were me - that is the upside of paying rent. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089/40 "2017-10-19T02:46:20Z")
> [@Dobbs](#): > > It’s a bit of a long shot, but… have you changed toothbrushes lately? > > Sometimes, when people throw out a toothbrush, they miss the can, and it goes in the crapper. Nobody wants to reach in and get it, so they pull the flush, and it goes away. Except it doesn’t. It doesn’t make it around the bend, and gets stuck, where it blocks just enough flow to back up the flush. > > Plunging doesn’t help, the water just flows around it. Snakes miss it by going to one side or the other. Chemicals don’t help. > > The only way to fix it is pull the toilet, and push it out from the bottom end. It’s a messy job, and a whole lot of no fun ( I hate doing plumbing, and everything plumbing related is no fun). > > As I said, it’s a long shot. Not to my knowledge. Part of the issue is sometimes when the toilet is full it’ll flush fine. But if I flush it, then flush it again when there is just water in it it’ll fill up. So in the second flush, shouldn’t it just be water going through since the first flush (which had material in it) went through fine? In that case would a toothbrush really cause an obstruction, wouldn’t the toothbrush have caused water to rise on the first flush, not the second when it is just water? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-is-not-flushing-properly-any-idea-why/799089.md?page=3)