Toilet Question?

Question

My toilet won't flush what could be wrong and how can I fix it?

There is a little black chain and it is attached to the handle but nothing else. Where do I attach it?

Answer 1

Is the water not going down? Could be clogging

Does the flush mechanism not work? The chain that lifts the stopper may have broken

Answer 2

That's a tough one. The first thing to do is to push down the float and see if it makes the water flow. If it does all you have to do is change the conncection between the flush lever and the flap that covers the drain in the bottom of the toilet tank so it will open and drain into the toilet when the lever is pushed down. The connection is just a chain and you can buy a replacement at the hardware store and takes five minutes to change and you don't even have to drain the tank. If the float doesn't let water in when you push it down a little, then you have to replace the whole unit. Turn off the water and then reach down and open the drain cover flap so all the water drains out of the tank into the toilet. The hardware store will have a replacement kit with instructions. However, if you do have to replace the whole unit, it's better to have a plumber do it. I did it once myself once and while I did do a good job, it took a lot of time and a lot of swearing. You also need a small plumbers wrench and a hammer to get some of the connections lose, they may be rusted.

Answer 3

Parts of a Toilet
If you're going to make simple toilet repairs, you'll need to know the parts of the toilet.
Here are words you need to know:

Ballcock— Water supply valve
Float ball— The ball that rides on the surface of the water in the tank. When the tank is full, the float ball shuts off the ballcock.
Flush valve— Connection that consists of the flapper and the flush valve seat.
Flush valve seat— Brass or plastic sealant ring located at the bottom of the tank.
Lift arm— Thin metal rod inside the tank that connects to the flush handle and raises the flapper valve.
Main drain— The slanting pipe in the basement or crawl space that carries wastes to a sewer or septic tank; also called building drain.
Main water valve— Located on the wall near the floor, this is a knob you twist to turn the water supply on and off.
Overflow pipe— Long, hollow tube, fastened to the bottom of the tank.
Flapper (also called stopper, tank-ball, seal or disk)— Rubbery plug attached to the lift chain.
Tank— Large, oblong ceramic container that's located behind the toilet bowl.
Trap— Where waste water goes as it leaves the toilet bowl.


How A Toilet Works
To better understand how your toilet works, take the lid off your tank and flush it a few times. Here's what you'll see.

When you push the handle, the chain lifts the flapper valve (also called the stopper or tank ball).
Water in the tank flows through the flush valve opening into the toilet bowl.
The water from the tank forces waste water in the toilet bowl through the trap and into the main drain.
Once the tank is empty, the flapper valve seals the tank and the ballcock refills it
When the tank is full, the float ball shuts off the ballcock.

The Toilet Handles Sticks or Is Loose
Remove the tank cover and clean the mounting nut (located on the inside behind the handle) so the handle will operate smoothly.
If there is a buildup of lime around the mounting nut, clean it with a brush dipped in vinegar.

Check the chain that connects the lift arm to the flapper valve. There should be about half an inch of slack in the chain. You can adjust the slack by hooking the chain in a different hole in the handle or by removing links with needlenose pliers. If the chain is broken, it must be replaced.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------




The Toilet Won't Flush At All
Check the handle, lift arm, chain, flapper valve and the connections between each one of the parts to make sure all are functioning. The handle may be too loose or tight; the lift arm may be bent or broken; the connection between the lift arm and lift chain may be broken or out of adjustment so it doesn't raise the flapper valve far enough.

The Toilet Won't Flush Completely
You may need to remove excess slack in the lift chain.


The Toilet Is Clogged or Overflows
You need a plunger.
Place the cup of the plunger over the drain opening and force the handle up and down rapidly. By doing so, you should produce enough suction to loosen the clog. When you believe you have removed the clog, slowly pour water into the bowl to flush debris.

If a plunger doesn't work, you'll need a closet auger or "snake" designed especially for this task. You'll need to insert the auger into the drain. When you hit the blockage, try to thread the auger through the clog. After snagging the source of the clog, continue to twist the auger as you pull it from the trap.

If the toilet overflows each time you use it, an object (such as a pen or a toy) may be lodged in the passageway that lets water pass. To remove a solid object, use the plumber's auger.

