water in toilet bowl disappears!

after flushing normally, the water in our upstairs toilet bowl gradually goes down over the course of a few hours. Overnight it has gone down about 1 inch. I'm sure if we went away for a few days, it would be empty. There are no wet marks on the floor next to it, nor are there any on the ceiling below it. Why is it going down? and how do we fix it?

Thanks for your help! Cheers, Deek

Reply to
deek1990
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Do you have a dog?

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.

Reply to
Doug Miller

I would guess that there is a leak in the (low) trap area, and the water is either being directed by the wax seal back into the drain, or the water is crawling down the outside of the closet ell and stack without touching the other building materials along the way. In the latter case, would you be able to see any dampness at the bottom of the stack?

Bill

Reply to
bill a

That happened to mine -- right before the sewer line backed up through the floor drain and into the house (and into the living room, since I have no basement). When the roto-rooter guy came out, the first thing he said was "did the water empty out of the toilet bowl, because that's usually the first sign". I still don't understand the connection between the two. The level in the toilet on that floor had been gradually going down and I didn't think much about it because it didn't seem significant, and the one day it all just gurgled and sucked out, and the next thing I know there was sewage coming up the drain.

Reply to
Karen in MN

This is because water backs up in the pipe far enough where it interrupts the venting process. Then siphon action when using other drains will suck water out of the traps, the toilet being the most noticable one. The flip side of that is you may also see bubbles or gurgling in the toilet as the pipe fills beyond the venting level

Reply to
Greg

Greg is 100% right.

In the case of the OP, it didn't sound like any backup problem though.

Slow draining of the trap water is usually due either to a foreign object (cloth or string for example) in the bowl trap or an internal crack in the trap. In the string case, the string acts as a wick to siphon water out. (I like the dog explanation too!)

Reply to
Speedy Jim

The easy way to tell is to watch the toilet when you run water at another drain. (like the washing machine dump, flushing another toilet or draining the kitchen sink). If it is starting to ripple and wash back and forth you have a vent problerm.

Reply to
Greg

Hmmm...a rag or a even a thread running through the trap in the bowl will siphon water out.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Or a long hair if someone in the household is in the habit of brushing her hair near the toilet....

Reply to
Joshua Putnam

A thirsty dog?

Reply to
avoidspam

Joshua Putnam wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news.blarg.net:

Maybe someone is drinking it.

Reply to
baker

replying to Doug Miller, Trephiner wrote: Wow, the choice between a Troll or Spammer, what a choice. I prefer the Troll since I can put them in their place, or block them. Spammers only change email addresses.

Reply to
Trephiner

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