Toilet Drain Problem

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RoryDIY

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Hoping for some help with this. We have a 2.5 bath house. The toilet in the master bath (on the second floor) is not draining properly. All other toilets, showers, and sinks drain with no issues, including a toilet on the other side of the wall from the toilet we are struggling with.

Here is what has been done so far in an effort to find the source and solution:

1. Plunger - No luck

2. Toilet Auger - No luck

3. Removed the toilet and found the water is not draining down the line. Tried a lengthy pipe snake, it hits either a blockage that I can't clear or a turn that I can't seem to navigate.

Based on what we see above, my questions will center on number 3.

Any suggestions for how to clear the apparent blockage?

I have read that a vent blockage can cause drain problems. Is that possible to be the source if other toilets, showers, sink are draining without issue?

Is it OK to use a small powered auger of some type in those PVC drains?

Thanks for any advice!
 

Reach4

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First I would try dumping a five gallon bucket of water, from as high as you dare and as fast as you dare, into the toilet. See if that restores the flow.

If not, another DIY thing is to pull the toilet and feed in a large Brasscraft drain bladder. Push as far as you can, and then turn on the water to the garden hose.

This is not a vent problem.

A small powered auger should be OK for the pipes, but it would be more effective to get a professional drain cleaner person to come in with professional equipment. I would select somebody who is not part of a chain or franchise, but who works independently. Don't be afraid to leave a voicemail. That person is not likely to have an office staff. Don't insist on an immediate appointment. Somebody good may have a backlog.

I am not a plumber.
 

Jadnashua

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IF both toilets dump into the same drain nearly back-to-back, and only one of them has a problem, it's more likely the toilet than the line. Can't say for certain without knowing the actual layout of the drain lines, though.

If you've got the toilet already off, you might consider carting it outside, propping it up carefully so it doesn't fall over and break, fill up the tank and bowl, then flush it. The water should rapidly pour out of the bottom. There could be something clogging it up inside. A toilet auger won't always catch something like a pen, large bobby pin, etc. Does it operate different depending on if it's all liquids or only if it contains solids (including paper)?
 

Terry

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Normally if a second floor toilet isn't draining, it's the toilet trapway that is clogged. It may be a good idea to remove the bowl and auger from the bottom, pushing out whatever was in there.
 
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