What to do if the toilet does not flush well - causes and solutions

A toilet that cannot cope with its duties is a delicate problem that is rarely voiced, but this does not go away on its own. If it occurs, you need to figure it out: what to do if the toilet doesn’t flush well? You need to start by determining why this happens. After all, the elimination methods will depend on the specific malfunction.

Causes and manifestations

The source of troubles with a toilet - poor flushing - can be either breakdowns or an unsuccessful design of the bowl or drain system, and in a private house it can also be errors in planning the sewerage system. Let's take a closer look at what can lead to poor flushing and how it manifests itself.

1. A blockage in the toilet siphon or sewer pipe. In this case, the water will remain in the toilet bowl or drain very slowly.
2. There is not enough water in the tank. When rinsing, you can even visually see that there is very little water. Sometimes water from the tank does not stop flowing.
3. The drainage channels in the tank or toilet are clogged. Water flows from the tank slowly, without pressure.
4. The design of the bowl or drain does not allow for good rinsing.
5. The enamel covering the inside of the bowl is damaged. In this case, it will be clear that the surface is no longer smooth.
6. If there is no drain riser in a private house, an air lock forms in the sewer pipe. In this case, the water can leave slowly and evenly or in jerks - at first it stands, and after a while it quickly leaves.

Having found out the cause, you can move on to eliminating it.Let's look at what needs to be done in each case.

Clogged drain channels

Plain, unprepared water containing mineral salts is poured into the tanks. Over time, they are deposited on the walls of the tank and working parts. Such growths are called hardness salts or lime deposits. Since the drain holes are relatively small, lime deposits can clog them, leaving only a small gap for water to pass through. To get rid of this problem, you need to leave no more than 1 liter of water in the tank and carry out chemical cleaning according to one of the recipes.

• Pour 100 g of 5-7% solution into the tank phosphoric acid and after 10-15 minutes rinse with water.
• Add 0.5 liters of vinegar and borax to the water in the tank. After two hours, rinse with water.
• Add 3-4 sachets of citric acid to a tank of water and rinse off after a few hours. It is convenient to carry out this procedure late in the evening, leaving the acid in the tank overnight.

It should be noted that the inner surface of the tank can be cleaned in one go, but for drain holes and mechanism parts you will need to repeat the procedure several times. That is why it is not recommended to use stronger products based on oxalic and hydrochloric acid: their repeated use leads to damage to plastic and rubber parts.

Advice

Before working with acids, be sure to wear rubber gloves and protect your respiratory system.

For preventive purposes, you can install a coarse filter at the inlet. If for some reason this cannot be done, then there is another method - tablets for the tank. Their action is based on softening water and cleaning the entire drainage system. These tablets are produced by different companies, but any of them are effective.

There is not enough water in the tank

If the toilet does not flush well as a result of not enough water being poured into the tank, the following reasons and ways to eliminate them are possible.

• The float closes the valve too early. To fix this, just tighten the adjusting screw on the float.
• There is debris between the bulb (petal) and the drain hole, and water constantly flows into the toilet. In this case, you need to remove the fittings and clean the drain from debris and plaque.
• The rubber parts above the drain hole have lost their plasticity due to hardness salts or chemicals. Here you will have to buy the appropriate parts and change them.

If the above steps do not help, most likely the reason is a breakdown of the tank mechanism and the help of a specialist is needed here.

There is water in the toilet bowl

When water flows out of the tank under sufficient pressure, but does not flow into the sewer, the reason is a clogged siphon or drain pipe. In this case, they say: the toilet is clogged. Regardless of where exactly the blockage occurred, the main task is to remove it.

This can be done in several ways:

• using a pneumatic or conventional plunger;
• plumbing cable;
• chemicals: household chemicals, alkali or acid.

Advice

Using household chemicals, such as Mole, prevents deposits from appearing on pipes and is a good preventive measure.

Damage to enamel

Sometimes the toilet does not flush well because the enamel covering the ceramic is scratched. Chips, cracks, and roughness trap waste and prevent it from going down the drain along with the water. In this case, the ideal option would be to replace the toilet, but if this is not possible, you can try to make a repair.For repairs you will need ceramic putty or waterproof sealant, powder paint and a spray gun.

Next you need to perform the following steps.

• Clean and degrease the inner surface of the toilet bowl.
• Clean chips and cracks with fine-grained sandpaper.
• Apply putty or sealant to problem areas.
• Dry the surface well and paint it.
• Do not use the toilet until the paint is completely dry (2-3 days).

Advice

Painting ceramics at home is not the same as factory enameling. The new coating is unlikely to last long, so carefully consider whether restoration is justified or whether it is better to immediately change the plumbing in the toilet.

Incorrect design of the sewer system in a private house

Why does the toilet in a private house not flush well, if the same design of the bowl and cistern in the apartment does not cause any complaints? Often, when installing a sewer system in a private house, standards are not followed. This leads to the fact that water from the toilet goes down the drain too slowly, and waste products are not completely flushed away. What to do in this case? The answer to the question depends on the reason. This may be an incorrect slope of the pipes, a lack of a drain riser, or an incorrect connection of the toilet to the sewer.

The absence of a fan riser is a common phenomenon, as are the problems associated with it. A drain pipe is a vent for sewer pipes. It allows accumulated gases to escape from the pipes into the atmosphere. In its absence, an air plug forms in the sewer, which prevents water from flowing evenly and at the required speed.In addition, the gases still find a way out and “give” the inhabitants of the house stinking fumes not only from the toilet, but also from the bathtub or washbasin. In this case, there are two options - either installing a pipe with an outlet to the roof, or installing a vacuum valve.

An incorrect slope of the pipe leading to the septic tank or the pipe connecting the toilet and sewer cannot be corrected. Here you will have to either redo the system in accordance with the standards, or install an electric pump for forced drainage.

Poor toilet design

If your new toilet doesn't flush well, it may be because of its design. A toilet bowl with a shelf is an example of a bad design. Modern models are produced with a funnel-shaped bowl with a drain in the center or with a slope - the drain neck is located closer to the edge of the bowl.

Another design nuance that affects the quality of flushing is the location of the drain holes. If there is only one hole and it is located in the center, then it is unlikely to provide a high-quality flush. It is better to purchase a model with a circular flush system, when water flows from several holes under the rim, washing the entire surface of the bowl.

If the toilet initially flushed well, then the reason is not in its design. The information presented above will allow you to understand the source of the problem, and once you figure it out, eliminate it by removing the blockage or adjusting the drain mechanism.