Hearing gurgling sounds or bubbles inside the toilet indicates that the plumbing system is not working correctly. This can happen when the washer and toilet drains are connected and blocked.
How to Fix Toilet Bubbles When Washer Drains? You can fix toilet bubbles when the washer drains by unclogging the toilet drains and sewer lines, cleaning the vent pipes, flushing the toilet repeatedly, installing the P trap drain, fixing the washer hosepipe, and cleaning the washer drains. The bubbles and gurgling sound occurs because of the negative and abrupt change in air pressure inside the connected drain pipes.
Toilet bubbles when washing the clothes or when the washer drains is a common problem in many households, especially in older homes where the plumbing connections are connected.
Why does the toilet bubble when the washer drains?
There are many reasons for the toilet to bubble when the washer drains and one of the main problems is the air pressure disturbance inside the vent stack.
The gurgles or bubbles occur when the washer and the plumbing fixture share the same vent stack or vent pipe, which causes the air pressure to disrupt, and it tries to balance it by finding a way out, which can be a toilet.
The washing machine drains all wastewater used for heavy laundry, which causes an abrupt change in air pressure, and bubbles start forming inside the plumbing fixture.
This air ends up in the P trap of the toilet and can cause the water inside the bowl to start creating a gurgling sound. In addition, the poor ventilation in the waste pipes of the washer also causes it to draw air from the nearby plumbing fixture.
It can cause the sewer gases to release inside the bathroom, which can be unhygienic and cause a stingy smell in this place. A bubbling or gurgling sound is a sign that the plumbing system has failed, and you need to check or call a plumber before it leads to severe problems.
How can you fix toilet bubbles when the washer drains?
You can fix the toilet bubbles using the following techniques. This mainly happens when the washer drains and when the drains are blocked.
Unclog the toilet drains
The drain pipes can get clogged for different reasons, such as toilet paper, mineral deposits, and other foreign particles that cause the toilet pipes to clog.
This can also block the air paths inside the pipes when they try to get out from somewhere inside the drains. The blocked air causes bubbles inside the plumbing fixture, and you hear the gurgling sounds.
You can fix it by removing the clogs inside the drain pipes using a plunger to unclog the plumbing pipes.
You can also use a plumber snake for this purpose, which is a long cable used to grab the clogged particles and products inside the pipes and allow the wastewater and air to flow.
Clean the vent pipe
Vent pipes are installed in the plumbing system, which allows the sewer gases and air to flow and avoid interruption.
The vent pipe usually does not have a cover or lid, which causes dust, debris, and foreign particles to enter, and clog it. This causes negative air pressure, and the air does not move outside the pipe for ventilation.
The bubbles form inside the toilet if the vent pipe is clogged, and you can clean it properly to avoid the gurgling and bubbling inside the plumbing fixture.
You can use a long-handle brush or garden hose to clean the vent pipes and remove the dirt and debris blocking the way for the air. However, hire a professional to clean the roof vent pipes because climbing the roof and cleaning it using different tools can be risky.
The underground pipes can burst if the air inside the plumbing pipes does not find a way to move and go out. The bathroom inside every house has a vent pipe leading outside the house on the top of the roof.
Unclog the sewer lines
Sewer lines consist of all the plumbing pipes that take the waste into the sewage, the water treatment units, or the combined sewage unit in the city. The sewer pipes can get clogged over time due to the accumulation of debris, dust, and undissolved product people flush.
They maintain the air pressure and allow proper ventilation underground without leaking the toxic gases inside the bathroom. In addition, the toilet can create bubbles when the washer drains because of the clogged sewer lines.
You can unclog the sewer line by pouring vinegar and baking soda and letting the solution stay 15-20 minutes.
Pour hot water down the drains to clean it properly. Vinegar and baking soda can clean the sewer lines completely because of the fizzy reaction of the two products.
Flush the toilet repeatedly
It is better to flush it repeatedly after a few minutes if the toilet paper and other foreign particles are blocking the way for the air pressure to disrupt.
The water comes with pressure and allows the waste to go down the sewage, which offers more ventilation in clean drain pipes.
This is an easy method to solve the bubbling problem in the plumbing system if the issue or clogging is not severe, as the water pressure can maintain the air balance.
Install a P-trap drain
Professionals recommend installing a 2-inch P trap drain under the washer to prevent bubbling in the plumbing fixture.
The P trap will block the sewer gases or the air pressure from backflow into the toilet and prevent gargling and bubbling.
However, some people do not want to go with this option, as it needs proper plumbing under the washer and is an exhausting process because P traps need to be attached before setting the washer to a sewage line.
Therefore, you can call a plumber to deal with the problem if unclogging the plumbing pipes does not help to remove the issue and install the P trap.
Fix the washer hosepipe
The bubbles can occur if the washer is not installed accurately, such as if the hosepipe is not fixed in the drain pipe.
The hosepipe drains the waste from the washer quickly, which causes the air pressure to disturb if the machine is installed in the wrong location or the hosepipe is too tall or small.
Install the hosepipe near the washer and secure all the connections by checking the water flow. The hosepipe can wear out and get holes or cracks; therefore, check it thoroughly and replace the damaged parts.
Clean the washer drains
The washer uses different laundry detergents to clean the clothes, and these detergents contain many chemicals.
These chemicals mix with water, causing the mineral deposits and mold to grow inside the washer rains, which creates bubbles in the connected vent pipe.
It is better to use mild chemical detergents to prevent damage and clogging to the plumbing pipes. In addition, you can use drain cleaners to remove the debris and clogging particles from the washer drains and avoid the bubbling sound inside the plumbing pipes.
Why are the washer and toilet drains connected?
Most of the old home’s plumbing configuration has a toilet, and the washer drains connected or a single vent stack. Therefore, it is possible only if the washer drains in the existing toilet drain through a common vent called a wet vent.
The diameter of the toilet drain pipe is approximately 3 inches, which is larger than the drain pipe for the washer. Therefore, it can handle the large wastewater flow from the washer.
Moreover, the washer and the toilet drains are connected if you do not have a septic system in your house, and they drain the washer waste into the toilet plumbing line.
However, professionals recommend never connecting the toilet to an existing washer drain because the washing machine drain has a smaller diameter, and the toilet plumbing system cannot fit well, which causes clogging and flooding in the bathroom.
Related Articles:
