Seeking Help Diagnosing Problem- Losing Water

[jiblition]

Hello All,

Seeking some knowledge and help with the below problem as I'm exhausted and obviously not a plumber.

Background: Single-family house, 2 story, 2 upper toilets, shower, bathtub, 1 first floor toilet, no basement drains. Washer in the basement drains to sump pump on the exterior.

About 7 days ago after a family member had a gnarly bowel movement, I came home 12 hours later and the 2nd story toilet was completely dry of water with poop in it. Flushed fine on first attempt and I plunged it some, flushed it 5x to make sure and had no issues. Noticed the next several days every toilet in the house was losing water in the bowl, but still holding. Flushes are fine, but each loses about 1-2 inches of water in the bowl within 5 minutes of a flush. Fill tanks are fine and holding. No leaks visible.

I checked the basement main clean out and there is no back-up at all. There is a slight belly in the line about 10ft from the house holding possibly 1/4 inch of water, but no blockages. The cleanout 55ft from house on county property was fine and flowing, and even had the county camera it just to make sure. At this point, my plan is to remove the original problem toilet, camera down there/snake if I find anything. Next possible issue is the vent stack but I don't have access except for the roof or cutting the pipe in the attic, which I'm afraid to do to disturb the roof flashing. Local plumber wanted $1900 to water jet the stack from the roof (never identified an issue-just quote) and I've had 2 other plumbers out who both said the main look fine from the basement cleanout and the belly wasn't a concern. My thought process is if the main or the belly was a problem causing a blockage, I would have something coming up on the first floor toilet, which I haven't. I'm assuming there's a clog between the 2nd and 1st floors in the stack?

Any thoughts or feedback is appreciated. Looking for help

 

[Twowaxhack]

I think you have a drain blockage somewhere.

If every toilet was losing water then the problem is downstream of the 1st floor toilet.

So there ya go, anything else ?

 

[jiblition]

I think you have a drain blockage somewhere.

If every toilet was losing water then the problem is downstream of the 1st floor toilet.

So there ya go, anything else ?

The basement clean out is directly below the first floor toilet and there is no blockage. Was completely dry on opening.That leads me to believe it's air related maybe?

 

[Twowaxhack]

The basement clean out is directly below the first floor toilet and there is no blockage. Was completely dry on opening.That leads me to believe it's air related maybe?

You most likely have a drain blockage or partial blockage or had a blockage then it cleared itself.

It’s very very rarely a vent issue unless your house wasn’t piped correctly or has been altered.m

Everyone wants to think they’re the only ones who’ve had this happen, but I see it almost weekly.

Pipe fills up with water and closes the vents off then slowly drains down and sucks the water out of the bowl when it does drain down. Textbook partial drain clog.

But you can camera and snake the whole system if you want, no problem.

 

[jiblition]

You most likely have a drain blockage or partial blockage or had a blockage then it cleared itself.

It’s very very rarely a vent issue unless your house wasn’t piped correctly or has been altered.m

Everyone wants to think they’re the only ones who’ve had this happen, but I see it almost weekly.

Pipe fills up with water and closes the vents off then slowly drains down and sucks the water out of the bowl when it does drain down. Textbook partial drain clog.

But you can camera and snake the whole system if you want, no problem.

I had a plumber out today and camera the entire main, 67ft, no blockages no roots, nothing except one small belly with half an inch of water for 4 ft. Pulled first floor toilet and camera that and it was fine. Pulled second floor toilet and camera that and was it fine down into the stack all the way to the basement. The only thing left is a vent obstruction, right? The vent has no obstruction from the exterior I can see as I flew a drone over it, but I can't see straight down more than 3 ft.

 

[Twowaxhack]

I had a plumber out today and camera the entire main, 67ft, no blockages no roots, nothing except one small belly with half an inch of water for 4 ft. Pulled first floor toilet and camera that and it was fine. Pulled second floor toilet and camera that and was it fine down into the stack all the way to the basement. The only thing left is a vent obstruction, right? The vent has no obstruction from the exterior I can see as I flew a drone over it, but I can't see straight down more than 3 ft.

A soft toilet paper clog can clear itself……..

So while you had a problem, it can clear and then the plumber will find nothing.

An obstructed vent wouldn’t cause three toilets to siphon out……but a clog in the pipe down stream of all three toilets WOULD cause your issue.

I wouldn’t worry with it until/if it happens again. Sounds like you threw a pile of money away chasing a ghost. I don’t suggest that approach.

 

[jiblition]

A soft toilet paper clog can clear itself……..

So while you had a problem, it can clear and then the plumber will find nothing.

An obstructed vent wouldn’t cause three toilets to siphon out……but a clog in the pipe down stream of all three toilets WOULD cause your issue.

I wouldn’t worry with it until/if it happens again. Sounds like you threw a pile of money away chasing a ghost. I don’t suggest that approach.

The problem is ongoing and is on day 8. There is something pulling water ... The lines are all clear so there's no clog. The main sewer looked in great shape actually to my surprise. I'll check the vent and report back once the weather lets me get on the roof lol.

 

[Twowaxhack]

The problem is ongoing and is on day 8. There is something pulling water ... The lines are all clear so there's no clog. The main sewer looked in great shape actually to my surprise. I'll check the vent and report back once the weather lets me get on the roof lol.

So you’ve cabled lines and pulled toilets and used a camera and found nothing…….

And you’re now on day 8 of all the toilets in the house draining all the water out of the toilets when one is flushed……..

Did the plumber flush the upstairs toilets with the down stairs toilet off the pipe ? And you’re telling me those upstairs toilets siphoned down all the water in the bowls ?

I’d have yo see it to believe it with my own eyes.

 

[Twowaxhack]

On city sewer if there are no bellies that are holding the pipe FULL of water, a toilet doesn’t need a vent to work perfectly.

It’ll displace the air through the city sewer.

As water moves through the pipe it pushes air. This air must be allowed to escape or the toilets will bubble and burp, but they won’t siphon unless the pipe fills up.

I’ve tested this many times and it’s also known physics.

I’m assuming this problem just started. I’m also assuming your house has more than one vent. Even if one vent was obstructed you wouldn’t have this problem if there was other vents OR it’s on city sewer…….