It’s probably one of the most annoying and embarrassing issues you might run into in your Orlando home: Your toilet won’t flush all the way. Ew. Do you call a plumber like Michael’s Plumbing? Or is it something that you can fix on your own?
There could be a cause staring you right in the face as soon as you lift the tank cover. So, it’s essential to go through all the possibilities to diagnose the issue.
Clogging
The most common cause of plumbing issues is a clog. There could be a clog in the toilet bowl, the flange, or the drain which will prevent water from thoroughly flushing down the toilet. Use a plunger or an auger to assist in removing the clog. Augers are used to target those hard-to-reach areas of your toilet.
If the clog doesn’t budge after using a plunger or auger, call Orlando’s leading clog remover, Michael’s Plumbing.
A Flopping Flapper
The flapper is located within the tank. It’s that small rubber stopper covering and sealing the hole at the bottom of the tank. It is attached to a chain that is lifted while pressing down on the handle when flushing. This allows the water stored in the tank to pour into the toilet bowl. When the toilet has not been flushed, the flapper seals the hole, preventing the tank water from draining.
The water-tight seal is lost when the flapper is old or damaged or when the chain isn’t set to the appropriate length. The leak decreases the amount of water available when you flush, thus causing an issue when flushing. Check to see that there isn’t too much or too little slack in the chain—if there is, adjust the length and see how the chain fits (hint: you should have about a half-inch of slack in your chain). If the chain isn’t the issue, check your flapper—you may need to purchase a new one and replace it. If you’re too uncertain about replacing your flapper, you can call Michael’s Plumbing, and an expert will come over to help.
Not Enough Water
If the water level in your toilet tank is set too low, your toilet bowl won’t get as much water as needed when you flush. Your toilet needs a lot of water to successfully flush everything away. Inspect the inside walls of your toilet tank—manufacturers usually leave a mark to show how much water the tank is designed to hold (usually about an inch below the top of the overflow tube).
Water levels can be adjusted manually. You can also check to see whether any components in the tank have become misaligned. You can try adjusting your float (the large rubber ball device in the tank) by making a slight upwards bend in the arm of the float. Or, if your toilet has a floating cup supply valve, that can be adjusted with the screw that is on top of the fill valve.
Poor Drain Design
If the slow flush has always been an issue, the cause may be the way the plumbing for the toilet is designed. If the toilet’s drain pipe isn’t in a downward slope, there will always be a pool of water that accumulates in the pipes. Call a professional plumber for a review and inspection of your drainage pipe system and discuss a potential redesign.
If you’ve tried the easy do-it-yourself fixes with no success, don’t hesitate to contact Orlando’s Michael’s Plumbing by calling (407) 219-9772 for quick service and better flushing.