We got such a wonderful response from last week’s Maintenance in Motion post that we decided to make it a regular part of our weekly sharing!
In this blog post, Kelly Peterson discusses the issues recently experienced with a slow flushing toilet. It’s truly important to have an expert assist with plumbing issues in order to avoid long-term problems. It’s also extremely important to report any issues as soon as they occur, in order to avoid larger repair costs when the issue gets out of control.
Symptom: A slow flushing toilet
Conclusion: Roots in the main sewer line. There can be many causes for slow flush… from clogged rim holes to the settings on the flush valve in the tank not being set properly, to a partially clogged vent line. In this case, roots were found in the main sewer line, which had cracked all the way back under the foundation of the property. The exterior portions of the cracked pipe were replaced and the crack under the foundation was sealed as far back as possible, however the next stage for this owner will be to jack hammer the foundation on the interior of the home and/or completely re-run the sewer line. Unfortunately, roots will most likely continue to intrude as they push their way in through other areas of the pipe. The tenant should not be held responsible for clogs.
To determine whether the problem is with the toilet or the sewer line, a simple bucket test can be done by quickly pouring 5 gallons of water down the toilet. If the line is open, the water will go through quickly. If the water comes to a halt, there’s a blockage in the sewer line.
