3 Toilets all with same "problem"

[rickhow]

3 Toilets in home. 2 upstairs are American Standard Cadet's. One on main floor is different model of an American Standard. All started to do the following...they flush normally and completely, never require a 2nd flush. The water fills the bowl normally. Then within a short time the water level in bowl drops 3/4 to 1"...and usually holds that level, sometimes overnight it might drop just a tad more but nothing major. I have plunged all 3, augered all 3, no blockage. All other drains in house work perfectly and drain normally. Suspected maybe a partial blockage in vent pipe (wouldn't be totally blocked would it if everything else works fine?). Called 2 plumbers (reputable in this area) and they wouldn't even come look, advised cleaning the roof vent first. Vent is 3". I called Roto Rooter and another local drain company (Drain Master) and both advised that they do not get on 2nd story roof's. I asked if this was because of winter, and they both said no, they don't even do it in the summer. So here I am . not even sure if it is a roof vent problem or something else (something else hopefully since no one will get on roof).

 

[rickhow]

no suggestions anyone?

 

[frodo]

have 1 suggestion and 1 comment

go on the roof and check if destructed vent , ie bird nest...whatever

2nd...


if vent is not above the air stream around your house, the wind can actually keep the pipe from venting


not saying this is your problem,,it is a possibility

 

[jonbrownster]

I'm interested in the answers you get to this. I'm not a plumber. I have a similar issue that only seems to crop up during weather change in the fall and then disappears for the rest of the year. My theory has always been that it is a function of some seasonal change in pressure/wind activity in the system. Sometimes, on really windy days, I also see the water in the toilets drop a bit.
I've considered that it could be leaves falling into the vents but the issue seems to disappear too quickly for that to be the case.

Mostly I hope you get some feedback on whether it is anything you need to be much concerned about.

 

[frodo]

get a smoke bomb, drop it in th vent during a windy day and watch where the smoke goes

https://www.plumbersstock.com/bramec-15056-2b-8000-cu-ft-smoke1-min.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&scid=scplp37053&sc_intid=37053&gclid=CjwKEAiAm8nCBRD7xLj-2aWFyz8SJAAQNalaS8ccMth9g2kA7nBDV8dcZzmWRAeCu5HoRshyD-52PBoCHGjw_wcB

 

[SHEPLMBR]

have 1 suggestion and 1 comment

go on the roof and check if destructed vent , ie bird nest...whatever

2nd...


if vent is not above the air stream around your house, the wind can actually keep the pipe from venting


not saying this is your problem,,it is a possibility

I'm with him ^^^^^ on this one

 

[frodo]

I am honored,

I have seen pilot lights on water heaters blown out when the wind blew, raised the flue up,pilot stayed lit

I have smelled, lol...court yard that stank because the wind kept a cloud of stank
from rising up , raised the pipe, smell went away

 

[rickhow]

Yep I knew a windy day (or more) could reduce the level in a toilet because of the impact on the vent. I checked the vent (can't get on roof with the snow and its on 2nd story) by...pulling all the water out of one toilet bowl thus creating a good vacuum, and by pulling the ptrap on the sink next to the toilet thus creating a great vent...and it didn't help at all. The toilet flushes, fills nicely, but within 30 seconds drops 3/4" to 1". I installed an AAV vent under sink next to one of the toilets, thus adding a vent, didn't help at all, so nope not the vent.

 

[voletl]

How long has this problem been occurring

 

[frodo]

you have me beat,

the fill valve could have a leak, causing not enough water to fill the bowl, but, you said the bowl was full then drops.
and it is all 3 toilets.

 

[rickhow]

Yes it fills nicely then drops. I wrote to American Standard, here is how this went : Thought you all would enjoy hearing what I received from American Standard. I emailed their technical support team about my problem. They asked me to give them some information (the stamped/engraved numbers inside the toilet tank). I did so. They replied that for all 3 of the models, I should take a ruler and hold in inside the bowl and get a measurement from top of the rim (the part that the toilet seat rests on) down to the top of the water line (which they referred to as the model spot). All is okay if the level is between 5 1/2" and 6" on a calm day (they pointed out that wind and some seasonal pressure changes would make the number vary a bit). The further said it is not unusual for the toilet to overfill at first then settle to this range of 5 /12 to 6. Mine measured 5 1/2.