Low toilet water level when installed, fine when not

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So, we noticed the water level was really low in the downstairs toilet when we moved in to our new (old) house, but then the smells started and I have been forced to do something about it.

It's so low that it starts to gurgle after it's settled post flush, as you can see:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/403006/WaterLow.jpg


I have taken it all apart, and took the bowl outside and ran a hose through it, and the water level settles just fine:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/403006/WaterNormal.jpg


The toilet upstairs in fine.

I'm now at a loss, and have reach out to you awesome dudes and dudettes for advice.

I'm expecting it to be a problem with the soil pipe, which I have access to through crawl space under the house.

Thanks in advance,

BS...
 
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I'd suspect a blockage or possible a dip in the drain for this toilet. Something is causing suction after the flush, causing the trap to be pulled as in first picture. I'd check the drain first, where does it run to outside? I would hope into a manhole to allow access.....
 
I agree, somewhere you've a blockage and the line isn't getting vented, hence the sucking out of the water
 
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More likely its downstream somewhere - toilet blockages don't follow bog-standard logic excuse the pun :eek:
 
Not necessarily. (edit - applies to OP comment not Jackrae's)

Start by finding the foul access chambers/manholes and checking each one - start with the one nearest to the base of the soil stack
 
It has the hallmarks of either a blockage in the vent pipe (bird's nest where the vent sticks out of the roof?) or some scally has nicked the vent completely.....if air can't freely enter the stack (vertical pipe section) then the suction provided by the evacuated water will suck the water seal out of the toilet pan.

It's also possible that a partial blockage in the underground section of the soil pipe (between the joint shown and the first manhole cover) has caused the evacuating water to completely fill the pipe and cause an increase in the sucking effect....in essense, you wouldn't notice the bird's nest problem until the underground section started to block.

Clear both blockages.
 
Where does that pipe go after it's picked up the upstairs WC?

Not sure what you mean. The toilet upstairs drain to the top of the junction in my outside photo, the problem toilet on the ground floor drains into the back of that junction, then th whole lot goes downwards.

BS...
 
It has the hallmarks of either a blockage in the vent pipe (bird's nest where the vent sticks out of the roof?) or some scally has nicked the vent completely.....if air can't freely enter the stack (vertical pipe section) then the suction provided by the evacuated water will suck the water seal out of the toilet pan.

It's also possible that a partial blockage in the underground section of the soil pipe (between the joint shown and the first manhole cover) has caused the evacuating water to completely fill the pipe and cause an increase in the sucking effect....in essense, you wouldn't notice the bird's nest problem until the underground section started to block.

Clear both blockages.

Thanks for this, I can't quite grasp why the downstairs toilet is affected, but the upstairs one is fine. Is that possible?

Cheers,

BS...
 
yes - partial blockage is causing a vacuum which is pulling the water out of the WC trap
 
Went outside and took a video to clarify. You can see the toilet that works fine on the first floor, with that ventilation pipe, then the soil pipe comes down and the problem toilet enters the junction at the very bottom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unVs_6EohhQ&feature=youtu.be

Toilet plumbing is mental, as it seems like the blockage should be between the problem toilet and that junction at the bottom of the soil pipe.

I'm totally confused. Might just get a fella out to sort it. Should I look at companies like Dynorod, or a regular plumber?

Cheers,

BS...
 
Call around for a fixed price, don't go for 1/2 hourly rates or it will cost £££££.

I give out a fixed price of £90 to clear the blockage, but you are to far away.

Find the nearest manhole cover and look inside.

Andy
 
Following the pipe up from where it disappears into the soffit, it picks the upstairs WC up and carries on upwards I would assume. Does it then terminate at the top in an open vent with a cage on the end, or is it fitted with an Air Admittance Valve?
 
Following the pipe up from where it disappears into the soffit, it picks the upstairs WC up and carries on upwards I would assume. Does it then terminate at the top in an open vent with a cage on the end, or is it fitted with an Air Admittance Valve?

Well there are no other toilets upstairs, so I would assume it does. Through the power of Google Maps, here's the craic:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/403006/Maps1.jpg

Toilet 1 is the problem toiletin the en suite downstairs, toilet 2 works just fine with a nice high water level.


As you can see from this pic, there seems to be no cage on the top of the vent pipe:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/403006/Maps2.jpg


So I should get myself up there and spray a hose down it?


Cheers,

BS...
 

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