Hello, my problem is when the toilet is flushed there is a gurgle heard from the basement laundry tub about 5 or so seconds after the flush is started. This was happening intermittently for a few months, but now it is constant. There is also water splashing from the drain in the laundry tub. This is a 1 ½ story house with bathroom and kitchen on ground level, and laundry tub in basement. These is no noise heard at any of the other drains in the house. Does this sound like a clogged main vent? This is what I have been suggested, but my question is why would it be siphoning from the lowest drain instead of those above it? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

-Ben

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Originally Posted by capbs

Hello, my problem is when the toilet is flushed there is a gurgle heard from the basement laundry tub about 5 or so seconds after the flush is started. This was happening intermittently for a few months, but now it is constant. There is also water splashing from the drain in the laundry tub. This is a 1 ½ story house with bathroom and kitchen on ground level, and laundry tub in basement. These is no noise heard at any of the other drains in the house. Does this sound like a clogged main vent? This is what I have been suggested, but my question is why would it be siphoning from the lowest drain instead of those above it? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!!

-Ben

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Hi Ben,

Sure sounds like a clogged vent to me. I would start with the lavatory vent in the bathroom where the toilet's located. The water splashing out of the laundry tray sounds more like a partial blockage in the drain line then a vent problem. Let me know what you find when you check. Tom

Thanks for the help Tom, just to clarify, there is only one vent for the entire house, I know its not good, but I haven't gotten that far yet, we had a few other things to work on first. I don't know if this changes the answer at all?

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Originally Posted by capbs

Thanks for the help Tom, just to clarify, there is only one vent for the entire house, I know its not good, but I haven't gotten that far yet, we had a few other things to work on first. I don't know if this changes the answer at all??

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Hey Cap,
Look up in your attic and see if all the vents in the house haven't been revented back into one VTR,(vent through roof). If that's the case you'll have to locate the lavatory vent, cut it loose, snake it out and couple it back up. I would use a 2" NO-Hub Band (See image)to reconnect in place of gluing it back together. Good luck, Tom

Thanks again Tom. My house only have 1 vent total, it's the main stack. All of the appliances are routed directly into it, except for those below grade. The main stack is cast iron so it makes it pretty difficult to work with. I have actually been pondering the idea of replacing it with PVC when we remodel the bathroom, as I will have the wall open to access it. Have you ever seen anyone do this, connecting PVC to a cast iron hub that is in a poured concrete floor?

Ben

Sure have Ben,
You convert to PVC from cast iron using the No-Hub Bands I've pictured if you're connecting to a hubless piece of cast iron. If it has a hub then you'll use a Duel-Tite Gasket, (see image) to connect. If you wish to covert to PVC I can hang in there with you and advise if you wish. Regards, tom

Thanks for the help Tom. I am really interested in changing over to PVC, and I don't think that it would be that difficult in this house. Should I also take the opportunity to add vents or is diverting all the vent lines (which I will have to add) to one through the roof vent an OK way to go? Do with that dual-tite gasket, the pvc will just sit in the old cast iron hub? Do I have to do anything further to support it? Thanks again

Ben

Hey Ben,
Just let me know when you're ready to start. Tom