Water getting sucked out of bowl

[DonL]

Hello to the forum. Thanks Terry for providing it.

I have two toilets, One works fine, and one not so good. I have a septic tank system.

Both toilets are on the same level, ground floor. About 20 feet apart.

The one closest to my septic tank (20 feet away) flushes slow then gets the water sucked out of it, and has a low water level after flushing. The one 40 feet away works fine.

Could it be a venting problem ?

Thanks for any clues.

 

[Plumbs Away]

I'm not a pro plumber but I have experienced this before. The first time, there was a hairline fracture somewhere in the throat of my toilet and water would S-L-O-W-L-Y drain from the bowl between flushes. I've also noticed that high winds blowing across the vent stack on the roof sometimes cause the water level in the bowl to drop.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Standardairconditioner]

Without being on-site in your home, I can't tell what your drain schematic is, and I can't tell how many vents you have as sometimes homes have a mainstack and auxillary vents, nor which one each toilet uses.

I assume the bad toilet was fine long ago before. This is important to know.

A clogged drain can cause indirect venting issues too, ie., something between your bad toilet and the vent is clogged or fatberged.

 

[DonL]

Without being on-site in your home, I can't tell what your drain schematic is, and I can't tell how many vents you have as sometimes homes have a mainstack and auxillary vents, nor which one each toilet uses.

I assume the bad toilet was fine long ago before. This is important to know.

A clogged drain can cause indirect venting issues too, ie., something between your bad toilet and the vent is clogged or fatberged.

It has been working for 38 years or so.

They are both full baths.

The shower in the other bathroom does drain slow, But that toilet works fine. I blame the slow shower drain from my wifes long hair.

The House in on a slab. I was hopping something under the slab it is not broken, If so I could be in deep shit.

Thank You for the reply.

 

[Terry]

Sometimes a lav is used to vent the line. Running a snake down the lave may help. Sometimes it's at the stopper.

 

[Smooky]

It could be a partial clog in the toilet trap.

 

[hj]

Your septic tank or main line is filling with water. When you flush that toilet there is nowhere for the water to go so the toilet fills with water. THEN, as the water seeps down the suction pulls the water out of the bowl until it draws air and breaks the suction. You need to determine WHY the line is holding water and whether anything CAN be done to fix it.

 

[DonL]

Your septic tank or main line is filling with water. When you flush that toilet there is nowhere for the water to go so the toilet fills with water. THEN, as the water seeps down the suction pulls the water out of the bowl until it draws air and breaks the suction. You need to determine WHY the line is holding water and whether anything CAN be done to fix it.

I think that is exactly what is happening. It burps that bit of air long after you flush it.

The WHY is the part that bothers me.

The bad toilet is down stream from the one that works fine. The second septic tank is not full, Not sure about the first one that holds solids.

 

[Standardairconditioner]

Regardless what you read or theorize, in the end, what are YOU prepared to do about it?

You can:
-Pull the toilet and snake from the flange.
-Locate all your vents, snake from there.
-Locate all your clean-outs, both interior and exterior, snake from there.
-Don't have enough strategic clean-outs? Then you're cutting some pipe.

You may or may not have the DIY skills for this. A licensed professional may help here.

 

[Smooky]

You could uncover the inlet end of the septic tank. There should be a lid over the inlet that can be opened. Some states require a tee on the inlet that can become clogged. The water level in the septic tank should be about 2 inches below the inlet. I would start there before I started tearing other stuff up to eliminate the septic system as a possibility.

 

[DonL]

Today after a closer look / listen, When the bowl fills up from flushing, and the water fill valve shuts off, I can hear water trickling in the toilet trap, While the water drains slowly.

It seems if the line was full I would not hear the trickling sound.

I know my description sucks, Maybe someone understands my French.

Smooky you sound about right.

"It could be a partial clog in the toilet trap."

 

[DonL]

All of this started when my wife wanted to use those drop it toilet cleaners. I do not recommend those. Just clean it with a brush. No chemicals required.

Those drop it toilet cleaners killed the parts in my tank too. I had to replace them.

I think the microorganisms in my septic system got killed.