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  • #1

    My monthly "Toilet Trouble" Question

    I've got a new kind of toilet problem this month, folks. I think my son may have flushed something down the toilet, but I'm not sure. He has autism, so he can't really answer any questions. But last week I found him playing with the plunger in the toilet, so I think he may be guilty.

    Anyway, he was getting ready for a bath yesterday, and my wife tried
    to flush the toilet, but it didn't have its "normal" flushing power. It's not the greatest toilet, but after plunging and plunging, it still was weak. So I plunged and plunged, and it's still weak. If it's a "normal" clog, it would've been fixed by now.

    What would be my next step before I have to go call a plumber and have to shell out $$$? Thanks for taking time to read this (and to those who respond).
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  • #2
    The next thing for you to try is the 3 ft toilet auger. You can get one for $15 at HD. It has a curly cue on the end, and as you twist it and work it through the trapway, it sometimes will grab whatever may be lodged in there.


    Unfortunately, if that doesn't do it, the next move is to pull the bowl, inspect and snake back through from the bottom. Then, if confirmed that the problem is downstream, that snake job needs a plumber with heavy equipment. A little 1/4" 15 foot snake is NOT the tool for that job.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by 596 View Post
      The next thing for you to try is the 3 ft toilet auger. You can get one for $15 at HD. It has a curly cue on the end, and as you twist it and work it through the trapway, it sometimes will grab whatever may be lodged in there.


      Unfortunately, if that doesn't do it, the next move is to pull the bowl, inspect and snake back through from the bottom. Then, if confirmed that the problem is downstream, that snake job needs a plumber with heavy equipment. A little 1/4" 15 foot snake is NOT the tool for that job.


      Thanks for the reply. Since you posted that, we had the toilet pulled, didn't see anything obvious lodged in there. We poured water down the drain in the floor, and it drained fairly quickly (didn't back up on the floor).

      Also reading up, I went in the small opening where water jets out when it's flushed with a small snake. I read that deposits could build up in there. I got pretty far with it. I also drained the toilet and poured white vinegar slowly in the overflow tube. I did that twice, but didn't wait too long before I flushed it again.

      Here's where I'm puzzled: Just for sh#*$ and giggles, I put the auger down there a few more times. Sometimes it "wants" to flush regularly (get a decent swirl, but not quite normal) and sometimes it doesn't.

      Is that toilet done for or could the object still be down far enough to be causing a problem?

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      • #4
        the trap in a toilet goes down and towards the front with a very sharp bend, then up and down towards the back and then straight down. paper and the [ahem.....] flows ok, everything else gets stuck. try the closet auger again

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        • #5
          Originally posted by HayZee518 View Post
          the trap in a toilet goes down and towards the front with a very sharp bend, then up and down towards the back and then straight down. paper and the [ahem.....] flows ok, everything else gets stuck. try the closet auger again
          If that doesn't do it, does the toilet need to be replaced? Thanks for the reply.

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