Toilet Bubbling: What To Do When Your Toilet Gurgles
Your toilet is making a strange gurgling sound. It gurgles and produces odd, rumbling noises that sound as if it's alive. This happens most frequently after you flush the toilet or at random intervals. The toilet may occasionally bubble and refuse to go down.
Toilets can exhibit a variety of strange behaviors that indicate a problem, one of which is bubbling in your toilet bowl. Bubbling in your toilet appears to be unimportant, but it may signal much more serious issues. Symptoms may be minor, but they might also indicate a larger issue. A bigger plumbing service is required to repair it, so you'll want to get it fixed as soon as possible.
Is it time to potty panic? Yes, since this problem might get worse if not addressed. There is a blockage somewhere, which is the reason for the gurgling sound. This article will answer some common questions about toilet gurgling our professional plumbers hear, including:
- What causes a toilet to gurgle?
- Can a gurgling toilet fix itself?
- How can I fix my bubbling toilet?
This article will go through these issues in detail and provide helpful solutions.
What Causes a Toilet to Gurgle?
The strange gurgling noises are the result of negative air pressure in your drain pipes. So, if you hear these noises, it's because something is blocking your drain pipes. Instead of flowing down the line freely, it pushes back and produces those unusual sounds.
A toilet bubbling is another sign that your drain system is failing. However, regardless of how you define it, there's a problem. You are experiencing this because:
- Your toilet is clogged
- Your drain line or mainline is clogged
- Your vent pipe or stack is blocked
- Your municipal sewer main has a problem
Toilet Gurgling Due to a Clogged Toilet
The most simple problem to address is a clogged toilet. You may see things floating in the toilet bowl, too much toilet paper, and other objects can get caught in the toilet. Children can stuff huge toys down the toilet, yet because they do not dissolve in water, they will become trapped inside.
What's The Fix?
Give it ten or fifteen strong plunges. If the blockage is close to the surface, this should be able to remove it.
If that doesn't work, try a drain snake, sewer snake, or a plumber's auger down the drain hole to clear the pipe. If you have one, and you're handy with it, a decent auger can cost up to $300. Consider the expense of calling out a plumber versus the price of purchasing an excellent auger.
After that, it’s time to call in a professional plumber.
Drain Line Blockage or Mainline Clog
The drain lines are the connections between your drains and the main line. The mainline transports all of that wastewater to your city's main sewer drain connection, which is simple to distinguish from a blocked drain line.
A blocked drain line will only affect one room in your house, such as the bathroom fixtures in one area. The example dimension of a blocked mainline would be if you have an upstairs blockage problem. Mainline obstructions, on the other hand, will impact the entirety of your residence.
The source of a drain line blockage is similar to that of a plugged toilet. The same negative air pressure and gurgling and toilet bubbles result from these obstructions.
The much bigger issue is when the blockage is located further down the drain line or mainline, where consumer-style tools and equipment are unable to reach it. You may observe several plumbing issues, such as flushing the toilet and water beginning to back up in the shower. This is when you'll need help from an expert.
What's The Fix?
A clogged drain line can be unblocked using a plumbing auger, if it is accessible. If the blockage persists further down, such as in the main line, a plumber will send a camera down to determine where it is. To resolve the issue, the toilet may have to be removed.
They may even have to dig up your front yard or backyard to access the damaged line and repair it. Trenchless sewer line repair is the service you'd want to have performed to keep your yard from getting torn up.
Vent Stack Blockage
The vent stack is the vertical pipe leading up to your roof. It regulates the air pressure in your plumbing and also releases exhaust gas. However, they are designed to be an open channel at all times, not even water may flow through them.
With a blocked vent stack, you're back to having negative pressure. You could also observe some sluggish drainage around the property or a stinky, gassy sewer odor. Leaves or a bird's nest are common offenders. It's sometimes a rodent or a tiny corpse. Whatever the cause, you must remove it. And, in most cases, it is not something that can be addressed by yourself.
What's The Fix?
You'll need to climb up on the roof and inspect the vent stack for a blockage. If it's obvious and easy to access, you can simply unblock it yourself. Anything further down must be snaked out. It's time to call a plumber if this is the problem.
Clogged Municipal Sewer Line
The last cause of a toilet gurgle is a municipal sewage system clog, but you're probably seeing other difficulties as well. However, this is your town's responsibility to repair, not yours. This is the sewage line that takes wastewater away from the property. Your mainline ends here. The pipes coming from other residences are also dumped here.
If you believe it's the municipal line, check with your neighbors to see if they're having similar issues. If so, contact your municipality or water company. It is their responsibility to fix and not you as the homeowner.
Can a Gurgling Toilet Fix Itself?
It is possible the gurgling sounds go away on their own if the drain clog clears itself or you remove any debris from the vent stacks on the roof. If the issue lies in your main sewer line, you'll need the help of professional plumbers.
Plumbing professionals have specific equipment, such as close-up cameras that drop into vent stacks and powerful sewer diggers that can cut right through tree roots and possibly block your main sewage line. There's also a tiny chance that your yard's main sewage line has broken or collapsed, and it will need to be excavated and repaired by a professional.
Call ARS/Rescue Rooter to Stop Toilet Gurgles
Get rid of your bubbling toilet or any plumbing problem with the help of ARS/Rescue Rooter! Our certified plumbers across the country are standing by to tackle tough clogs restore your home's sewer pipe and drainage system into proper working fashion.
When you start hearing that gurgling noise from the bathroom, call our plumbers at 866-399-2885 or find your nearest ARS/Rescue Rooter location to schedule plumbing repair service today!
