Air in our toilet system - Help!

[CBinmore]

Hi.
We have a waste tank soak away system with chemicals to break down the waste. When we flush the toilet we get air bubbling back and the toilet bowl does not re-fill properly, this does not help with flushing the waste!
We had the tanks drained and added more chemical powder but the toilet does still not flush effectively.
Can anyone suggest a fix?
Thanks.
Colin.

[Nereus]

Air bubbling back where? The water tank, or the bowl?
First get a big bucket or such like, of water and pour it into the bowl. What happens?

[handdrummer]

Can one buy enzymes to add to the septic system? I did this in the US and it kept everything working well.

[PeteC]

Yes, there is a whole variety of bottled powdered or liquid bacteria agents that you can flush down that aids in the breakdown of solids in the septic tank.

This current problem...at the end of the day my money is on an air leak in the water feed refilling the toilet tank, and nothing to do with the septic tank. Or, a bad sewer tile allowing the bowl to leak water without being flushed, and subsequently air returning up from the sewer pipe.

Plumber hat off.

[handdrummer]

Yes, there is a whole variety of bottled powdered or liquid bacteria agents that you can flush down that aids in the breakdown of solids in the septic tank.

Where can I purchase them? I've asked at Home Pro and all I get are eyes filled with question marks.

[hhinner]

Ask for effective microorganisms, or EM.

[hhinner]

เชื้อจุลินทรีย์ - cheua julinsee (approx pronunciation) in Thai.

[PeteC]

Here's a photo of one liquid type. Other types are available also. Showing them this photo should help. I'm not in your area but have always bought ours at smaller shops and at Global.

phpabS3phPM.jpg (30.14 KiB) Viewed 456 times

[hin]

My estimate would = nothing to do with the water supply because water line is under pressure so a leak wud let water leak out, not air leak in. Plus even if air is in the supply water it would float out while the water is in the toilet tank. My bet is a partial obstruction in the sewer line, only allowing the sewer line to empty slowly. Then when you flush the toilet the sewer line fills and the air in the line is displaced backward to bubble up thru the toilet bowl. As the waste water drains out of the sewer line slowly it is still draining out after the bowl has refilled with clean water and siphons most of the water out of the bowl. In the real world this air lock would not happen because all drain lines are required to be vented downstream of every ‘P’ trap.

Easy solution = disconnect water supply hose to toilet - lift toilet and run a plumber’s snake long enuf to reach all the way to the septic tank. My method since I do not have a really long snake is to stick the garden hose down the sewer line, seal it by wrapping some rags around it, tight enuf so you do not get a bath, then blast out the sewer with full water pressure. Do not let any rags go astray into the sewer line. When putting the toilet back you will need a seal under it - traditionally a wax ring but many now look like a large sponge rubber doughnut.

You can probably avoid lifting the toilet by just sticking the hose as far as possible into the toilet bpwl drain and wind rags around it to seal = potential solution that is quick and easy.

With a septic tank system, unblocking the sewer line with acid or chemicals is not good as it kills the bacteria in the septic tank

Avoid it happening again by putting nothing into these Thai toilet systems unless you eat it first. If you do that you will not need bacterial additives as everything is pre-digested. We have never used them and our septic tank has never needed to be pumped - never - at any place we have ever lived over a long life time of living with septic tanks

[handdrummer]

Thank you, hhinner & petec.

[CBinmore]

Air bubbling back where? The water tank, or the bowl?
First get a big bucket or such like, of water and pour it into the bowl. What happens?

The water drains away after some time. When we flush the toilet the air still bubbles back though.

Thanks for your support with our difficulty.

Colin.

[CBinmore]

Yes, there is a whole variety of bottled powdered or liquid bacteria agents that you can flush down that aids in the breakdown of solids in the septic tank.

This current problem...at the end of the day my money is on an air leak in the water feed refilling the toilet tank, and nothing to do with the septic tank. Or, a bad sewer tile allowing the bowl to leak water without being flushed, and subsequently air returning up from the sewer pipe.

Plumber hat off.

Peter..

Than you for your comments.

Colin.

[CBinmore]

Here's a photo of one liquid type. Other types are available also. Showing them this photo should help. I'm not in your area but have always bought ours at smaller shops and at Global.

phpabS3phPM.jpg


Peter.

Do we flush this down the toilet or pour it into the septic tank?

Thanks,

Colin.

[CBinmore]

My estimate would = nothing to do with the water supply because water line is under pressure so a leak wud let water leak out, not air leak in. Plus even if air is in the supply water it would float out while the water is in the toilet tank. My bet is a partial obstruction in the sewer line, only allowing the sewer line to empty slowly. Then when you flush the toilet the sewer line fills and the air in the line is displaced backward to bubble up thru the toilet bowl. As the waste water drains out of the sewer line slowly it is still draining out after the bowl has refilled with clean water and siphons most of the water out of the bowl. In the real world this air lock would not happen because all drain lines are required to be vented downstream of every ‘P’ trap.

Easy solution = disconnect water supply hose to toilet - lift toilet and run a plumber’s snake long enuf to reach all the way to the septic tank. My method since I do not have a really long snake is to stick the garden hose down the sewer line, seal it by wrapping some rags around it, tight enuf so you do not get a bath, then blast out the sewer with full water pressure. Do not let any rags go astray into the sewer line. When putting the toilet back you will need a seal under it - traditionally a wax ring but many now look like a large sponge rubber doughnut.

You can probably avoid lifting the toilet by just sticking the hose as far as possible into the toilet bpwl drain and wind rags around it to seal = potential solution that is quick and easy.

With a septic tank system, unblocking the sewer line with acid or chemicals is not good as it kills the bacteria in the septic tank

Avoid it happening again by putting nothing into these Thai toilet systems unless you eat it first. If you do that you will not need bacterial additives as everything is pre-digested. We have never used them and our septic tank has never needed to be pumped - never - at any place we have ever lived over a long life time of living with septic tanks

Hello Hin.

Thank you for your comments, I am not a "I am not a DIY" sort of person but i might just give your suggestion a go to try and fix our toilet.

Colin.

[Nereus]

Is there any trees or big shrubs growing close to where the waste pipe runs under the ground to the tank? It is very possible that the pipe is either damaged, or a root from a tree has broken it and is now growing inside. A major dig up job if that is the case.