I flush my toilet, the bowl only empties maybe one out of five flushes. I've had new ABS(?) plumbing put in from the floor collar out to the main line. The toilet used to clog all the time, it doesn't clog anymore, but doesnt' flush right either. I have noticed, from uh, standing in front of it that the water level isn't even, like the toilet might be slightly tilted even though it is solid with the floor. If I flush and pour a bucket of water in the bowl at the same time, it works like a champ. The house is 47 years old, wood flooring above a crawl space. I have no idea how old the toilet is. Suggestions?
2006-09-14 16:47:05 · 14 answers · asked by sparkletina 6 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Plenty of bran in my diet.
I does this with nothing solid in the bowl.
It is the swirl type and the tank fills all the way to the top of the overflow tube.
Water pressure is fine in the rest of the house, my other toilet works fine.
I've been looking at new toilets also. If I get a new one, it willl probably be a Toto GMax, I can get a $75 rebate from our county water company. Just didn't want to 'dump' a lot money without being sure that's the only problem.
2006-09-14 17:09:59 · update #1
See that hole in the bottom of the toilet? That is where your problem lies. Water is supposed to shoot out of that hole to start the siphon. With the hole blocked up the water just swirls around and does not go down with enough force to start the siphon. When you pour the bucket of water in you are starting the siphon and everything goes down the drain.
Take a stubby flat blade screwdriver or other similar tool and carefully clean the hole out without chipping the porcelain. I am sure that this will stop your troubles. For less than 5 minutes of work you will be saving gallons of water and hours of frustration.
2006-09-14 17:06:20 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds to me like you have one of the newer "water saver" commodes. It is supposed to flush with just 1.5 gals of water.
They work pretty good if there is nothing in the commode but when something is in it it sometimes takes 2 or 3 flushes to get it to go down. That is why your bucket of water makes it go down. There just isn't enough water in the tank to flush. You might consider buying a power flush commode that has an air tank in it that will force the water down faster. They are more expensive but should solve your problem. Unless you can find an old used commode somewhere in good shape that has the 3 gallon tank I don't know what else you could do without a lot of new plumbing and fixtures.
PS. You house water pressure has nothing to do with the flushing. It just fills up the tank. Gravity takes over from there unless you have a power flush model.
2006-09-15 00:03:48 · answer #2 · answered by Jerry Dee 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here is what you probably have.. that type of toilet that does not swirl the water around when you flush.. when you flush, it just sucks down without any swirling.. That is the new toilet that I have and I do not like it.. I have to sometimes flush 2-3 times but that is the toilet... I would never get another toilet that DOES NOT SWIRL the water prior to being flushed
2006-09-14 23:56:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take a level and check to see if it is installed flush or angled because that will effect the way it flushes as well your water pressure and flow rate.
I would suggest getting a new toilet, they cost about $100 at Home Depot and you could install it yourself in about 20 minutes. With the new toilet, get a new wax ring...after removing the old toilet and wax ring, please the new ring down, align the new toilet over the bolt holes and press down until it is level...tighten screws and flush.....If your floor is really out of level you might need two rings instead of one
2006-09-14 23:58:51 · answer #4 · answered by Lauren 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't have enough water in the tank. Check to see if the tank is filling completely. If it is a water conserving toilet just adjust the water level till it flushes correctly. The flapper also may need to be changed to a regular one, not water conserving one.Check the length on the chain. If it is too short, it may be closing too quickly.Most of the time especially if the toilet is old the flapper needs to be replaced anyway.
2006-09-14 23:59:38 · answer #5 · answered by 1ladyb 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask the guys at your local Home Depot about power assisted flush systems. It's a unit that sits in your tank and pushes the water at higher pressure. My co-worker lives in an older home, had a similar problem, and cured it with this type of system. The installation was pretty simple.
2006-09-15 00:01:46 · answer #6 · answered by ringtail varmit 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you may have a build up of mineral deposits in the toilet choking it off, your vent pipe could be restricted or your line going to the sewage is restrictied. There should be a pipe outside your house with a cap on it that you can unscrew and unplug the line using a "snake". Is it worse when it's raining, look to the sewage drain.
2006-09-15 00:01:35 · answer #7 · answered by breeze1 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Applianceguy you are the man. Once I read your response it made sense. I cleaned out that lil bugger and wa-la the toilet flushed fine and saved me a hundred bucks. Thanks a bunch.
2006-09-16 15:53:14 · answer #8 · answered by SomeDude 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
either you gpf is not strong enough (gallons per flush) and or your water pressure is not Strong enough! if its not filling up then you probally want to consider a new one! sounds like there is either a leak or your regulator
2006-09-14 23:53:14 · answer #9 · answered by Paul R 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hold the handle down for most of the flush? sometimes i have to do that at my bf's house
2006-09-14 23:54:28 · answer #10 · answered by cb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