5 Effective Slow Flushing Toilet Fix Tips for Your Home

 

Slow Flushing Toilet Fix Guidelines You Need to Know

Isn’t it so annoying to have a weak, swirling toilet that really takes forever before everything goes down the drain? That is, if everything will even go down? More often than not, toilets that flush slow don’t really get rid of all the waste. This is really why you need to know these slow flushing toilet fix tips.

Picture this… The moment you press that lever attached to the tank and then the water in your toilet starts to slowly swirl (which is all it does) without really flushing everything down. Instead, it sometimes backs the water up as if it’s going to overflow before the water slowly goes down again, leaving fragments and residue of waste floating. Disgusting, isn’t it?!

Can you actually live with that? If so, then this blog post is not for you. You may not really care about what’s happening in your toilet drain or maybe you’ll just take action when it starts to overflow on your Poker game with friends on a Saturday night.

Toilet swirls but not flushing ? This can be caused by a lot of reasons. Although some problems can be fixed without even contacting a professional plumber,  some cases could be really intricate.

You may try a DIY remedy for easier tasks but it won’t always guarantee success. For more complicated toilet problems, we strongly suggest that you seek help from our professional technicians.

In This Article We Will Be Covering:

• Top 6 reasons for a slow flushing toilet
• How to properly care for your toilet
• Signs if your toilet needs repair or replacement
• Significant fix tips in slow flushing toilets

6 Reasons You Need to Know Why Your Toilet Drains Slowly

• Low water level – This is in fact the most common cause of why toilets drain very slowly. If for some reason, the water inside the tank is below the level that is recommended, then there will be not enough water to flush all the waste which will only result to swirling or slow flushing. Your toilet tank needs enough water to attain its flushing power to be able to flush everything down the waste line. Check your toilet float. It can be because the arm is overly bent downwards so the tendency is even if the water level isn’t enough yet, it will automatically click the fill valve off when the float rises just a little.
• Mineral build-up under the toilet rim – The jet holes under your toilet rim can also be clogged with residues or sediments that accumulate over time because of repeated flushing. This causes weak water pressure that comes out of the holes.As time goes by, more and more mineral deposits will accumulate under your toilet rim if this issue will not be resolved. So, chances are, water pressure will worsen and become weaker, thus leading to slow flush. 

• Clogged drains – Clogged drains can be the cause of your toilet not flushing completely. You might want to consider that you have some blockage through your drain or waste lines especially if you have kids. This can be a serious problem if not addressed promptly. 

Items such as toys, wipes, sanitary napkins, floss, and other materials that are small enough to fit in and can clog your toilet drains. If not resolved immediately, the item that is causing the blockage can go only deeper down the waste line and it will only make matters worse.

• Damaged toilet bowl – The system inside a toilet bowl operates through pressure. The colon has to be really airtight for it to be able to pump water out of the drain pipe. If the interior colon is somehow damaged or cracked, then there won’t be enough pressure and will only lead to weak flushing. 

This needs immediate action since the interior colon of the flushing system is a little too intricate and must be fixed only by the pros. This probably is not really advisable for people who like doing DIY tasks because it might only cause you bigger problems if you make a mistake.

• Weak flushing system – The flushing system in your toilet tank wears down over time. Possible moss build-up may happen due to sediments and mineral deposits that come from hard water. This can be the main cause of faulty flushing system since it will reduce the diameter of the pipes which can reduce water flow through the pathways. 
• Old/defective flapper – The flapper valve is one of the significant part of the flushing system in your toilet tank. It is supposed to open up when toilet is flushed to completely drain out the water and close down when water is emptied in the tank.

However, if the flapper valve does not open completely, this will result into slow flushing.  It may be because of the chain or rubber string that is attached on the plunger connecting the flapper.

This can be loose because of wear and tear or maybe it is too long that it does not pull the flapper enough to make an adequate opening for the water to completely drain. Thus, you’ll have a toilet that flushes slowly and incompletely.

4 Significant Tips to Proper Toilet Maintenance and Care 

• Refrain from disposing garbage – Strictly avoid throwing away garbage in your toilet such as wipes, sanitary napkins, toilet paper, dental floss etc. You may think that when you flush these items away, it also goes down the septic tank… Well, think again.

Some of these items can block the waste pipelines since the pipe circumference decreases overtime due to scum build up around it. Chances are, materials thrown into the toilet get caught up into the pipelines when flushed down. This will result into clogged drains which will eventually lead to water back up or an overflowing toilet. 

