When I flush ant toilet in my raised ranch, it burps up first, then continues flushing normally. The downstairs toilet also burps when a higher floor toilet flushes.

When I flush ant toilet in my raised ranch, it burps up first, then continues flushing normally. The downstairs toilet also burps when a higher floor toilet flushes. This indicates a partial clog downstream from the downstairs toilet.
Let me explain what's happening. You flush the upstairs john, The discharge picks up speed dropping down from the second floor, bangs into the partial clog in the line and starts to rebound back pushing a bubble of air ahead of it. This is what you see in the first floor toilet. Then, because it's not completely blocked the discharge drains away before anything overflows. This can only get worse. The drainage line that services the two toilets needs to be snaked out or if you're on a septic tank it should be checked to see if it needs to be pumped. Hope this helps and thank you for rating my reply. To

Sounds like a vent stack might be partially clogged somewhere because for water to drain in the pipe it has to take in air, if that air is obstructed it could be trying to take it from the bowl would be my best guess. The vent exits the roof so that would be my first look to see if there is anything in that pipe like leaves, a birds nest etc... usually that will pull the water from the lower toilet though when upper is flushed... thats if that upper toilet also burps when flushed otherwise main line could be clogged or partially clogged.
Bill

Sounds like a vent stack might be partially clogged somewhere because for water to drain in the pipe it has to take in air, if that air is obstructed it could be trying to take it from the bowl would be my best guess. The vent exits the roof so that would be my first look to see if there is anything in that pipe like leaves, a birds nest etc... usually that will pull the water from the lower toilet though when upper is flushed ...thats if that upper toilet also burps when flushed otherwise main line could be clogged or partially clogged.
Bill
Sorry Bill! But that's simply not correct. Now if he had complained about a "Gurgle" you would be in the right ball park.
Let me explain about bubbles and gurgles. "Bubbles" and "Gurgles". They both indicate that something is 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 until it hits a partial clog. Then it rebounds back sending a "bubble" of air ahead of it. 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 somewhere, in a fixture trap or a toilet. The noise you hear is the air being pulled through the trap by suction, (gurgle).
Rule of thumb! Bubbles= drainage clog, while Gurgles = a blocked vent or poor venting. Have a good one, Tom

You assume his description of bubbles is 100% accurate and isn't mistaking a gurgle, probably a wild guess but you are right. I had my car in recently for a cam seal leak and then had to remove the timing belt and they had didn't time the motor properly it was off 20 deg, when my wife drove it she said the transmissions was now shifting really hard, so I thought great what did they do, turns out because the timing was so far off that it had no low end power, so it only started picking up speed after 20 mph, it had nothing to do with the transmission, it was her way of describing it was all, you just never know the terminology.
If it is a true bubble then it would not be a clogged vent you are correct, but how many people truly know the difference between a gurgle and a bubble and are they describing a noise or a visual bubble, which he says burps, so could that be a bubble, what is a burp?
I would suggest running a load a laundry, put as much water into that drain line, start flushing toilets and look for water to start backing up into the bath tubs. If the main line is clogged outside the house the washing machine will effect the water flow and you will see effects of backing up water somewhere in a floor drain, if the back up is before it meets with where the branch of the washing machine enters the main line it will have no effect on the back up whatsoever and you will narrow the problem. Usually the problem is something simple when problems start all of a sudden, when problem are gradual then I look for clogs that build over time and gradually get worse.
You are right it all depends on really the correct terminology being used in determining where to look.. burp, bubble, fart.. lol maybe some gasX.. lol
Good to hear from you speedball1 Happy Easter...
Bill


" When you flush the discharge drains down the pipe until it hits a partial clog. Then it rebounds back sending a "bubble" of air ahead of it."

Tom my question regarding your describing how he gets a bubble bring me to ask to follow up question to that statement and to his first question. He states that no matter which toilet he flushes it burps first then flushes normally, if it burps first before it sends down any water how can it send down water before it sends down water to hit a partial clog to rebound an air bubble back to cause a bubble. If only 1 toilet is flushed and it burps first then how can it be a partial clog if it has to send water down to hit the clog to send the air bubble back to make the toilet burp when it burps first before flushing? I guess that is why I was led right away to a blocked vent because it happens right away, its an initial problem not one that happens after the water left the bowl. I don't know just trying to figure this one out... IT burps meaning there is no water in the drain line to hit any clog to send back any air bubble right?
So what else would make a toilet burp when flushed right away?
Bill

Tom I only ask follow up question to people I respect and believe have more knowledge then I do and challenge them all in trying to gain my own knowledge for myself and maybe hoping to help the next person that comes along. Please don't take any offense to my pushing the envelope to asking questions, its strictly in gaining myself knowledge. This is how I help myself learn.
Bill

BILL,
Let's give another look at his complaint.

toilet bubbles

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When I flush ant toilet in my raised ranch, it burps up first, then continues flushing normally. The downstairs toilet also burps when a higher floor toilet flushes.
I see the word "bubble" in his post. He also states it " burps up" A gurgle pulls down.
I think you misread completely
it burps up first, then continues flushing normally I read it like this. He flushes, the flush displaces the air and both toilets burp and then the upstairs toilet proceds to flush in the normal fashion.
I learnt long ago, answering plumbing questions, not to attempt to read the askers mind and interpret his thoughts. If he said "bubble" then "bubble" it is.
Does this make it any clearer? Regards, Tom

He only says bubbles in the post topic but never reuses that word, but then uses the word burp which is in fact a gurgling noise by definition standard so which is it.. . I read this as he wrote it nothing else, the toilet first burps then flushes, as it takes in air then flushes is what I would gather from his statement. I don't read this as water leaves the bowl and comes back and burps because he writes it first burps then flushes so I don't see it as a clog with rebound air because there is no water in the pipe to cause the rebound air in the first place this is where I am getting lost in your explanation is all... If it burps first what is causing the burp, forget all the other toilets, if just one toilet will do this lets focus on what will cause one toilet to do this because he said when he flushes any toilet, so lets narrow it down to 1 toilet burping prior to flushing, that's how I read it...
Bill

Hey! Cool by me! You want to read his mind and interpret his meaning that's cool too.
MJe? I'm just a dunb plumber that listens to the complaint as it's worded because most of the time the asker will give you enough clues to offer a solution.
But you have it your way my friend and Enjoy Easter Sunday! Tom

Speedball,
Thanks for the advise on the open pipe (I will fix asap) and sorry for all the confusion on the toilet. I didn't mean for such a spirited exchange between parties. To set all the facts straight, when I flush any toilet, within 1 second, an air bubble burps into the flushing toilet. Also, within 2 seconds of an upper floor toilet flushing, an air bubble burbs into the lower level toilet. I will start with snaking to the septic tank. It was pumped just 3 months ago when we bought the house. I noticed the burping then, but the inspector didn't know the cause. The owners refused to look further. I didn't see it as a deal breaker.
I'm sure one of the responses will cure what ails the system.
Thanks again to all on this site for being there to help your fellow man.

No problem! We don't disagree very often here on The Plumbing Page. Bill isn't a plumber and I just couldn't get him to listen to you. You explained it well enough the first time and your last post nailed it down. The inspector couldn't tell that this was a drainage problem when the toilets bubbled when flushed? He should have, at the very least , informed you that there was a potential problem and let you decide.
That's why we have home inspections. I w2ould send a snake down the open branch of the wye and then cap it off with a clean out.
If there's still a problem aster you snake the line I would take a hard look at the septic tank and drain field. If the drain field isn't percolating the liquid away as it should that tank's going to fill up pretty fast. Good luck and please let me know what you find. Tom