Toilet is driving me MAD!

Hi all,

I have a toilet that for years has been mostly okay, with the occasional slow flush. Lately, it's all the time. So far I've read the 'Net and done these things:

1. Plunged it.
2. Used a wire to try to clear the holes under the rim to see if I could get water in faster.
3. Put dishsoap in overflow tube in tank.
4. Put drano and hot water in the bowl.
5. Put CLR in bowl.
6. Put CLR in tank and overflow tube.
7. Ran more water into the tank than normal.
8. Ran vinegar through the tank and overflow tube.

Oddly enough, I cleared a hair clog from inside the tub drain (it has no strainer), and for a week the toilet flushed okay. It worked fine all day today until again, even with just liquid in the toilet, I get a slow/no flush. It's the only one in the house, so it's important. I don't know why clearing the hair clog in the tub worked for a short while, unless the toilet "drafts" from there. The tub and sink drain fine.

Oh, I put Drano in the tub, too, just in case - no change in the toilet this time.

The water swirls around, but won't go down low enough to siphon out.

Can anyone please help me save what's left of my sanity? Like I said, it worked fine for a week, so I doubt there's a blockage in the line...and no solids went down today and it STILL stopped working.

Jack

Pull the toilet and replace the wax ring. It appears you have a bad seal to the toilet flange.

SHR said:

Pull the toilet and replace the wax ring. It appears you have a bad seal to the toilet flange.

Click to expand...

I thought about that...but it was just replaced a year ago by a professional plumber. It shouldn't need replacing yet, should it?

It did this sort of thing before the seal was replaced, and intermittently after. It's just the last month or so that it's been infuriating.

If you think that could be it in so short a time, I'll try it, though.

Jack

You may still have a clog in the trapway or where the toilet meets the flange. A foreign object (small bar of soap, cell phone, shampoo cap, etc) or even a really hard, stubborn turd could sit in the toilet after plunging and chemical treatments.
If you pull the toilet, inspect it carefully from underneath back up into the trapway.
While the toilet is off the flange, try pouring a steady stream of water from a large bucket quickly into the flange to rule out clogs in the drain piping. Maybe even pour two or three. What's the harm, better to be thorough.
I will also have to recommend against pouring chemicals into the tank because parts can and will be damaged. Pouring hot water with chemicals into the bowl also can result in a cracked and broken bowl but more important is the risk of causing a violent chemical reaction and having hot chemicals blast into your face causing permanent or life threatening injuries
When added to hot water, the spike in temperature can be exponential and the volatility of the chemicals increase to where the room is suddenly filled with poisonous vapors that immediately scorch your lungs.
Purchasing a good quality water closet auger from a home improvement store would actually be my first choice before pulling the toilet. Not a little cheapo auger. Something professional grade is a better investment especially if you need it again.
SHR is correct that an improperly set wax ring can also smash the wax over the toilet trap outlet and produce the same symptoms that you are experiencing.
Let us know.

Hi, thanks for that.

I'm wondering - instead of the standard auger/snake, has anyone used a "drain cleaning bladder" for toilet issues? If so, is it worth a shot?

Jack

No, I have never used one. If I felt that it would be equal to or better than any of the solutions provided above, then maybe I would try it. They are more for DIY use. I don't believe they are for use on toilets. Only drain piping.