Do you Have a Gurgling Toilet? What You Need to Know.
When you flush your toilet, you expect to hear the familiar sound of the water going down the drain. If you hear anything odd, especially bubbling or gurgling sounds, you probably have something wrong that needs immediate attention.
These sounds are not unusual, but you should never ignore the issue. Chances are the problem will only continue to get worse. You could end up with a flood of toilet water in your bathroom or even worse damage. The following questions can help guide in what your next steps should be after you hear these noises coming from your toilet.
Why Does Your Toilet Make Bubbling or Gurgling Sounds?
When you hear bubbling or gurgling sounds coming from your toilet, this likely means you have a clog or blockage somewhere in the toilet’s plumbing. The air pressure in the plumbing system has to be at a certain level for the water to flow through properly.
When you have a clog or blockage, a suction happens. This causes negative air pressure, which causes the air to escape and the toilet water to back up. This causes the bubbling and gurgling sounds you hear.
Where Can a Clog Happen?
A clog can occur in several areas in the toilet’s plumbing system. The toilet itself may have a clog in it. The drain can become clogged when certain items are flushed that are not designed to go into a toilet.
You may also have a clog in the main sewer line. All the drains from your house lead to this line. Once you have a blockage in the main sewer line, all the plumbing in your home will eventually back up.
Additionally, you may have a clog in your vent stack. A vent stack is on the roof. When it gets a clog, it can cause negative air pressure and result in these sounds coming from your toilet.
How Can You Stop the Sounds Coming from Your Toilet?
No matter the cause of the sounds coming from your toilet, you can do some things yourself to try to repair the issue.
The first thing to try is plunging the toilet. Before you start plunging, close all other drains near the toilet, such as the sink and the shower drain. Doing so helps push the air up through the toilet to better bring out whatever has clogged the toilet.
If you still cannot figure out what has gone wrong with your toilets, consider calling your neighbors. This may sound odd, but they may have answers that you had not thought of. Perhaps you have a system-wide problem in your local municipality you were not aware of that has caused your toilets to make noise. If your neighbors experience the same thing you are, you then know the issue lies with your local utility provider.
When Do You Call a Plumber?
If you have tried all these methods without success, the next step is to contact a plumber. A plumber will have advanced tools and expertise to see exactly what has caused your toilets to bubble and gurgle. You may have a deeper issue, such as broken pipes, to deal with. Your plumber will look at every possibility to help ensure your home’s plumbing works properly.
No one wants to deal with strange sounds coming from their toilets, especially when the noises lead to more plumbing problems. If you need assistance with your toilets or other plumbing issues, please contact Moon Valley Plumbing.
