I just moved into a home and have noticed a problem with the one and only toilet in the home (single story, crawlspace foundation). The toilet tends to need help flushing. There are occasions where it works fine, but more often than not, the water (and the contents you just left in the bowl) just rise to the top. After some pretty aggressive plunging, it will slowly go down. Here's a few things that I have noticed along the way:

-When you plunge the toilet, it sends air through the sink and tub in the bathroom as well.
-I turned on all the faucets in the house simultaneously which results in bubbles coming up through the toilet.
-I just had a plumber snake the drain 3 days ago. Problem went away for a day and a half and has now returned.
-I purchased a toilet snake to confirm that the pathway through the toilet was clear.

Any ideas??

You or the plumber need to rod the vent stack. Rod from the rooof to the crawl and then 20' more.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

You or the plumber need to rod the vent stack. Rod from the rooof to the crawl and then 20' more.

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I was thinking that something like that could be the issue. Another "interesting find" regarding this issue: If I turn on all of the faucets in the house, the toilet will bubble like crazy... then I'm good for a flush or two before the problem returns. I'm no plumber but I did pass physics :) and it totally sounds like an airflow issue.

"airflow issue" yep, that's what a vent stack handles. Put your thumb over a pop bottle and turn upside dow, take awy your thumb andthats how you toilets would work without a vent stack. Its just like putting your thumb over a pipette in those old physics classes, the water won't drain until you remove your thumb.