Our house is about 30 years old and is connected to city sewer. The downstairs bathroom was unfinished so I got a plumbing permit from the city and installed plumbing for the tub, toilet, and sink and then finished the bathroom. The inspector approved my plumbing about a week ago.

I noticed today that the toilet bubbles when the washing machine is draining. I flushed the toilet and the bowl filled to the rim with water. It stayed full until the washing machine had finished draining. I then recalled several weeks ago when I was setting the toilet flange and my wife was doing laundry that soap bubbles came up through the 4 inch toilet drain pipe. Prior to this the drain was capped so no problem would have been evident. Before setting the toilet I noticed that the toilet drain had some debris in the pipe so I ran a snake through it and ran water down the drain. The toilet flushes quickly at other times so the problem occurs only when the washing machine is draining.

After reading the answers to a number of similar questions, I'm going to guess that I have a partial blockage somewhere in the drain system between the house and the street.

"After reading the answers to a number of similar questions, I'm going to guess that I have a partial blockage somewhere in the drain system between the house and the street."

Either a partial b lockage, in which case snaking the line will clear the problem, **OR** The drainage lines are too small to handle the volume the washer pump's putting out. Washers are coming out with stronger more powerful pumps and 1 1/2" drainage pipes have a problem handling the extra volume and pressure. Good luck, Tom

Thanks for responding to my question. The part about the size of the drainage pipe confused me. "The drainage lines are too small to handle the volume the washer pump's putting out. Washers are coming out with stronger more powerful pumps and 1 1/2" drainage pipes have a problem handling the extra volume and pressure."

The toilet drain pipe is 4 inches in diameter and it enters the main drain pipe somewhere under the concrete floor. Wouldn't the main drain pipe also be at least 4 inches in diameter? What/where is the 1 1/2" drain pipe you referred to?

Either a partial b lockage, in which case snaking the line will clear the problem, Try this fiwst. Regards, Tom