Many of us have at least once suffered the fate of flushing the toilet but nothing happens. Don’t panic as it can be fixed relatively quickly by a professional. If your toilet won’t flush, call a local plumber to come out and fix it.
The toilet is one of the most essential fixtures in any home. It plays a crucial role in maintaining hygiene and comfort. However, it can also cause significant inconvenience when it stops working correctly.
One common issue that many homeowners face is the toilet won’t flush properly. This problem can be due to various reasons, from minor issues like a broken handle to more serious ones like a blocked sewer line.
In this blog post, we will delve into the main reasons why your toilet won’t flush and how you can fix them.
Reason 1: Problems with the Flapper
The flapper is a rubber component inside the toilet tank that controls the flow of water from the tank to the bowl when you flush. If your toilet won’t flush, it could be because of an issue with this part.
Over time, the flapper can wear out or become warped, preventing it from sealing correctly. This situation often leads to a continuously running toilet or one that doesn’t flush properly which can lead to wasted water that could have an effect on your water bills if not fixed quickly..
Fortunately, replacing a faulty flapper is relatively straightforward and inexpensive.
Reason 2: Clogged Drain
A clogged drain is another common reason for a toilet not flushing. When too much waste or non-flushable items like baby wipes, feminine products, or excessive amounts of toilet paper are flushed down, they can get stuck in the drain pipe and cause a blockage.
If you suspect that your drain pipe might be clogged, you can try using a plunger to dislodge the blockage. If this doesn’t work, you may need to use a plumber’s snake or call in a professional plumber.
To help prevent this problem, it is strongly advised that you don’t put anything other than toilet paper down your toilet. This will reduce the risk of a blocked drain.
In the event that you have a septic tank do not put things such as paper towels, sanitary tampons, condoms, disposable diapers, anything plastic or similar non-biodegradables into a septic tank system. Also avoid putting washing food scraps, coffee grinds, and other food items down the septic drain.
Reason 3: Broken Lift Chain
The lift chain connects the toilet handle to the flapper. When you push down on the handle to flush your toilet, it pulls up on this chain and lifts the flapper, allowing water to flow from the tank into the bowl.
However, if this chain is broken or disconnected, it won’t lift the flapper when you push the handle, and your toilet won’t flush. You can easily fix this problem by reattaching the chain or replacing it if it’s broken. If you don’t feel confident doing this yourself, call your local plumber.
Reason 4: Insufficient Water in the Tank
For a toilet to flush properly there needs to be enough water in the tank. If there’s not enough water it won’t generate enough force to flush waste down the drain pipe. There are a couple of reasons why this happens:
If you are lucky, you might be able to get the water back into the cistern by twisting the flush valve. This could have been caused by something bumping the valve and stopped the flow of water.
It could also have been the ball valve that might have been incorrectly adjusted which could cause it to drop too low. This tricks the mechanism inside the toilet into acting as if there is more water within the tank than there really was.
All you have to do to resolve this is simply put it back in place to where it was prior to being moved.
Reason 5: Problem With The Toilet Handle
Does the toilet handle go down, but the toilet won’t flush? Luckily, this is one of the simplest issues that you are able to fix yourself. If you don’t see or hear any water moving when pressing down the handle, it just means that your toilet handle has disconnected itself from the flapper.
Within the toilet cistern, the handle is connected to an arm and chain that lifts the flapper. When your toilet is working correctly, pressing on the handle raises the flapper and subsequently dumps water into the toilet bowl.
When minor problems, such as a broken chain link or a loose nut, disconnect the flapper from the handle, it is extremely easy to fix. Just reconnect the chain. If it is broken get a replacement.
If you are looking for a new toilet to get installed at your property, here is a list of manufacturers that make them. There are so many variations nowadays that it might be hard to choose whioch one is right for you. Click here to access the website for more details.
Conclusion: Troubleshooting a Toilet That Won’t Flush
When your toilet won’t flush properly, it can cause significant inconvenience. However, by understanding what might be causing this issue and knowing how to fix these problems, you can get your toilet back up and running in no time.
Remember that while some of these issues are easy to fix yourself (like replacing a broken lift chain or adjusting a faulty flapper), others might require professional help (like clearing a clogged sewer line). So don’t hesitate to call in a plumber if you’re unsure about what’s causing your toilet not to flush or how to fix it.
In conclusion, toilets are essential components of our homes that we often take for granted until they stop working correctly. By maintaining them properly and addressing any issues promptly, we can ensure their longevity and functionality.
We hope that you got some value from our blog post and would love if you could share with friends or family that might be suffering the same issue.
