What to Do When Your Toilet Doesn’t Flush Completely

What to Do When Your Toilet Doesn't Flush Completely
  • Author: Mohsin Khan
  • Posted On: April 23, 2022
  • Updated On: July 8, 2023

If your toilet isn’t flushing properly, it is one of the most frustrating plumbing issues. It’s not just inconvenient, but it’s also a health threat. Everyone takes their restrooms for granted, but what can you do if they don’t operate properly? Keep reading the article to find out ways you can fix a toilet.

The Main Four Reasons The Toilet won’t Flush are Listed Below

What to Do When Your Toilet Doesn’t Flush Completely

There are many reasons why the toilet isn’t flushing properly. This section has mentioned the various reasons why your toilet isn’t flushing properly.

Problem: Using too much toilet paper or putting anything other than toilet paper down the toilet might block the pipe and prevent further flush toilets. Clogs like this are typically affected by sanitary napkins.

Solution: Use a toilet plunger to push waste and allow the toilet to flush, or produce suction with the plunger to help release paper waste that prevents the flushing mechanism and allows it to go down the pipe. If you’re having trouble with clogs, try using thinner toilet paper, especially if you or other household members use a lot of it in one sitting.

The Tank’s Water Level Is Too Low

Problem: Toilets usually lack flushing power; why the water level in a toilet tank should be about an inch below the overflow tube’s top. Check the water valve if the tank’s water level is too low; it may have been mistakenly turned off.

Solution: If the water valve was turned off, turn it on and check the water level in the tank to make sure it’s filled to the proper level, then flush the toilet to make sure it’s working correctly again.

The Flapper Is Warped or Bent

Problem: Remove the toilet tank cover and inspect the rubber flapper for the problem. When the toilet is flushed, the rubber flapper is designed to release water and then close the water intake hole so that the right amount of water stays in the tank.

If your toilet doesn’t flush right, you’ll need to replace your toilet’s rubber flapper if it appears to have deteriorated or is too warped, curved, or deformed to close the flush tube hole.

Solution: Flappers are a low-cost item that may be purchased at any hardware or home improvement store. Turn off the water, drain the tank before replacing the old flapper with a new one, and flush the toilet again to make sure the problem has been rectified.

The Lift Chain Isn’t Working

Problem: The lift chain that connects the flapper to the flushing handle on the outside of the toilet can get too slack, preventing the handle from raising the flapper and flushing the toilet. Maybe this is why your toilet is clogged.

Solution: To address this problem, shorten the chain to give enough pull to lift the flapper off the flush tube and permit water to flow as the handle is pulled.

Other Ways You can Treat a Clogged Toilet

Is your toilet not flushing fully? Well, we might have the solution for this.

Examine the Flapper

If your toilet isn’t flushing properly, maybe the toilet tank has flappers at the bottom. When closed, they should be tightly sealed. It can alter how your toilet flushes if they don’t entirely seal. Remove the tank lid and inspect the flapper to ensure it is correctly filling.

Listen for a bathroom that frequently runs as one way to check. This indicates that water is draining from the tank even when the flapper is closed. If you discover a problem, you’ll need to purchase a new flapper from a local hardware store and replace it according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Examine the Inlet Holes

If your toilet doesn’t flush, maybe the water flows from the tank through little input holes around the lower side of the toilet bowl’s rim when you flush the toilet.

If these become clogged, the water will slowly fall into the toilet bowl, resulting in a slow flush that does not make completely clear the bowl. If you want to know if your inlet holes are clogged, look for the following signs:

  • When you flush your tank, it empties slowly.
  • Water runs straight down from the rim rather than flowing diagonally into the bowl.
  • When you flush, you can see spots in the bowl where no water moves.

Any of these symptoms could indicate clogged jets. Clean mineral buildup from the sprays using a scrubber, brush, or toothpick to get the water flowing again.

Examine the Overflow Tube

The tube in the centre of your toilet’s tank is an overflow tube. If the tank overflows, it’s supposed to discharge the surplus water into the toilet bowl.

The overflow tube might split with time, causing the tank to regularly drain water into the bowl. This lowers the amount of water in the tank, which may be why your toilet that doesn’t flush. Replace the overflow tube if it develops cracks.

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Author: Mohsin Khan

Mohsin has worked as one of the experienced editors with ConstructionHow since 2020 with a total span of 5 years of experience in business PR, boasting a remarkable professional trajectory, he has collaborated with entrepreneurs and startups, and certain publications over the last few years. His unwavering interest lies in the construction industry and related materials. He believes in creating functional and aesthetically pleasing buildings, and homes that fall under the right budget. With a wide range of experience in construction, he also tapped into DIY and home improvement projects based on his extensive set of knowledge in the industry.

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