Clogged Toilet

[beowulf]

I think OP mentioned that his wife's toilet is ok.

Excellent point. I missed considering that. That would mean that the clog is either in his toilet, or in the line between the two, if her toilet is the one closest to the septic tank.

 

[EddieWalker]

If her toilet is upstairs, and it's the septic tank, it will back up to his toilet that is downstairs and her toilet will still function just fine.

If her toilet is upstairs, and there is something in the trap of the toilet, her toilet will still function just fine.

 

[ultrarunner]

Forgot to mention the bane of Q-tips... works and then not depending on toilet paper log jams..

 

[TomSeller]

Time for the OP to post an update.

 

[teejk]

If her toilet is upstairs, and it's the septic tank, it will back up to his toilet that is downstairs and her toilet will still function just fine.

If her toilet is upstairs, and there is something in the trap of the toilet, her toilet will still function just fine.

Not so sure "just fine" would describe it but I agree...the upstairs could be running slow but still work. IMHO that would be the absolute worst possible scenario...a lot of head pressure "downstream" from there I think that will not be pleasant if he pulls his toilet. If every other fixture (showers, sinks, etc.) in the house are operating ok (and if he has a floor drain that hasn't flooded the basement), then I think he can isolate it to his "throne".

 

[sandman2234]

If her toilet is upstairs, and it's the septic tank, it will back up to his toilet that is downstairs and her toilet will still function just fine.

If her toilet is upstairs, and there is something in the trap of the toilet, her toilet will still function just fine.

Exactly what happened with mine, except the Bride was always up before me, using the upstairs bathroom, which caused the downstairs to back up. Never did the upstairs get slow or back up, mainly because it had a 16 foot of 4" pipe to fill before it would attempt that. The downstairs would also back up (after a while) into the downstairs tub, which got messy as heck at that point.
Mine turned out to be a sorry plumber dropping stuff in the drain during a re-pipe.
David from jax

 

[mjarrels]

Still clogged. I did pour some drain cleaner in last night. Getting really nasty now, all other drains work fine. I am the only one who uses it so there are no Q-tips or female items in it.

mark

 

[radioman]

When i remove a toilet for problems, i use a large garbage bag and slip it under toilet and cover it up to move to another room for working on new floor in the bathroom. you might have to do that with yours and take it outside and inspect the toilet s trap . when you pull toilet out and the pipe in floor looks clear -- you most likely have a drain thats ok .. just got to suck it up and try to clean your mess/plug
from toilet. i know its a gruesome job -- but the toilet is a necessary unit isnt it?

 

[coldsteelva]

I had an old toilet start acting as if it was clogged, but it turned out to be a leak/crack somewhere in the siphon-jet. Occasionally, when you would flush (even empty) you would get a rush of air up into the bowl which would hinder solid evacuation. Since it was old we went ahead and replaced it and I broke it open with my FEL (see this thread is tractor related) to confirm that there was no obstruction in the trap - it was just old.

Once you remove the toilet from the flange, take a 5 gallon bucket of water and pour it into the drain - without a fixture that 5 gallons should flow out fast and smooth. If it does, the toilet is the problem and it may just be more satisfying to have a new $h!++3r.

 

[beowulf]

Still clogged. I did pour some drain cleaner in last night. Getting really nasty now, all other drains work fine. I am the only one who uses it so there are no Q-tips or female items in it.

mark

As things are not getting better I think it is time to do more than try more drain cleaner. Much good advice here. If you have not yet tried an auger, or clean outs, do that, and if still clogged it may be time to remove the toilet and follow advice here re doing that, or call a plumber.

 

[teejk]

Still clogged. I did pour some drain cleaner in last night. Getting really nasty now, all other drains work fine. I am the only one who uses it so there are no Q-tips or female items in it.

mark

You said it was on the lower level. Is it the last fixture in your plumbing system before it exits the house? Waste is a gravity thing so everything else might work if there is a partial blockage anywhere (you are filling the pipes). Are you on septic?

 

[ultrarunner]

I use one of those cheap plastic tubs for mixing mortar that Home Depot sells... makes for less lifting...

Hate to say it... but it sounds like pulling is fast becoming the last option left... the professional toilet auger can work miracles... as it will also clear a few feet into the flange.

