How to Fix a Toilet That Won’t Flush

All it takes is one toilet that won’t flush for you to truly understand how much you need functional bathroom plumbing. If you’re not diligent about plumbing maintenance or are just unlucky, you could experience trouble with your toilets. Find out how to fix a toilet that won’t flush and call us for a quick solution. 

Know the Reasons Why Your Toilet Won’t Flush

There are several likely reasons your toilet isn’t flushing. To understand how to fix your toilet, you need to know why it’s not working in the first place. Here are a few common reasons for toilets not to flush:

Clog in the Toilet

This may be the most obvious reason for a broken toilet. If you have a clog in your toilet, the water and sewage have nowhere to go. No matter how hard you try to flush your toilet, the bowl will remain full. To test for this issue, pour one gallon of cold water into your bowl and try to flush the toilet. If nothing happens, you probably have a clog.

Wipes, toys, and hygiene products often form clogs in sewer lines. Unfortunately, this type of blockage isn’t always easy to remove. If you have a clog deep in your sewer line, a plunger won’t do the job. That said, you can always try to use a plunger. Make sure it’s a flange plunger because it has a good seal for your toilet bowl. 

It may also help to turn off the water to the toilet and flush it. Then, add hot water to the bowl and let it sit for a few minutes. Flush the toilet and see if the water dislodged your clog. If this doesn’t work, you can try a drain snake. However, you need to be cautious and avoid damaging your pipes. In older homes, the pipes may be sensitive and prone to breaking.

Toilet Handle Chain Issues

If you’re lucky, your problem is as simple as a broken toilet handle chain. The chain connects the handle and the flapper, which is an essential configuration for your toilet to flush. If the chain becomes disconnected from the handle or flapper, you won’t be able to flush the toilet.

Another possibility involves the length of the chain. If your chain is too long or short, the handle and flapper won’t work. A long chain doesn’t lift up the flapper to allow your bowl to empty. Meanwhile, a short chain makes for a poor seal with the flapper. Your toilet will run incessantly. 

To check for this, lift the lid of your toilet tank and check the chain. Is it connected to both the handle and the flapper? If not, reconnect it using the clips. In the event that they are clipped together, pull the handle and watch the chain. Does it seem to be the right size? If it’s not, you can replace the chain yourself. It’s not a task you need a plumbing repair service for.

Broken Flapper

Similarly, you could have an issue with your flapper. This valve is what opens to allow water through your toilet bowl. If your flapper has damage, it may not open or close properly, and you won’t be able to flush.

It’s worth mentioning that your flapper won’t last forever. Typically, flappers can experience damage with frequent use. The moving water may bend or warp the flapper. You should check for damage by looking closely at the flapper. If you see damage, you can be sure that’s the problem. 

Flappers are affordable parts and easy to replace. Although most plumbing repairs are best left for the pros, this is one you may be able to do on your own. Most hardware stores sell flappers that come with detailed instructions. It’s as easy as turning off the water, draining the tank, and replacing the flapper. Once you attach the chain to the flapper, your toilet should work.

Overflow Tube Trouble

The overflow tube is a tube that fits best the refill tube. Even you flush, the overflow tube empties water straight into your bowl. If s tube has damage, your flushing mechanism won’t be able to empty water from the tank to the bowl.

A crack in your overflow tube could be the reason your toilet isn’t flushing. For a quick fix, you may be able to replace the overflow tube. However, this job is a little more difficult than replacing the flapper. You might want to work with a professional. 

Tank Doesn’t Fill

If your toilet tank doesn’t fill up, your toilet won’t flush. The water needs to move from the tank to the bowl. Without this release of water, there’s not enough suction for the toilet bowl to empty out. 

No water in the tank means nothing happens when you flush. If you have only a little water, you could have a weak flush. Either situation is a problem that you need to address.

You may be able to problem solve by opening your toilet tank and looking at the float and fill line. Flush the toilet and see what happens with the water. Does the tube stop adding water long before the float reaches the fill line? If this is the case, your toilet won’t completely flush. 

You can fix this by adjusting the float. When you change the position on the arm, your toilet might flush. If it doesn’t, there’s probably another issue at hand.

Clogged Jets

If you look under the toilet bowl rim, you can see little holes. These holes are where water flows from the tank into the bowl. When clogs form in those holes, your toilet can’t flush.

Oftentimes, hard water and corrosion cause these holes to become clogged. You may be able to remove the clog by using a nail or toothbrush to clear the jets. If you have a hard time seeing the jets, use a small mirror on the rim of the toilet bowl for better visibility. 

Get the Ultimate Fix and Plumbing Maintenance 

If you’re having trouble with your plumbing or are in need of plumbing maintenance in Stewartstown, call us at Reliability Home Services. We’re ready to help you.