Has this ever happened to you: Your toilet is on the fritz. You keep tapping the handle, but your porcelain throne refuses to flush, or it tries to flush but just makes some horrible gurgling sound instead. Then, as the cherry on top of an already tough situation, everyone in your household starts pointing fingers and playing the blame game.
To call a toilet that doesn’t flush a challenging situation would be an understatement. A dysfunctioning toilet is both an inconvenience and a source of frustration, especially if you live with others.
There could be a number of reasons why your toilet isn’t flushing (in addition to the obvious). Below, we explore the reasons why your toilet isn’t flushing and provide actionable advice on how to fix it.
Toilets aren’t rocket science, but there’s more to them than most people think.
Just like any other household amenities, such as a water heater or air conditioner, a toilet is a system. It requires several different parts working together to finally send waste to where it will never again see the light of day.
When you flush a toilet, water is sent from the tank into the bowl, creating a siphon effect that removes waste. The key ingredients to a successful flush are the flapper, bowl, trapway, overflow tube, fill valve, float, rim jets, and vent system. (If you’re like 98% of the population, you probably didn’t know that toilets were so complicated). Damage or deterioration to any one of these pieces could prevent your toilet from flushing.
Let’s start with the obvious. One reason why your toilet may not be flushing is because there’s something in the way.
Recurring clogs can indicate a deeper issue.
The flush valve seal—better known as a flapper—is a piece of rubber that seals the tank. When you press the handle, the flapper lifts, filling the bowl. When the tank empties, the flapper falls back into place, creating a seal so the tank can refill.
A warped, cracked, or misaligned flapper won’t seal properly, preventing a proper full flush.
The tank is that big square thing that you usually find on the back of a toilet. It contains the water necessary for flushing.
If the tank can’t fill with enough water, the resulting flush will be weak and may not remove waste. This may be the result of a partially closed supply valve or a float that needs adjusting.
The fill valve controls the flow of water back into the tank post-flush. When the tank empties, the fill valve opens to refill it.
A broken or clogged fill valve can prevent the tank from filling properly and may require replacing.
The overflow tube prevents the tank from overflowing by directing excess water into the bowl. A crack in the overflow tube can create a leak, preventing the tank from filling properly.
Rim jets are the small holes under the rim of the toilet bowl that release water when you flush. This helps rinse the bowl and creates the familiar swirling motion. Hard water can lead to mineral deposits that clog the rim jets, preventing the swirling motion and weakening your flush.
The one thing you don’t have to be an expert to know about a toilet is that pressing the handle makes it flush (in theory, at least). But sometimes, you might be deprived of that satisfying post-flush woosh. In this case, you might be dealing with a broken or disconnected handle or chains.
A blocked or damaged pipe can also prevent flushing. Signs to look out for are slow drainage in multiple fixtures and gurgling sounds. To thoroughly inspect your home’s piping, a plumber may need to use a camera to identify issues like blocks, cracks, corrosion, and leaks.
While some problems, like a simple clog or blocked rim jets, are easily fixable with household tools and a little elbow grease, others require professional help.
If you’re struggling to figure out why your toilet won’t flush or suspect there might be a bigger issue at play, like a broken sewer line, call the pros at Pomona Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning. Our team of trained and certified technicians will have your toilet back up and running in no time!
Walnut, CA 91789 | (714) 582-0173