 

[tcreeley]

I had a similar problem. Slow drain. Tried roto rooter augur in the toilet itself. If everything else is draining fine, sounds like your toilet or the immediate line it is on.
When I pulled the toilet I found a few bobby pins in it that would interfere with normal drainage.
Recently the rubber plunger sucked up my grandson's plastic toy from where it was stuck.
Good luck.

 

[teejk]

If it is the last fixture in the chain, absent a floor drain it serves as a "cork"...remove that and bad things might happen. If on septic, I'd remove the cover from the receiving chamber and inspect the level and the baffle. We have a relatively new house and had "issues" which turned out to be a clogged baffle...(super strength Charmin and people that apparently used a whole roll per visit)...removed that wad from the baffle with a long stick and everything was fine after the explosion of "stuff" (problem was on the upstairs toilet but the power flush toilet sent it downstream). Tank is well below grade so at least the "explosion" happened outside but it wasn't pretty.

 

[TomSeller]

Still clogged. I did pour some drain cleaner in last night. Getting really nasty now, all other drains work fine. I am the only one who uses it so there are no Q-tips or female items in it.

mark

I think you need to try what is suggested and pull the toilet. With all that drain cleaner you probably won't have much bacteria left in the septic system. No sense making it worse.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

It's probably wasted breath but I have never had to pull a toilet, I have always been able to use a snake to clear the clog, I certainly would go that route before pulling the toilet. Good luck.

 

[TomSeller]

It's probably wasted breath but I have never had to pull a toilet, I have always been able to use a snake to clear the clog, I certainly would go that route before pulling the toilet. Good luck.

Actually it is two nuts and a replacement wax ring. Previous owners of my current house snaked and scratched the bottom of the toilet. I know, I see it every time I do a #1. But whatever mechanical means used, it is better than hoping it will clear.

 

[beowulf]

The steps in pulling the toilet are simple enough - have some buckets or whatever of the correct size to catch water, shut off water, drain tank (tupperware and sponges), unhook water line (to drain the tank a bit more), take off two nuts, have a new wax ring ready, put down cardboard or plastic sheeting to keep the wife happy, and have old towels or rags handy. The difficult part is lifting the toilet and moving it out of the way in often very confining spaces.

But because this clog is getting worse and apparently will not fix itself and drain cleaner is not working, I would take it off, use a snake or auger first, and have a drain bladder handy for the size of the drain line. The drain bladder will require having a hose brought into the bathroom.

As for a clog up the line which might then be released - well, I have never faced that issue, so others will have to provide advice about that contingency. Most plumbers now have cameras they can snake in to see what is causing the clog. I think they can even put those in from the roof through the vent pipes.

Harbor Freight has drain cleaning bladders in different sizes. I have unblocked some very stubborn clogs with drain bladders when the clog was 30-40 feet down the line from the toilet.
Large Drain Cleaning Bladder

 

[AchingBack]

It's probably wasted breath but I have never had to pull a toilet, I have always been able to use a snake to clear the clog, I certainly would go that route before pulling the toilet. Good luck.

I once had a snake in my toilet when my house was connected to a lagoon system about 300' away. The same toilet clogged when my first born was about 2 yrs. old. Yes, a child's small plastic drinking cup can make its way into the works. No snake, no chemicals, nothing would have cleared the clog. Until I pulled the toilet, only my toddler son knew what happened, and he wasn't about to incriminate himself.

Thank God it wasn't my first go around with toilet wrestling. Once you've done it you will find it's one of the easiest plumbing jobs. The one I hate is the clogged kitchen drain. I cleared the last one with a shop vac, and some small hoses flexible enough to enter, and make the bend in the 90 degree angle fitting in the drain line leading the septic tank.

.

 

[GLyford]

The one I hate is the clogged kitchen drain. I cleared the last one with a shop vac

My kitchen sink was always a bit slow. Could sometimes help it by dissolving accumulated grease with a kettlefull of hot water poured straight down the drain, but it was still marginal improvement.

We took the kitchen apart to renovate, and the old fixture was removed with a sawzall. I was poking around after the guys were gone for the day and looked in the trap. There were 4 table knives in it, all were the exact shape to just barely slide through the slots in the drain basket. It was a one-piece trap, not one that disassembled for cleaning. But no amount of plunging or drain cleaner was going to fix it.

So to the OP, I think it is time to go with mechanical clog removal. Either snake or pull the bowl, but you are beyond the limits of chemistry.