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Toilet Gurgling

Why Does My Toilet Bubble When the Bathroom Shower or Sink Run?


You’re probably wondering why your toilet bubbles when the shower runs or your bathtub drains? It is a common problem that many homeowners don’t know how to fix.

If you’re like most people, you don’t want to think about what’s going on in your bathroom behind the scenes. But when your toilet starts bubbling every time you take a shower, drain the bathtub or run the bathroom sink it’s hard to ignore. 

So, why does it happen? Let’s start with the most common reason.

Why Does a Toilet Gurgle? There are Only 3 Reasons 

Reason #1: Clogged Venting System

toilet water bubbles when shower runs

A clogged vent can cause a continuous air cycle that pushes the water out of your toilet. An air vent extends from the main drain or sewer line that brings air into your house for ventilation.

Leaves, dirt, and twigs getting in the venting system can cause clogging. When this happens, it will not allow the air to escape, and it will push more air in until there’s not enough pressure to push it out through the toilet.

The lack of air pressure will cause your toilet to bubble every time the shower runs until you unclog or replace the vent.

Solution: Fixing a Clogged Vent 

We recommend a professional plumber to fix this issue, but if you want to do it yourself, here is what you need to do. 

Typically, your drainage vents will come through the roof of your house so in order to clear them, you will need to rent the proper cable machine and then clear the vent from the top of your house. 

This can be dangerous working on your roof which is why we highly recommend having a professional handle the situation.  

Reason #2: Clogged Sewerline

A clogged sewer drain line causes a similar effect as a clogged vent. If there is a blockage in your mainline, also known as the stack, the wastewater won’t drain properly causing gurgling and bubbling in your toilet when you use your shower, bath, or sink.

This issue occurs because of the waste build-up inside the pipes and tree roots growing into your lines or an improper installation in which the pipes were not sloped enough.

If the drain line is too small, it can cause a blockage which will push water out of your toilet when someone takes a shower.

If your sewer drain line is clogged, you will need to call a professional plumber. Again, you should never attempt any home repairs if you don’t have the skill to do so.

Reason #3: Incorrect Slope on The Drainage System

toilet water bubbles when shower runs

If your mainline is in good shape but you still have water bubbling out of your toilet when the sink or shower drains, the problem may be the way you’ve set up your plumbing is incorrect.

Improper installation or faulty grade lines will result in gurgling toilets. For example, if your sewerline doesn’t have proper grade it will fill up with water and won’t drain properly which can cause bubbles every time someone flushes the toilet.

In order to fix this, you will need a plumber to perform a camera inspection on the sewerline and determine what is causing the issues so they can perform a permanent repair. 

Conclusion: Stop Your Gurgling Toilet For Good!

You can try to fix the problem yourself, but it may result in an expensive plumbing bill. If you don’t have experience in a situation like this, you should probably call in a professional plumber.

A plumbing technician will unclog or replace your vent. And if the toilet or any piping has been improperly installed or graded, it may need to be re-leveled and repiped by them.

If you live in the Lower Mainland of Canada and need a plumber to unclog and clean your drain, contact us for more information. With our expert team at Your Guy Plumbing, we specialize in unclogging drains with advanced equipment for cleaning and resetting your drains.

We will ensure that you will be back to the bubble-free toilet again!

preston

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