What is wrong with my toilet?

Question

The water in the tank is full and it fills up the tank but when you flush it, it seems like there is not enough suction to pull down the toilet paper. the water does go down in the bowl, but very slowly, not enought to pull anything down, but the bowl does fill back up, it has been plunged many times. the pipes sound hollow when you plunge it.

Answer 1

If you have a septic system, it might be time to call the "honey dippers"

Sometimes, when the toilet flushes slow it isn't plugged, it is just that for one reason or another, the water is taking too long to get out of the tank and into the bowl ,so you don't get a good powerful flushing action. Sometimes I've seen this happen if the flapper or ball c*ck doesn't lift far enough. Or if the little holes around the rim are plugged with minerals.

Here's an experiment, take a ~ 2-3 gal bucket and fill with water; pour it rapidly onto the bowl so the whole bucket goes in in a few seconds. Pour so the heavy stream of water goes right into the hole at the bottom of the toilet. If this goes down like a normal (good) flush the pipe is probably OK and you need to see why the water is taking longer than it should to get out of the tank.

Answer 2

Toilets generally don't use suction to empty the bowl - they rely on water flowing down into the bowl from the cistern quickly, by gravity.

If the water is flowing out of the cistern slowly the problem lies there. In the flushing mechanism there is a one-way valve - flap of plastic that is designed to push the initial volume of water over the top of a pipe to start the syphoning process, when you pull the handle. Then the whole contents of the cistern flows down into the bowl.

If it is flowing slowly there is likely to be an obstruction in the cistern mechanism - the flap of plastic sometimes breaks and needs replacing - not hard to do.

Answer 3

If it used to work fine, then slowed down, I would hazard a guess that there's an obstruction in the toilet. There is a tool called a toilet auger (or closet auger). It's a snake made especially for toilets. Not expensive, not too hard to use.

Here's what it looks like:

http://z.about.com/d/homerepair/1/0/l/-/-/-/auger.jpg

If you aren't comfortable with the concept, call a plumber over to do it.

A side note: Some of the toilets manufactured in the early 90's were the first government-mandated 6-liter flush toilets. They were terrible, and there isn't much to do about it other than replace it. The later ones are much better. The date it was manufactured is usually stamped inside the tank.

Answer 4

depending on the age of the toilet. sounds like you have a clog or the mineral deposits in your toilet aren't letting enough water in the bowl at once to flush the load. Quick test: grab a 5 gal bucket fill half or little more and pour in bowl all at once. if it goes down its the age of toilet. all you can do is replace it. If it overflows You have a clog. Try a Closet (toilet) auger.

Answer 5

If the toilet just started doing this you have an obstuction in the waste line or a clogged vent.

You should have a vent to the outside that allows air in and out of your system. This pipe can get clogged by leaves, ice or once in a while a bird will fall in.

You need a snake to clear it whether it's a vent blockage or a waste pipe blockage.

Answer 6

Do you live in the country? Does your septic tank need emptied?

Answer 7

check the vent all toilets have one and the can get clogged

Answer 8

A lot of work to do.. Eh? but it's good for the arm's muscles