• Immediately fix minor problems – You must not take things lightly and neglect simple problems that may occur. Every minor issue in your toilet requires immediate attention to avoid escalation. This will also save you from spending too much and will save you from stress.

For example, if you have water running in the toilet bowl, immediately check the flapper if it is totally sealed when closed. You can use some dye or food coloring. Put a few drops in the toilet tank. Wait for a few minutes and if you see the color coming out of water in your bowl, it means the flapper is already defective and it needs replacing. 

• Avoid using harmful chemicals – When cleaning your toilet bowl and tank., avoid using harmful chemicals that may cause corrosion. This might result into interfering with the water pressure when flushing or when filling the tank. 

You can use light toilet cleaning chemicals or better yet use the most natural way, baking soda and vinegar. Sprinkle one cup of baking soda into the toilet and then pour one cup of household vinegar into the bowl. Let it stay for 30 minutes and then scrub with a toilet brush. 

• Conduct regular inspections – It will definitely make things easier for you if you make a regular inspection of your toilet. Checking and repairing minor things such as small leaks or blockages will ensure that your toilet will always function well. Whether you DIY the maintenance or you hire one of our Boston plumbing technicians to do the inspection, the objective is for you to avoid spending more in the long run.

7 Important Signs To Watch Out For If You Need to Repair Your Toilet

Perhaps the most important plumbing fixture or equipment in home is your toilet. It’s one thing we CANNOT live without.  

Toilets have made our modern life so much easier. Imagine if we didn’t have any toilets in this new age, will we ever realize the importance of it?  We would never experience the convenience it gives us now.

Fortunately, most of us were exposed into the culture of having and using toilets to dispose of our wastes properly but what if your toilet malfunctions? What if you have a slow draining toilet? How will you know?  Here are the tell-tale signs:

• Clogs more often – If you know how to take good care of your toilet, you’ll only experience occasional blockage or you may never experience any blockage at all. On the other hand, if you find that your toilet clogs more than once a week, then you must have a more serious problem.

You must have a defective flushing system or there might be a blockage somewhere in your waste pipeline. The parts in the flushing system will eventually be worn out overtime but either way, you still need to address these problems.

Either you hire a professional plumbing contractor to repair the damage in your flushing system or have him dislodge the blockage.

• Your toilet has a weak flush – If your toilet only swirls when you flush and the water does not even go down, then there must be something wrong with the flushing mechanism. You need a valve replacement and you need to get the right fit.

If you know DIY toilet repairs and you have experienced this kind of issue before and were able to resolve it, then it’s okay for you to do the replacing of the valve. Otherwise, let our techs do the work for you.

• Tank does not refill with water – After flushing, if the tank or toilet does not refill with water, most probably the fill valve is defective already and you might need to replace it. In this case, you must be sure to get the correct size to be able to install the valve correctly.

Also, you might want to consider checking the flapper if it closes properly after flushing the toilet. If you hear water running after flushing and it won’t stop, most probably the flapper isn’t sealed so there is water going down the drain. We suggest that you replace the flapper to ensure that every after flush it will shut close and it won’t allow any water to find its way down the drain.

• Standing water around toilet base – Standing water indicates that you have a toilet leak. It could probably be around the seal. This needs to have a seal replacement in order to stop the leak.

Call us to fix the problem. This is to ensure that re-sealing it will be done correctly because if there are parts that will be left unsealed, then the problem might get worse and you wouldn’t want to be spending more for a job that was supposed to be done only once.

• Water leaking out of toilet cracks – Water leaks don’t always come from the seal around the toilet base. Sometimes it can come from the cracks of the porcelain around the tank or the bowl.

Clean your toilet bowl or toilet tank outside and check if there are any stains or deposit build up around the porcelain or if you see any parts in the surface that is moist. If so, your toilet of tank definitely has cracks and water is leaking out.

Depending on the severity of the leak, if there are chunks porcelain that were detached, then we would recommend that you replace your toilet with a brand new one.

• Toilet runs constantly – In most cases, the problem comes from the flapper when it is not sealed properly after flushing. Just replace the flapper with a new one then usually it will solve the problem.

However, the problem may also come from the float. If the float does not stop the water from filling, meaning if it fails to shut off the fill valve the waterwill overflow and will continue running.

The solution may be just adjusting the rod that connects the float to the fill valve and slightly bend it downwards so that it shuts off the valve when water rises enough. If the problem still continues, then maybe you should call our Boston MA plumbers to address the issue.

