Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - toilet bowl water level

This is odd! I am a freaking civil engineer - specializing in water - and I can't figure this out! :wall: I assume it has something to do with my limited knowledge in how a toilet acutally worsk, but still...

We have lived in our house for 7 years - we are on a well and the water has some mineral content in it such that there is a ring in the toilet at the normal water leevl that I can not scrub out - with anything. That is beside the point though...

Recently, I have noticed that the water level in the bowl is, and remains, about an inch below the line that was formed over the years. Now my understanding is that the water level in the bowl is controlled by the elevation of the p-trap in the toilet itself. Now if this is the case, how can the water level be lower all of a sudden?

History - there has been no change to these toilets at all within the past 6 months - and then it was maybe only a change of the innards of the tank itself. I have noticed that a bsement toilet will almost drain itself completely during the drain cycle in the washer - but it doesn't have any affect on the main level toilets (where the lower water level is that I described above - any thoughts??

Thanks in advance!

This sounds like you have a venting problem, most likely a clogged vent line. When any fixture is used it sucks air through the vent to faciliate drainage. With the cold weather, birds and other animals find vents a warm place to hang out. They sometimes get stuck and fall in, therefor plugging the vent. Spiders make webs in vents which then freeze due to collected condensation. Leaves fall on top of the frozen spider webs. When a fixture is used and it is unable to recieve air, it pulls a vacuum on the closest trap and sucks the water out until it gets the air it needs. This is dangerous as it allows sewer gas to enter the house.When its is safe to go up on the roof, inspect the vent lines. Take a flashlight to look into the vent line and remove anything you can by hand. Flush anything remaining other than missplaced toys and balls out with a garden hose. If the vent fills with water you will have to use an auger to clear it.

Good luck with your project.

Regarding the mineral ring in the toilet bowl. You can remove this using a "pumice scouring stick" sometimes goes by the name of "pumie". Ace or big box stores will have this. It works like magic and will not harm the porcelain.