toilet problem

Jason & Amanda · 10-26-2008, 12:26 PM

i posted a while back about my toilet, when you flush it the kitchen sink gurgles...i still havent been able to find the problem i have ran a drain snake down the vent stack on the roof and it didnt seem anything was blocking it any other ideas ?? nothing is stopping up the drains work real good it just gurgles when you flush and it just started happening a few weeks back....thanks for any help

Mike Swearingen · 10-26-2008, 01:29 PM

Sounds like you may have a partial clog in the main drain line.
You need to rent a heavy-duty plumber's snake, open a main line clean-out and snake that line too.
If that doesn't do it, you may have roots in the underground main line, and will need to roto-rooter it.
Good Luck!
Mike

Jason & Amanda · 10-26-2008, 04:28 PM

well i tried the snake down the vent again but nothing the sink still gurgles...so i got my wife to flush the toilet while i was listening at the top of the vent stack, you can hear the water going down the drain pretty good so i guess this isnt a vent problem....i did put a plug in the kitchen sink, i figured it would just gurgle in another drain but it didnt... does this mean something could be wrong with the kitchen drain ?? i was thinking the septic tank might be full but wouldnt it be stopping up ?? thanks again for any help...if i had the money i would have already called a plumber but thats out of the question right now

DangerMouse · 10-26-2008, 04:40 PM

does the sink drain connect to the toilet drain? is it where you can see it? i just fixed a similar problem at a friend's home.

DM

Jason & Amanda · 10-26-2008, 06:14 PM

not to sure on where the sink drain ties in....the house itself is about 4"off of the dirt so it will be pretty hard to climb under the house to see it..its an old house and we've never had this problem before..there is only one vent stack...the house itslef is one full bath and then the kitchen sink as far as plumbing goes....

DangerMouse · 10-26-2008, 06:24 PM

open up the drain on the offending sink and snake as far as you can there. it may be gunked up causing a plug at the vent the snake will not hit from the roof.

DM

Jason & Amanda · 10-26-2008, 08:44 PM

ok i will try it..it was a 50 foot snake but anything is worth a shot...you are talking about taking the p-trap loose and snaking from there right ?? just to be sure

DangerMouse · 10-26-2008, 08:54 PM

yup

DM

plumcass · 10-27-2008, 07:42 PM

As MdangermouseM,said, "it may be gunked up causing a plug at the vent"
If snaking the horizontal drain doesn't do it, try looking down the KS drain at the water seal and have the wife flush the toilet, if the water in the trap bubbles or noticeably ripples, chances are it has an individual vent that is plugged or partially plugged, If you remove the trap and horizontal drain to a point where it connects to the vertical drain you may be able to feed the snake upward into the vent.
These problems are usually easily diagnosed when your able to see or figure how the sink drain is connected. Good luck.