You’re sitting at home when you suddenly hear a weird noise coming from the bathroom: The toilet is gurgling, perhaps violently, and making odd sounds that are difficult to describe. In a few minutes, it’s over… and you’re left wondering what in the world just happened. Is your toilet haunted? Is it about to explode? Will it overflow all over the floor?
First, it’s important to know that this is a common issue with commodes. In general, you probably aren’t going to walk into the bathroom and find tons of water all over the floor. Oh, and the toilet isn’t going to shatter from the clattering. Still, it’s necessary to get to the bottom of this problem.
Usually, a gurgling toilet is an indicator of at least one of the following issues:
A blocked plumbing vent.
Have you ever noticed that there’s a little pipe sticking out from your roof? This vents the air from your pipes, and if it’s blocked up – even partially – it cannot function. When you flush your toilet, or run the water in the sink or bathtub, the blocked pipe causes air to get trapped within the pipes. The water drains slowly, and the gurgling sound begins.
A blocked sewer line.
Just as the plumbing vent is on the roof of your home, the sewer line is located at ground level. If the sewer line is blocked by the roots of trees, or something else such as particles or even so-called “flushable” wipes, air will start to back up through the pipes in your house. This will lead to the air floating to the surface and ultimately making the water “gurgle”.
Regardless of why this is occurring, it’s best to contact a plumber sooner rather than later. A trained expert can help you determine why you have a noisy toilet, and what you can do to make all that gurgling stop.
To make an appointment with Pronto Plumbering for a gurgling toilet or any other plumbing need, please contact our Customer Service Experts today at 717.533-1057.
