Plumbing Question?
Question:The house we recently moved into has a weird bathroom. the toilet never flushes, it only fills up with a bit of water and thats it, no flush. When the people who live downstairs flush their toilet, water comes up from ours and a gurgling noise is heard from the bathtub. Soon after, a sewage smell comes out of the bathtub drain. I'm gonna be stuck in that house for a while, so I wanna know if the cesspool is acting up or something.
Answers:
How is it that your toilet does not overflow when you flush it? When you push the flush lever the water in the tank should be dropping into the bowl, thus overflowing the toilet. Also you said "water comes up from ours". Are you saying that your getting water bubbling up in your toilet when the unit below flushes theirs? For sure there is a vent problem also if your hearing a gurgling sound in the tub and smelling sewer gas in the tub. You also have a problem maintaining the trap seal in the tub which could somehow be connected to the venting issue. I apologize for asking more questions than providing an answer to your problem, but I would say your next step is to contact your landlord and request servicing of the plumbing system. This would more than likely be deemed an unsafe living condition due to the sewer gases, so if your landlord is unresponsive contact your local housing authority for assistance.
regards,
Indy
Sounds like clogged pipes or a problem with the sewage system. Black water storage is generally under (negative) pressure which is why it doesn't require the air vent pipe to prevent bubbling. Probably worth calling an experienced plumber.
My husband is a plumber...he says there is a clogged pipe on the bottom floor. Call a plumber.
The main plumbing stack may be clogged, which will require a plumber to open it up. Or, if you have a septic system, the holding tank may be full and not properly emptying (the pump may be bad, the drain field may be saturated, any number of reasons). If you have an upstairs/downstairs system, you both share the same plumbing stack, that's why you notice the odor etc. This is not a healthy situation - if you rent, notify the landlord verbally and IN WRITING. Send the notification to him via certified mail, return receipt requested. This way, you have proof that you notified him should the question arise. Until repaired, this won't get any better, only worse, so do not delay.
You have a vent problem. Either blocked or not existing. drainage systems need air to operate properly and they get it from the vent. The vent problem is causing the system to have a vacuum and suck the water out of your tub trap. This also allows sewer gas to enter the home. sewer gas is toxic and contains Methane gas which is explosive. Please get it fixed soon.
the problem is in the main sewer line don't know if your on a city sewer or a septic tank to see if it is a main line block go out side and look for a clean out a big black pipe sticking out of the ground with a screw on lid. unscrew the lid very Carefully because if it is a main line block it will be under pressure with you know what. If so the main line will need to be snaked
have the cesspool pumped have drain vents cleared
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