I have a toilet that will never flush properly. It would just swirl and swirl and not flush. It never overflows. Second and third tries, it flushes the main stuff but not the paper. It swirls and swirls again. The tank level is correct and I changed everything in the tank. Didn't work. I used a toilet auger and still doesn't help. I'm puzzled.
toilet problems, advice needed!
- Thread starter ILOVETHIS
- Start date
2 things...the drain vent, make sure that's not clogged.
Other, check the holes under the rim and the bottom...probably lime build up. Use CLR or Lime away to try to dissolve. For bad case, get an old metal hangar and as gently try to make sure none of the holes are clogged, especially the bottom one. The bottom one is key cause that pushes the stuff into the drain first and if that's clogged, you will get that swirl and water rising. Eventually, the toilet will overflow if not taken care of.
I'm not a plumber but recently had the same issue.
Other, check the holes under the rim and the bottom...probably lime build up. Use CLR or Lime away to try to dissolve. For bad case, get an old metal hangar and as gently try to make sure none of the holes are clogged, especially the bottom one. The bottom one is key cause that pushes the stuff into the drain first and if that's clogged, you will get that swirl and water rising. Eventually, the toilet will overflow if not taken care of.
I'm not a plumber but recently had the same issue.
Check the flapper in your crapper, the rubber may be old and cracked or may not float properly when it is lifted for flushing. Recently I replace one and and the toilet worked fine after that. They only cost a few bucks.
When you flush, watch the tank. Does it empty quickly? Or does it empty half-way. Or does it empty real slow like?
If its an old toilet, follow tyhe hints above. If its new, what is the make and model ? All of the fixture companies make a cheap builder model thats made in Mexico and they are notorious for coming out of the kilns looking like mutants. If its a new toilet, bring it back and splurge on better one.
sounds like something's plugged it. often a childs toy or toothbrush or something falls in and gets lodged up inside the trap . can be difficult to get it out
If nothing works, then the problem is back to OP himself. He needs fixing.
BTW, a hammer always comes in handy.
BTW, a hammer always comes in handy.
Interestingly all of the above advice is correct.
I had a Kohler toilet that was bought in 97 and worked fine. But strangely by about 5 years later, it was having problems similar to what you described. I tried the CLR route, several times to no avail. Took the toilet off the flange, didn't see anything unusual.
Finally I ordered a new bowl (but kept the original tank) from Kohler.
I noticed that the design of the new bowl was engineered differently than the original bowl despite being the same model.
Solved the problem in spades.
I don't know if there was something wedged in the trap, or lime build up or what. All I know is replacing the bowl solved the problem.
I had a Kohler toilet that was bought in 97 and worked fine. But strangely by about 5 years later, it was having problems similar to what you described. I tried the CLR route, several times to no avail. Took the toilet off the flange, didn't see anything unusual.
Finally I ordered a new bowl (but kept the original tank) from Kohler.
I noticed that the design of the new bowl was engineered differently than the original bowl despite being the same model.
Solved the problem in spades.
I don't know if there was something wedged in the trap, or lime build up or what. All I know is replacing the bowl solved the problem.
I think this is the problem. I looked underneath and its disgusting. I will try and clean it and see what happens
There is another one right at the bottom base as well...get some rubber gloves on and poke around. If you don't feel one, then it's plugged.
It's called the siphone jet...
There is another one right at the bottom base as well...get some rubber gloves on and poke around. If you don't feel one, then it's plugged.
It's called the siphone jet...
Interesting. I think I have a slow-moving one in an ensuite bathroom. What do you mean by the 'bottom one'? The 'Siphone Jet' hole in the above diagram? What do the holes under the rim above do?
They wash the bowl. Otherwise you do it with a brush. If the siphon jet is blocked, only those poor little bowl washers at the front are pushing the poo back towards the siphon that will suck it down, then swooosh it up and over to finally run out to the sewer.
The can in the house I grew up in didn't have a siphon jet and yet it worked just fine. Of course, it probably used about 5 gallons of water per flush. (But hey, we didn't even have a meter back then!!)