• Corrosion on metal parts – If your toilet is showing signs of rust and corrosion it’s metal parts then it means that your toilet has worn out. Wear and tear may only show on certain parts so, all you need to do is only to replace those old components with new ones.

However, if you see widespread rust and corrosion then we recommend that you replace your entire toilet to save you from escalated problems in the future. 

5 Effective Slow Flushing Toilet Fix Tips

Toilets have absolutely significant roles in every household. This may be the one thing you may never live without. Toilets are the main lavatory equipment that properly disposes off wastes. On the other hand, this can also be the source of every house owner’s head ache.

When your toilet becomes defective overtime due to wear and tear and you tend to delay inspections and repairs… Chances are, you’ll have bigger and more complicated problems with your toilet.

You may have recurring problems and this will potentially drill a hole in your pocket. So, we strongly urge you to have a regular inspection and never ignore first signs of toilet problems. Bear in mind that there are toilet issues that are intricate and only professional plumbers can solve.

However, we have list down below some important DIY solutions to help you address your toilet’s issues immediately to avoid bigger problems in the future and more importantly to avoid spending more. So, read on and enjoy!

• Sufficient water in tank – The problem may be because you simply need to adjust the float higher than usual in the toilet tank so the level of the water will increase as well. You may need to bend the rod attached to the float upwards just a little bit, allowing the water to go higher than the usual.

However, be extra careful when adjusting the float rod or bending it as this is attached to the fill valve. The fill valve is where the water comes out to fill the toilet tank. Chances are, you might have a bigger problem if you damage the fill valve because the water will continuously flow and won’t shut off.

• Working flapper – The flapper is the one responsible for draining your toilet tank. It needs to have enough opening space once you flush the toilet in order to drain the water.

If there is not enough space or if the flapper does not really open enough the water that will drain into the toilet bowl will be inadequate. You need to simply check the chain or rubber that is connecting the flapper and the toilet plunger. You need to make sure that it has the right length to provide enough opening space for the water to drain when the flapper lifts.

• Trap must be clear – A toilet can be clogged when there is an obstruction through the trap or the vent pipeline which are easy to check.

Ensure that your trap clear of any obstructions. Overtime, if you or you allow people in your household to dispose of materials that are non-biodegradable or items such as toys, wipes, sanitary napkins, floss, and other materials – That can definitely block your drains.

The first thing that you should do is fill a pail one to two gallons of water, then pour everything into the toilet. If your toilet only swirls but does not flush then the blockage is still there. Try using a plunger to suck up the blockage or probably use a snake if it still does not work — That is how to unclog a toilet fast!

• No obstruction in vent pipe – This is the one that protrudes from the roof of your house by about 30 cm or a foot. This measures about five to eight centimeters or two to three inches in diameter. This is located on top of where your toilet is placed.

Just run a plumber’s snake through the pipe and you can also pour water in it with an extended nozzle or you can also use water pressure in order to flush out the blockage.

• No blockage around rim – You may locate calcium or other mineral build up under the toilet’s rim after sometime which may be the cause of slow flushing since water from the tank is obstructed by the blockage even if it has enough pressure.

If this is the case, you can use a toilet cleaner that can help dissolve mineral build up. Just follow these simple steps.

1. Turn of the supply of water
2. Drain your toilet tank
3. Open and hold the flapper
4. Pour ¼ liter of your toilet into the flush valve
5. Let is stay for 60 minutes
6. Quickly seal the flapper
7. Turn on water supply
8. Flush your toilet 2-3 times to wash down cleaner
9. You can do it again when needed

Choose a Reliable Plumbing Company in Boston That Can Fix Your Slow Flushing Toilet

So, just remember these helpful tips and chances are you’ll never go wrong. Bear in mind that the faster you act, the lesser chance of you to have bigger toilet problems and it will not only save you from spending too much but it will absolutely save you from a lot of stress. Proper maintenance is the key to having a good plumbing system in your household.

For more intricate low toilet flush problems, we recommend that you leave it to the experts. Trust only a reliable plumbing company that’s been serving people for years now.

We are Plumbers 911 and our plumbers have over 10,000 hours of training and they are all licensed. Backed by years of experience, with high-end tools and top of the line equipment, all our plumbing experts are bonded and insured.

Remember, for toilet leaks, slow flushing toilets or any plumbing issues that you think is impossible to be solved, call Plumbers 911 Boston now and schedule a thorough plumbing check-up. It is definitely cheaper than getting hit with a huge repair bill. 

We’ll flush all your plumbing worries down the drain!

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