Plumbing
 

Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before. This
morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets started violently
'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet pans started splashing
around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded a bit like whole-house
indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how to prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Plumbing
 

Sounds like a clogged vent--birds, squirrels???
MLD
"Den" wrote in message
...
Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before. This
morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets started
violently
'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet pans started splashing
around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded a bit like whole-house
indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how to prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Plumbing
 

Den wrote:

Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before. This
morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets started violently
'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet pans started splashing
around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded a bit like whole-house
indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how to prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Where are you located and is this a city sewer system or septic??
Jim

Plumbing
 

Den wrote:
Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before.
This morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets
started violently 'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet
pans started splashing around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded a
bit like whole-house indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how to
prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Was there a lot of wind then? Are you sure the vents are clear? Are
you in a single-detached home or an apartment?

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Plumbing
 

Los Angeles, city sewer.

"Speedy Jim" wrote in message ...
Den wrote:

Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before. This
morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets started
violently
'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet pans started splashing
around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded a bit like whole-house
indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how to prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Where are you located and is this a city sewer system or septic??
Jim

Plumbing
 

No wind (other than that eminating from the bowels of the sewer system!)
Not sure if the vents are clear - how do I tell? Single detached home.

D


"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Den wrote:
Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before.
This morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets
started violently 'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet
pans started splashing around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded a
bit like whole-house indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how to
prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Was there a lot of wind then? Are you sure the vents are clear? Are
you in a single-detached home or an apartment?

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Plumbing
 

Den wrote:
No wind (other than that eminating from the bowels of the sewer
system!) Not sure if the vents are clear - how do I tell? Single
detached home.

D


How many vents are on your roof (look like pipes sticking out of the
roof?

Yea, do you like walking on your roof?


"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Den wrote:
Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before.
This morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets
started violently 'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet
pans started splashing around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded
a bit like whole-house indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how
to prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Was there a lot of wind then? Are you sure the vents are clear?
Are you in a single-detached home or an apartment?

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Plumbing
 

Joseph,

Can't get up there today ... but from memory there are at least three.

A thought ... this all happened when there was no water being emptied into
the sewer system ... and about two hours since the any volume of
significance (shower + toilet) had been emptied.

Why would this happen when the system was quiescent?

Cheers

D

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Den wrote:
No wind (other than that eminating from the bowels of the sewer
system!) Not sure if the vents are clear - how do I tell? Single
detached home.

D


How many vents are on your roof (look like pipes sticking out of the
roof?

Yea, do you like walking on your roof?


"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Den wrote:
Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before.
This morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets
started violently 'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet
pans started splashing around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded
a bit like whole-house indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how
to prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Was there a lot of wind then? Are you sure the vents are clear?
Are you in a single-detached home or an apartment?

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math

Plumbing
 

Den wrote:

Los Angeles, city sewer.

Since you reported that no water was being used/flushed at the
time, it had to be caused by a disturbance in the city sewer.
Assuming this is a single-family residence (one floor/slab?),
a momentary overload of the street sewer can back up into the
house lateral line. As the backup progresses toward the house,
it forces air ahead of it. Normally, that air simply goes up
the stack vent. But if the backup goes far enough it can flood
the house sewer to the point where the vent is ineffective.
Then the air is forced out of fixtures, such as toilets and sinks
which may not have separate vent connections. As the flooding
recedes, it will siphon water out of traps which are not protected
by proper venting.

A blocked vent *could* make this situation worse, but you would
expect to hear gurgling at other times (such as when toilets are
flushed).

Ask neighbors if they experienced the same thing at the time or
see what answers the city has chuckle.
Jim



"Speedy Jim" wrote in message ...
Den wrote:

Group:

Had a really curious situation that I've never encountered before. This
morning for about five minutes all of my sinks and toilets started
violently
'gluging' and 'burping'. The water in the toilet pans started splashing
around, bubbling a and emptied. It sounded a bit like whole-house
indigestion! Any ideas what it was and how to prevent it?

Cheers

Den

Where are you located and is this a city sewer system or septic??
Jim

Plumbing
 

Den wrote:
Joseph,

Can't get up there today ... but from memory there are at least three.

A thought ... this all happened when there was no water being emptied
into the sewer system ... and about two hours since the any volume of
significance (shower + toilet) had been emptied.

Why would this happen when the system was quiescent?

Cheers

D


It could have been from the outside (like a neighbor), but a good vent
system should have allowed it to escape to the outside without any notice
from you.

This may not be the best test, but you should be able to run a hose down
there full force for some time without any backup. You would need to check
each vent.

--
Joseph E. Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math