Plumbing in the Home/The Bigger the Bowel

Advertisement


Question
My top floor Venice apartment is in a building that was constructed in the late 1920s. I know little about plumbing but can only surmise that even with the new toilet recently installed, the problem with water pressure and flow lies in the bones of the building. Humour me for a second, but my colon is a prodigious one and many a toilet is no match for the results. Therefore, I spend a few minutes everyday battling a toilet with a plunger. On a daily basis, this becomes quite a drain, ahem. The landlord installed a newer toilet, but it was to no avail. The water level inside the bowl does not rise very high and has actually lowered further on its own over time. Apparently it's a water efficient unit. What would you advise? Are there modifications that can be made to the toilet? It's been plunged and "snaked" repeatedly.
Appreciatively,
Silas

Answer
Hello Silas, (from a fellow SoCal resident, NoHo)

The water level in a toilet bowl is physically determined by the design of the bowl itself (the height of the trap weir) and nothing else.  It's "hard wired" in so to speak. It's actually called the "water spot" size. There is no adjustment that will change it. There is some adjustment of the amount of water that the tank dumps into the bowl during a flush, but not much.

For the water in the bowl to go down by itself there has to be a siphon being created by poor or restricted venting in the drain system.  

As water drains down the waste pipe after a flush, a siphon is created in the trap of the toilet which empties the bowl.  This is normal flushing action, it is the way it is designed to work. If the system is not vented properly or the vent is restricted in some way, draining other fixtures can create a siphon in the toilet that drains out the water because the system is trying to vent through the toilet bowl.

I think you are right, the problem is in the internal plumbing of the building somewhere. Finding it might be a bit of challenge.

Sometimes the vent lines need to be snaked from the roof. They could also be blocked by bird debris etc.

Good Luck,
Dana

Plumbing in the Home

All Answers


Answers by Expert:


Ask Experts

Volunteer


Dana Bostick

Expertise

Pretty much any residential plumbing questions. For "item specific" details such as a specific model of fixture, I will need to research and there may not be any useful information available. Note: I live and work in Southern California. We do not, as a rule, use hot water or steam heating systems, oil fired boilers or private water wells so my knowledge in those areas is pretty limited. There are others here on AllExerts that can probably answer those questions better.

Experience

Retired Licensed General Contractor with Plumbing, HVAC and Electrical sub-licenses. Active Certified InterNachi Home Inspector and Infrared Thermographer

Organizations
InterNachi

Publications
SearchWarp, Article Alley, www.DIYHomeInspection.blogspot.com, ActiveRain.com "Rain Maker",

Education/Credentials
30 years in the trades, Licensed General Contractor, Certified Infrared Thermographer

Awards and Honors
InterNachi Certified Property Inspector, Listed FHA Fee Inspector, HUD Mobile Home Inspector

Past/Present Clients
Home buyers, sellers and owners, Investors, Commercial roofing companies (infrared roof scans for moisture intrusion)

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.