mystery plumbing issue

[parsking]

Please help me to solve the mystery.

I live on the first floor of 4 story condo.

I noticed gurgling noise from kitchen sink (island) and toilet bowl about 15 days ago but I did not pay too much attention.

About two weeks ago I came home late evening, I noticed backed up water in the shower and bathtub and clogged toilets.

I called the building association and they sent a plumber to clean the cleaning trap in front of my apartment.

Water runs but I still notice gurgling noise whenever my neighbor from up-stair uses shower or use a lot of water. (most of the time it happens early in the morning and late evening.)

Whenever I hear gurgling noise, the toilet bowls don't work for a while. Water stays in then later water is sucked out. When the cycle is done, everything is normal again.

About a half dozen plumbers came to fix the problem but no one could explain to me why and how to fix the problem. All they asked me to do is take the toilet bowl out and clean the main but when it is normal I can run water for 10 minutes without any issues so spending $650 to clean the main is too expensive I think.

I came home tonight around 9 and noticed there is no water in the toilet bowl...so it happened again.

The association is blaming me because I am the only one experiencing this issue but I don't think I am the one causing the issue because I can run water all day if no one run water from up stairs.

I searched online and found clogged vent might cause the gurgling noise. can clogged vent cause slow toilet bowl? can this explain why I am the only one in the building with the issue?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Pommie]

The gurgling noises could be air being sucked past the trap in the shower/toilet and this would point to a blocked vent. A blocked vent can also cause water to flow slower due to the suction caused by the flowing water. So, I'd go with the blocked vent theory.

BTW, what made you join an electronics forum to ask a pluming question?

Mike.

 

[parsking]

G'day! Thanks, Mike!
Believe it or not I found most helpful plumbing information from one of the forums posted in 2009...so I joined to get some help with my current problem and learn about electronic circuits.

 

[Reloadron]

The association is blaming me because I am the only one experiencing this issue but I don't think I am the one causing the issue because I can run water all day if no one run water from up stairs.

I vote with the blocked vent theory as the problem and I don't see it as your problem. I would venture only you are experiencing the problem because you are on the first floor.

Ron

 

[picbits]

As above - probably a blocked vent.

 

[Nameless1]

hahaha i got into electronics so I wouldn't get into plumbing!!!

 

[lavenatti]

I do plenty of plumbing, even with an EE.

Sounds like the vent to me also.

 

[shortbus=]

I also agree. blocked drain vent - Google Search

 

[parsking]

Guys, thank you for help!

Update with issue.

another unit on the first floor had backed up water today...Roto Rooter came and jetted it...

Two plumbers including one from roto rooter did not think the vent is the issue...one plumber told me that the problem is the main waste line and the guy from roto rooter told me that the problem is within my unit...funny thing is that he ran water (shower, tub, three sinks and flushed toilet for 10 times) for about 30 mins....and no backedup was noticed...how can he still think the problem is within the house after he saw water ran just fine.

why do not these plumbers even want to inspect the vent?

The association is now more reasonable because there is more than a unit with the issue.

I have no one to call...tried to get help from city/town plumbing inspector but they said they don't do this kind of work...
Is there a good plumber who knows the stuff?

 

[Reloadron]

The association is now more reasonable because there is more than a unit with the issue.

I have no one to call...tried to get help from city/town plumbing inspector but they said they don't do this kind of work...
Is there a good plumber who knows the stuff?

Well that sucks but at least now your misery has company.

Now as who to call? Well if things go well my uncle Guido should be out on parole real soon and looking for work. Uncle Guido was always very good at having people like business organizations (The Association) shall we say see his point.

On a serious note I don't know where you are or what laws govern things but I wish you all the best in getting this resolved and resolved soon. Something is obviously very wrong somewhere and now that another resident on the first floor has problems I would think they would act on this. Please keep us updated as I am curious as to the problem and outcome.

Good Luck
Ron

 

[3v0]

If the other ground floor unit with trouble is not adjacent to yours it should rule out the vent as a problem. It is unlikely the two units would share a vent.

It could be that the sewer line is mostly blocked some distance from the building. The pipes act as a storage tank that drains slowly. At peak use times the pipes are full and it backs up. If the plumber ran the test water in the afternoon the pipes could have been empty. Perhaps the clear water also drained faster.

Just thinking

 

[tytower]

When I get all the water being sucked out of my toilet what has happened is that the material from the 2 toilets seems to back up in the toilet pipe going to the sceptic tank. There is not enough slope in the pipe and when it suddenly all flows at once into the sceptic it sucks the water from both toilets down with it. Soon as I flush them all is good again for 8 to 10 shits and then the same again

I think this is really caused by not enough slope somewhere and the use of small flushes to save water. Only when the weight adds up does it flow fully down

 

[3v0]

tytower you have a vent problem. When the crap moves in the pipe it needs to suck air from the vent. It should never have enough suction to pull from the toilet. Fix the vent and the problem should go away.

 

[tytower]

Yes I think you are probably right it has a 2 inch vent on it but that does not seem to allow enough air in . Could be the green frogs that get into the pipe and live there.Thanks

I offered this though as an example of what might be causing the sucking of water out of the toilet