Bath plug gurgles and splutters when toilet flushes?

[SHarrison]

Hi all,

A weird problem's developed in the last 2 weeks in the upstairs bathroom.

When we flush the loo it causes the water in the bath u-bend to gurgle and splutter violently. In the last few days it's become worse and the toilet now fills up to a high level when flushed, before quickly returning to its proper level. Running the sink at full blast also now causes the gurgling in the bath (but to a lesser degree).

I thought there might be a blockage, but both sink and bath drain quickly, but I shoved chemical unblockers down bath and sink and I've plunged the toilet, these things seemed to help but only temporarily.

If it helps I'll describe the configuration of the pipes. This is the view from the garden looking at external pipes at the back of the house coming out from the bathroom:

external
air vent...................toilet waste........bath waste pipe
||
|| ================||--------------|
|| <extension>
||
to ground

So basically the toilet waste comes straight through the bathroom wall out into a wide waste pipe, which runs almost horizontal along the top of an extension and then straight down into the drain on the left. The smaller bath pipe comes out the wall and runs into the end of the bigger main waste pipe. I think the sink merges with the bath pipe at some point.

Any ideas what I can try?

Many thanks
Simon

 

[breezer]

its a partial blockage in the soil pipe, have you or did you have a "hang on toilet bowl freshener"

or if you have kids have they "lost" any toys?

 

[SHarrison]

Hi there,

Thanks for the reply. We've had no hanging air freshener... or kids!

I suspected it might be a partial clog but have also read about 'venting' issues possibly causing gurgling/bubbling up through a sink or bath. No idea if we've got any vents though.

Assuming it's a partial clog in the horizontal soil pipe, is there anything I can do as a plumbing noob, or should I just call a plumber?

cheers,
Simon

 

[grrinc]

Have you an Air admittance valve in the loft or in a some boxing? Although rare, these can fail and cause venting issues. A new one should push on and cost about 25 quid.