2

I have an addition where the toilet clogs every few weeks. You can hear it coming a few flushes before the back up with a LOT of gurgling in the pipes. I "fix it" by running the shower, and air is forced up and out of the toilet, and then a few minutes later the toilet drains and is unclogged.

After snooping here, I suspect something is improperly vented. But where do I find the vents? Are there separate vents for toilet and shower?

isherwood
  • 158,133
  • 9
  • 190
  • 463
Will Sargisson
  • 23
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3

1 Answers1

6

Your vent, if it exists, should reach the roof (there are exceptions, as noted in comments). You can look at the roof for a short metal or plastic pipe sticking out, it may or may not have a cap. This would give you a rough idea where it is inside the house, it is likely inside a wall. Depending on the layout there may be more than one vent.

If it does not have a cap it could be plugged by something (birds, squirrels, intercontinental coconuts) falling into it - this would likely be apparent with more plumbing issues (gurgling, slow draining) at more than just your toilet, though - if there is more than one vent it could affect "half the sinks/toilets" or be limited to "just one bathroom's devices".

If you can find the vent and find a clean-out as suggested in a comment, you can try to clean it out. Have a bucket under the cleanout in case "stuff" comes out as you're working.

enter image description here

Fredric Shope
  • 4,955
  • 4
  • 22
  • 35