Check out some similar questions!

irumba · May 14, 2007, 04:10 AM

When we left our second story condo on Friday, toilet was working fine and water in bowl was clean and clear and at normal level. When we returned on Saturday, the bowl was filled with waste matter. What could be the cause of this?

speedball1 · May 14, 2007, 11:45 AM

Please give us more details. Is there a unit over and under you? Have you talked to the first floor unit to see if he has a problem? Is the toilet flushing now? Did it overflow? Talk to me, Tom

irumba · May 14, 2007, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by speedball1

Please give us more details. Is there a unit over and under you? Have you talked to the first floor unit to see if he has a problem? Is the toilet flushing now? Did it overflow? Talk to me, Tom

From Irumba: My condo has had more toilet problems than anyone else in our 75-unit building. The unit under me has had minor problems, and the two above have had none. I was able to get my condo board to bring in a plumber with a sewer machine to check for blockages in the line. He found two possible problem spots. Another thing the guy did was replace two Studor vents. Now, it's wait and see, I guess.

It took me a while to figure out how to reply to an answer on this site. Tom, you gave me some helpful information in the past, so I belatedly thank you for that, and am interested to know if you think a Studor-vented condo should be vacated immediately!

Stephanie

speedball1 · May 14, 2007, 03:47 PM

"I am interested to know if you think a Studor-vented condo should be vacated immediately!"
For the most part Studor vents take the place of regular vents when you have a problem venting a remodel. They work fine but they are a mechanical device that can fail while a regular vent has no parts to fail. What bothers me is is the reason the vents are installed in the first place. Were fixtures moved or major work done? I wouldn't move just because the unit has a couple of mechanical vents installed. Regards, Tom

irumba · May 18, 2007, 07:14 AM

To recap, my condo is on second floor of four story building. Since moving into this building when new five years ago, my toilet has bubbled, emptied by itself, filled with suds, etc. and last weekend backed up with fecal matter. Plumber came on Monday, ran 100 feet of snake through 4" cast iron toilet drain and replaced three Studor vents, two in bathroom and one over washing machine in adjacent laundry area. Toilet is still bubbling like crazy. Could problem be Studor vents in other condos. Any other ideas?

speedball1 · May 18, 2007, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by irumba

To recap, my condo is on second floor of four story building. Since moving into this building when new five years ago, my toilet has bubbled, emptied by itself, filled with suds, etc., and last weekend backed up with fecal matter. Plumber came on Monday, ran 100 feet of snake through 4" cast iron toilet drain and replaced three Studor vents, two in bathroom and one over washing machine in adjacent laundry area. Toilet is still bubbling like crazy. Could problem be Studor vents in other condos. Any other ideas?

A blocked vent will not cause your toilet to bubble and back up to the point of overflowing. Clogs and blockages cause backups. Your plumbere missed the clog. Did he pull the toilet and run his snake down the open line? Have there been any complaints from the unit under you? This is beginning to sound like a plumbing design flaw in the original construction. I'm stillk interested to learn why you have Studor Vents installed in a five year old building. Sounds more and more like a faulty plumbing design that was botched and instead of tearing out the job and doing it right the contractor just cobbled up a repair. Wonder what the other experts think. Regards, Tom

Stratmando · May 19, 2007, 02:25 PM

Burglars? Perhaps with digestive problems, anything missing?

hvacservicetech_07 · May 19, 2007, 02:50 PM

I agree with speedball, I'd say that this is a fine example of a "shotty plumbing job". I'm thinking that they may need to redo some of this stuff to make it right.

irumba · May 20, 2007, 07:54 AM

To answer your questions, toilet did not fill up to the point of overflow, plumber did pull toilet and ran snake down the open line. I checked with folks in unit below personally, and they did not admit to any problems, although I had previously heard through the grapevine that they had had some. (So much for the grapevine!) Studor vents are used in the same manner throughout this 75-unit building as they are in my unit. I seem to be the only one with this particular problem, although paper clogs in our low flow toilets are common. Burglars are not a possibility. Thanks for the chuckle, though. One new thing happened this morning (at least I never noticed this before): when my washing machine started to empty, my toilet sounded as if it was erupting. However, no suds appeared and no harm done. Does this bring forth any new ideas? Stephanie

speedball1 · May 20, 2007, 10:00 AM

Did the toilet "belch" bubbles?
"Studor vents are used in the same manner throughout this 75-unit building as they are in my unit."
This only reinforces my conviction that the building has serious plumbing design flaws.
In all my years of plumbing high raise condos I have NEVER seen Studor Vents used in place of regular roof vents. If you have a condo board I would ask them to get a sharp plumber in to check the entire installation. Please keep me in the loop on this thread. Regards, Tom

irumba · May 21, 2007, 06:30 AM

Tom -
"Belch bubbles" is certainly a good way to describe it. My condo's management company has promised to have an engineer take a look at the plumbing this week. Will certainly let you know what he has to say. Thanks so much for your interest. Stephanie