Common Causes of a Toilet Not Flushing Properly

While there are many potential issues that can keep your St. Michael home toilet from flushing, the problem is most likely to be in one of three areas. These are the areas that a plumbing technician will check first when looking at your toilet.

Fortunately, these problems can be fixed relatively quickly so that you will be able to have a working toilet again in a short time. Here is a look at the most common causes of flushing problems:

1. Not Enough Water in the Tank

One of the main reasons that your toilet may not flush is that the tank does not have enough water, or it may have none at all. Your St. Michael home toilet has a fill valve that allows water to enter the tank.

If this valve is broken, the result is that your toilet’s tank may not fill or it may fill slowly. A professional plumber will be able to quickly determine if the fill valve is faulty and replace it.

A bent or warped flapper is another problem that can keep your tank from filling. The flapper is the part of your tank that is designed to lift and release water when the handle is pressed.

If your flapper is misshapen, it may not be able to cover the hole over the flush tube adequately. If this is the case, a plumbing technician can replace the flapper and get your toilet flushing again.

2. The Toilet is Clogged

This problem may occur if too much toilet paper is used or if someone has attempted to flush items other than toilet paper. Items like sanitary napkins are often the culprit behind toilet clogs. A toilet plunger is the most common tool used to solve problems like this and no bathroom should be without one.

However, not all clogs can be removed with a plunger. Stubborn clogs may require the use of a tool called an auger. A plumbing technician can use an auger remove difficult clogs and allow your toilet to start flushing again.

3. Your Lift Chain is Too Long

The lift chain is the part of your toilet that lifts the flapper so that that water is released into the flush tube. If your toilet's lift chain has too much slack, the handle may not be able to raise the flapper.

The result is that your toilet will not flush when you press the handle. The solution to this problem lies in shortening the lift chain. This will allow it to raise the flapper and release water into the bowl.

Your St. Michael, MN home toilet issues can be a nuisance to the whole family. Call B & D Plumbing, Heating & A/C at (763) 497-2290 today, and let's get your toilet back to its flushing state!