Hey everyone! So, I’ve got this split level house with two toilets, one on each floor. And wouldn’t you know it, both of them decided to stop flushing properly around the same time. It’s like they’re in cahoots or something! My DIY plumbing experience is pretty limited – mostly just swapping out a flapper here and there. I did recently replace the fill valve on the upstairs toilet, but the problem started soon after.
Now, when I flush either toilet, they don’t fully empty and do that satisfying whooshing and suction thing that clears everything out. Sure, the waste eventually goes away after some extra flushing, but the bowl never quite empties out. I’ve tried tweaking the water fill level, adjusting the chain length on the flapper, and even poured vinegar down the overflow to clear out any gunk in those tiny water jets along the rim.
I’ve gone full-on detective mode, using a scrubber brush and a paper clip on the rim jets, snaking and plunging each toilet – but nothing seems to be working. I even did the good ol’ bucket test, which surprisingly showed that both toilets flushed normally that way. Just today, I took off the bottom toilet to inspect it, and everything looked clean. I ran a 25ft auger down the floor flange, but no resistance or gunk there either.
I poured a bucket of water down the floor hole and had my son flush the top toilet to check for backups – all clear. So, my last hunch is that maybe the venting is blocked somehow. I haven’t heard any gurgling from sinks or tubs, but my two-story house makes it tricky for me to check the venting on the roof. Heights and I aren’t the best of friends, you know?
My father-in-law mentioned something about an outside cleanout, but I’ve never noticed one in the ten years I’ve lived here. Plus, there are no trees around to blame tree roots for the issue. So, I’m kind of at a loss here. Should I keep trying DIY fixes, or is it time to bite the bullet and call in a plumber? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, folks.