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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?
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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


It's a toilet gremlin. The creatures don't usually bother humans,
they may eat the occasional dog or cat that might drink from the
toilet but any good exterminator can usually get rid of them.

TDD
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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

"ben" wrote in message
...
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


Fart return.


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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.


I think it's charming.

A toilet with a personality! How quaint.


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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

On Aug 30, 12:53*pm, ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. *It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). *The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. *It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. *I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. *The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


Can you really see down the vent, maybe run water and a garden hose
down it.


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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

On Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:41:09 -0700 (PDT), ransley
wrote:

On Aug 30, 12:53*pm, ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. *It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). *The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. *It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. *I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. *The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


Can you really see down the vent, maybe run water and a garden hose
down it.


My thoughts exactly. Tree frogs hang out in the deep shadows of the
pipe :-/

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Default occasional air bubble in toilet


"ben" wrote in message
...
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


My toilet that is closest to the washing machine does something like that
every once in a while when we wash clothes.

Could that be your situation?

Freckles


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Default occasional air bubble in toilet


"Oren" wrote in message
news
frogs hang out in the deep shadows of the pipe :-/

Frog farts?


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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

Thinking out loud (and I know that's dangerous): there's no pressure
in a drain line. They are designed to run at atmospheric pressure.

So there is no way a bubble gets forced backward through a trap unless
something temporarily increases the pressure.

My guess would be nothing wrong with that toilet, but something wrong
elsewhere in the system. Perhaps your wash machine line, dishwasher,
etc. Something else is producing system pressure that doesn't escape
through the roof vent and goes to your toilet instead.

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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

On Aug 30, 12:53*pm, ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. *It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). *The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. *It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. *I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. *The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


I have one which exhibits that sort of behavior, but it is more often
than not. I'm not shocked though. It was installed as an after though,
above a slab with very little pitch to the drain pipe. It does work
surprisingly well though, it flushes solids better than others that
seem to have everything going for them, though watching the event it
seems unlikely. It farts then swirls then slowly starts to the bottom
only to gurgle when it gets there, but somehow in all of that the
payload gets delivered.


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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


It sounds like an obvious vent problem. The vents should divert pressure
differences to the outside.

I suppose it could be related to vent fan usage in a well sealed house.


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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

On Aug 30, 1:53*pm, ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.

Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. *It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). *The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.

I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. *It returned a couple months ago.

I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. *I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. *The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.

ideas?


A partial blockage of the sewer pipe could cause this. A partial
blockage from roots could come and go if something occasionally gets
hung up on the roots.

Is there anything else happening in the house when this occurs, such
as a toilet in an above floor being flushed or a washing machine or
dishwasher draining? Even a shower could cause this to happen if the
water drains too fast.

If there is a partial blockage, the slug of water rushing through the
pipe from another toilet flushing or washer draining will hit the
blockage, bounce back and push air back into the system. This air will
find the easiest way out and that could be the gurgling toilet. You
don't get any water backed up because the blockage isn't big enough to
fill the drain.

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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

On Aug 31, 11:36*am, "Bob F" wrote:
ben wrote:
One of the toilets in the house has an intermittent issue with air
bubbles.


Occasionally, when just sitting there unused, a single bubble of air
will 'blurp' as it reaches the water surface in the bowl. *It might
happen once or twice in a day, or as many as ten times (possibly
more). *The toilet has zero problems as far as function go.


I think we first noticed this last year but it went away after a
while. *It returned a couple months ago.


I've read that a clogged waste vent could cause this. *I've looked in
them (from the roof) an don't see any blockage. *The other toilets in
the house don't have this problem either.


ideas?


It sounds like an obvious vent problem. The vents should divert pressure
differences to the outside.

I suppose it could be related to vent fan usage in a well sealed house.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


Or, the pressure outside of the house could be greater than the inside
of the house. If you have a newer 'air tight' house, and you use a
kitchen fan for example, to pump air out of the house, then you might
create enough of a pressure difference to suck air in through the
toilet... Just a thought (do you feel wind every time you open the
outside door?)

