I had previously posted a question regarding a "sewage or septic" odor in my downstairs bathroom. Tonight when using the toilet and flushing, I noticed a gurgle / belch coming from the bathtub drain, which I had not noticed or heard before. Is this a condition that may be related to the odor issue? I would assume these items are related, and possibly both vent related. Any opinions or suggestions?

Martin Harrison

Hi,

Whats happening here is when you flush the toilet the plug of water that goes down the pipe is pulling or syphoning the water from your tub trap, if the trap is empty the odours will release from the trap.
check for a blocked vent.

m

speedball1

"Tonight when using the toilet and flushing, I noticed a gurgle / belch coming from the bathtub drain,"

"Bubbles" and "Gurgles". They are both indicters that something's going on in your drainage system.
A "bubble" indicates a clogged line while a "gurgle" indicates a blocked vent. let me explain. When you flush the discharge drains down the pipe untill it hits a partial clog. Then it rebounds back sending a "bubble",(belch) of air ahead of it. You can smell sewer gas when the belch pushes through the trap seal.
When you flush a toilet or drain a bathtub a suction is created by the water rushing down the pipe. This suction is relieved by a open pipe that runs to the outside called a vent. When a vent's stopped up the suction has to relieve itself somwhere, in this case your toilet. The noise you hear is the air being pulled through the trap by suction, (gurgle).

Martin gave you a excellent description of a gurgle and what to do about it
Now let me tell you what to do about a belch of sewer gas. To clear the drain line you must snake out the drain from the roof vent. another way to clear the drainwould be to remove the chrome plate on the tub waste and overflow and snake through the open hole. Good luck, Tom

Martin Harrison

Hey Tom

Would you say a gurgle was an intake of air, say caused by a vacuum and a bubble was a release of air caused by a build up in pressure.
I never realy took time to differentiate but thanks for pointing this out.

m

Hey Tom,

I just read your post again and iv,e answered my own question, a gurgle = blocked vent- plug of water causing a vacuum.
Bubble = blocked pipe- extra water introduced, causing pressure increase.
Best regards,
M.

speedball1

You got it my friend. Tom