[Atroxx]

Hey guys, I have a problem with my toilet. It won't flush! Well, to be more specific, it will flush but it won't drain. It's acting like it's stopped up, but when I plunge it, the water goes down a little, but it won't drain completely. I can plunge it enough so that the water goes almost all the way down, but then when I flush it again it fills back up and won't drain. There's a shower drain about 2 feet from the toilet that's draining fine, so I know the problem isn't in the pipe.

Any ideas?

 

[ScottR]

Cut down on the BBQ and burritos. :laughing:

Sounds like you just have a real stubborn clog in the toilet trap. It's letting some water around it when you plunge, but it ain't moving.

Time for the snake.

 

[Atroxx]

That's pretty much what I was thinking, but I'm completely ignorant when it comes to plumbing, so I thought there might be something else going on there. Never seen a toilet do that before.

 

[ScottR]

When I was a little kid I thought it was really cool that markers would flush. I remember the plumber snaked out the main sewer line and pulled out about 15-20 markers. My dad was not amused, so I blamed my sister.

So long as there's nothing .. foreign .. jammed in the trap, you might be able to get it unstuck with some real persistent plunging.

 

[Atroxx]

Haha! It did happen when my kid was in there, so you never know. My father-in-law has a pipe snake, so I'll borrow it later if I can't get it to plunge. Thanks for the help.

 

[djrussell]

that happens from time to time for me too. it's "semi" clogged. i flush a few wadded up tissues or toilet paper to get it properly clogged. then plunging is much easier.

 

[DangerMouse]

aatrox: grab a little mirror and look up there first since the kid was in there. there may just BE something that ain't poop doing it.
if you jam a snake up there and it's not poop, you could jam it in even worse.

scottR: just wait till yer sis reads this and tells DAD! heh heh "see dad! i TOLD you i didn't do it!"

djrussell: hi and welcome to the forum, and hey, great idea! i'll have to remember that one. (or you could search 'tips tricks' here and add it to our "diy tips and tricks" thread!)

DM

 

[djrussell]

thanks for the welcome, DM. i'll do that. i'm working on a bathroom remodel so thought i may as well just register and get it over with. been lurking for a few months now.