Toilet Won’t Flush? Here’s Why
It’s simple; you need to be able to rely on your bathroom plumbing working well when you need it. When there is a problem, it can be extremely inconvenient and stressful. This is especially true when your toilet won’t flush.
In this blog, we are going to discuss a few things that you can do to fix your toilet. If you aren’t able to fix it, don’t get discouraged. More often than not, you will need professional plumbing help to get your toilet running again. But why is your toilet not flushing in the first place? Below we begin by listing a few of the reasons that explain why your toilet isn’t flushing:
- Faulty Flapper: When you lift the lid off of your toilet tank, you will see a flapper at the bottom. Whenever you flush your toilet, your toilet flapper opens, this way allowing the water in the toilet tank to flow into the bowl and flush all waste out through the main drain. However, because this important piece is made of rubber, it will eventually crack or warp, making it unable to do its job.
- The Tank Needs More Water: Another reason why your toilet isn’t flushing could be because your toilet tank does not have enough water. Your toilet tank should be filled with water just beneath the very tip of the overflow tube. You can open your water tank to check whether this is what is causing the problem. If there is less water than necessary, it could be leaving you with a toilet that is not able to flush.
- There Is A Crack In Your Overflow Tube: Another reason why your toilet isn’t flushing could be because of a crack in your overflow tube. A crack will cause water to flow into it, rather than being flushed. By replacing a cracked overflow tube, you will be able to get your toilet back up and running in no time.
How To Fix Toilet That Won’t Flush
This vital plumbing fixture serves an essential role in each household. The good news is that there are a number of easy steps that even the most novice DIY handyman (or woman) can do to alleviate this problem.
Here is how you should proceed.
1. Replace Your Toilet Flapper
Your toilet flapper is supposed to lift when the toilet is flushed to flush the water out, and then close the intake tube to stop the water flow to maintain the correct water balance in the bowl.
This is an easy job. You head over to your local hardware store and get a new flapper. Drain the water from the tank and replace the broken flapper with a new one. Congratulations on fixing your bathroom plumbing!
2. Pour Water From a Bucket
Did you know that you can flush your toilet without even touching the handle? You can fill a bucket with water and pour it down the toilet.
Because of the shape of the bowl and the pressure of the water, you’ll be able to flush the contents of the bowl away naturally with gravity.
Even if your toilet isn’t broken, this is a great trick to save money. Flushing the toilet uses a lot of water. If you do this instead, by reserving water in a bucket when you are waiting for the shower to heat up, for instance, you can reuse water and reduce your water bill.
3. Call A Professional Plumber
If your toilet won’t flush because it is clogged, then you might need to call in professional plumbing help. Sometimes you can remove a clog using a plunger or if you have a plumbing snake handy.
There are times where it makes more sense to rely on the pros (if the clog is re-occurring or particularly stubborn). Here is an extra DIY challenge for you.
Do you know how to see if you have a leak in your toilet? Put a dye tablet in the toilet tank. If the color seeps through to the bowl, you have a leak.
