Help! When my washing machine(which is upstairs) is draining and spinning the water out, the toilet downstairs starts bubbling and gurgling, and some of the soap bubbles from the washer actually come up into the toilet. The toilet never overflows, but I'm afraid one of these days it will.
Can anyone tell me what's going on here?? I've used septic tank cleaner and draino foaming pipe snake, but neither one of these worked.
This sounds like a fundamental design problem with the drain, waste, and vent system in your house. How old is the house? Was the design changed by remodeling? Has the washing machine always been located upstairs?
The way to correct this is probably neither cheap nor easy. Get a good plumber to come over and check it out.
MM
The house is around 40 years old....actually, it is a townhome. The townhome was designed with the laundry room upstairs.
The washing machine is causing a build up of pressure upstream as it discharges. This is a common problem in many homes, even brand new ones that comply with plumbing codes. The washing machine discharge pipe connects to the building drain under the lower level floor. The lower level bathroom where you have the problem is downsteam from that connection point. This bathroom has a mechanical vent instead of a continuous vent through the roof. A mechanical vent works fine for preventing siphoning of the traps but it will not relieve pressure. The result is as the washing machine pump fills the entire pipe during discharge a high air pressure zone is created ahead of the rushing water. This air pushes through the trap in the water closet ( toilet) causing the bubbling sound. It makes no difference that the washing machine pipe itself is vented.
MM
You may want to try low-suds laundry detergent, but you might have to buy a ten pound box. Suds are in detergent strictly for appearance. They do nothing to help clean clothes but consumers won't buy the non sudsing kind. OTOH commercial customers don't want the suds so detergents sold to institutional customers commonly advertise as low-suds or low-foam. Do a google search for low suds detergent or check with a institutional supplier locally. Suds can cause various problems in plumbing drain and vent systems and your problem is likely aggravated by the foam in the pipes.
MM
Heh, heh. I keep thinking of more stuff after I send the post.
Try running a full large load wash cycle with no clothes and no laundry soap. If you don't get the bubbling in the downstairs water closet you'll have good reason to suspect that low-suds detergent will cure the problem.
MM
Thanks so much for all the suggestions! I will try running the washing machine without detergent and see what happens.
Thanks again Kathy
I tried running the washer without detergent.....and no bubbling toilet!! Great!! Thanks so much!
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