John
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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

thanks all.

to answer some questions:

- it is not a well-sealed house. built in 1953. lots of drafts.

- nothing else is happening when the bubbles occur. no other devices
connected to water or sewer operating.

- this toilet is in an original toilet location in the house and is on
the first floor.

- admittedly i can't see all the way down the vent. perhaps i should
try better with a good flashlight. there's certainly nothing within
the top 5-10'.

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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

On Sep 1, 3:04*am, ben wrote:
thanks all.

to answer some questions:

- it is not a well-sealed house. *built in 1953. *lots of drafts.

- nothing else is happening when the bubbles occur. *no other devices
connected to water or sewer operating.

- this toilet is in an original toilet location in the house and is on
the first floor.

- admittedly i can't see all the way down the vent. *perhaps i should
try better with a good flashlight. *there's certainly nothing within
the top 5-10'.


Since you claim that nothing else is happening in the house at the
time, and as VC says, the only thing that can cause this is "air being
forced up the sewer pipe", (similar to my explanation) my next
question would be:

How are the pipes outside your house connected to the sewer? Where I
live, my neighbor's waste pipe and mine are connected to a wye just
before the main sewer. From there a single pipe goes into the main
sewer. I don't know if it's possible, but maybe a blockage after the
wye forces air back in *your* pipe when your neighbor flushes.

Have you discussed this issue with him? If you're friendly enough, you
could call them right after the next bubble and ask them if anyone in
thier house just took a dump.


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On Sep 1, 3:04*am, ben wrote:
thanks all.

to answer some questions:

- it is not a well-sealed house. *built in 1953. *lots of drafts.

- nothing else is happening when the bubbles occur. *no other devices
connected to water or sewer operating.

- this toilet is in an original toilet location in the house and is on
the first floor.

- admittedly i can't see all the way down the vent. *perhaps i should
try better with a good flashlight. *there's certainly nothing within
the top 5-10'.


"admittedly i can't see all the way down the vent. "

I'm not doubting this as a cause, but I'd like an explanation as to
how a clogged vent would cause this symptom.

How would a clogged vent force air back up through a toilet?
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On Sep 1, 9:40*am, DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Sep 1, 3:04*am, ben wrote:

thanks all.


to answer some questions:


- it is not a well-sealed house. *built in 1953. *lots of drafts.


- nothing else is happening when the bubbles occur. *no other devices
connected to water or sewer operating.


- this toilet is in an original toilet location in the house and is on
the first floor.


- admittedly i can't see all the way down the vent. *perhaps i should
try better with a good flashlight. *there's certainly nothing within
the top 5-10'.


"admittedly i can't see all the way down the vent. "

I'm not doubting this as a cause, but I'd like an explanation as to
how a clogged vent would cause this symptom.

How would a clogged vent force air back up through a toilet?


A clogged vent means there is no means for the pressure in the pipes
to equalize with the pressure of the house. Gas buildup in the pipes
would create added pressure, and eventually it would escape -- say
through the toilet.

But, if this were the case, then that bubble would likely be very
smelly, and the OP didn't mention smell. Also, it would be more
likely to occur when another toilet was being flushed etc, again,
inconsistent with the OP's description... so the bubbling toilet is
still a mystery.

John

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right, i've noticed no particular smell from these bubbles.
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Default occasional air bubble in toilet

On Sep 1, 1:31*pm, ben wrote:
right, i've noticed no particular smell from these bubbles.


I don't think you can use smell to confirm anything. If the plumbing
is vented properly and in working order any atmospheric pressure in
the drain pipe should be vented out the vent at the top. It should
not be forcing air back out of the toilet. It's an old house so
either improperly installed plumbing or a clog could be the
explanation.
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