If more than one toilet or drain in your home is backing up, the line is likely blocked downstream from the point where the waste lines come together. Long augers are available for these situations, as are long metal tapes with pointed heads. (Both styles are commonly called "snakes.") These tapes are inserted into the drain line, pushed through the clog and then pulled/pushed back and forth to dislodge the clog. If your main drain line contains no clean-out access, these long snakes may need to be inserted directly through the toilet flange. This requires the temporary removal of the toilet.


The Toilet Won't Stop Running
Here are some things to try if your toilet won't stop running:

Start by jiggling the toilet handle. If the running stops, you need to either adjust the lift chain attachment or the handle.
If that doesn't work, remove the tank cover and check to see if the float ball is touching the side of the tank. If it is, bend the arm to reposition it away from the edge of the tank.
Lift the float rod above the water level. If the water stops running, gently bend the rod down until the float is at rest when the water level is about one half inch below the top of the overflow pipe.
Check to see if your float ball is leaking. If more than half of the float is underwater, it may have a leak. Turn off the shutoff valve below the tank and flush the toilet to empty it. Unscrew the float and shake it. If you hear water inside, replace it.
Sometimes the flapper valve becomes worn or distorted and doesn't seal the tank. This problem is easy to fix. Just empty the tank, remove the flapper, and replace it with a new one.
If the flapper valve seat is pitted or cracked, the whole unit can be replaced. Kits are available for this purpose, but they usually require that the tank be removed from the bowl. For this repair, follow the directions included with the flapper valve/seat replacement kit.
If the toilet still runs, empty the tank again and remove the screws that hold the float rod and its attached linkage to the intake valve. Pull the intake valve plunger up and out of the plunger seat. You may need to pry it gently with a screwdriver to get it started. Replace the washer at the base of the plunger and the washer or packing that fits in a groove on the plunger body. As an alternative, entire ballcock assemblies are available in economical replacement kits. They come completely assembled and need only to be installed in the tank. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Answer 4

You have not given us enough information to answer the question.

You didn't say why it wasn't flushing. If nothing is happening at all, lift the lid off the bottom of the water tank and pull up on the plug in the bottom of the tank that will flush it. It could be just the chain is broken. You will be able to see if it is laying there.

If there is no water coming in, you can add water to the tank with a bucket and it will flush when full. Then buy the replacement kit at home depot a very simple repair.

I assume you would know what to do if it were clogged so I am answering based on the "I can't flush" problem.

I hope this helps. Good Luck!

Answer 5

Assuming the turd answer above is not the problem then the toilet doesn't flush because the reservoir in the back won't empty or it won't fill. If it won't empty then look at the chain connecting the flush arm to the flapper at the bottom of the tank. The flapper raises to let the water out of the tank. If it won't fill then look at the float assembly (big round plastic ball looking thing). It can be stuck in the up position or the inlet valve may be plugged. The float tells the valve to close when the tank is full. The float assembly may be telling the valve to close even though the tank is empty.

Answer 6

We need more info man. If it will not fill up with water, then you need a new fill valve. If it will fill, but will not flush, then you could need a new handle, flapper chain, flapper, or flush valve. My money is on the fill valve, (in most toilets it is the one on the left with the float attatched to it, and replacements can cost as little as $6) or the handle or handle chain as become detatched from the flapper. on the inside of the tank, the little silver handle will have a long bar attatched to it. this will be connected to a chain that will be connected to the flapper. when you push the handle, the chain pulls the flapper up allowing the water to flow through the flush valve (usually the one on the right) into the bowl. if the handle rod or the chain is broken, then you will get no flush.

Answer 7

The chain from the flush handle is supposed to attach to the flapper valve. This round rubber piece allows the water from the tank to flush your toilet. If the chain is off, see if you can reattach it to the flapper, or you may need to buy a new flapper valve (it will have the chain attached to it already).

Answer 8

Look under the top part of the toilet took make sure that the chain is still connected to handle and plunger part. If the chain has disconnected than when push the handle to flush it won't lift the plunger piece.

Answer 9

Could be a simple as a broken chain on your flapper, or it came of the handle extension. Take the top off and see if the chain from the handle to the flapper valve is still attached. Simply reattach it.

Answer 10

The chain goes from the handle to the flapper valve or float trigger.