What can you do when your toilet won’t flush? It’s embarrasing and a smelly issue to experience, especially if you are a guest at someone’s home.
Flushing the toilet isn’t a difficult task. We do our part by pushing down on the lever and watching waste magically disappear. But what if the toilet doesn’t do its job?
It’s safe to say we take toilets for granted. Toilets are an amazing piece of equipment and they rarely have problems.
Sure, we will occasionally need to give the toilet a second flush, or we might have to break out the plunger, but other than minor problems our toilets are reliable.
If you’ve encountered a problem with your toilet, some sleuthing and elbow grease should have your toilet working well in no time at all.
Today, I’ll address 7 reasons your toilet won’t flush and how to fix it.
Believe it or not, getting your toilet to flush shouldn’t be difficult. Read through these reasons and investigate your toilet for the problem. Let’s get started.
7 Reasons Your Toilet Won’t Flush
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There’s No Water In The Tank (Water Valve)
The most simple problem for a toilet that won’t flush is lack of water. Why would there be no water?
If you’ve done work in your bathroom, or if you have small children, the water to your toilet may have been turned off. In most households, you’ll find a valve and a water line that runs between the wall and toilet.
Locate the line and nozzle behind the toilet and turn the nozzle to the left. This opens the water line. If you hear water filling the tank you’ve solved the problem!
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The Flush Handle Is Not Attached To The Arm
The next place to look if your toilet won’t flush is inside the tank (read my article with pictures on the inside of a toilet for dummies). Remove the lid and place it in a safe spot (toilet lids crack easily).
The inside of a tank looks complicated but it’s very simple. Locate the flush handle and find where it’s attached inside the tank. As you press the flushing handle down, the arm inside the tank should rise.
If flushing the toilet doesn’t raise the handle may not be attached properly. Use a screwdriver to tighten the flush handle to the arm inside the tank and flush the toilet to see if the problem is solved.
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The Flush Arm Isn’t Attached To The Chain
After checking the handle-arm connection, the next place to look is the arm-chain connection. The end of the arm should be connected to a chain that hangs down into the tank.
If the chain isn’t attached you won’t be able to flush the toilet – simple as that. If the chain isn’t attached, look on the bottom of the tank as it likely fell off and made its way to the bottom.
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Chain Needs To Be Tightened (Loose Chain)
The next step in the flushing process is between the chain and the flapper. The chain connects to the flapper (flapper opens and closes to allow water to enter the tank).
If the chain is too loose it won’t lift up the flapper. Make sure the chain is attached and it has little slack in it. You don’t want it too loose or too tight. If it’s too loose, the chain can get caught under the flapper and cause your toilet to run 24/7.
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Old Flapper
If you have an old flapper it might be causing a leak in your tank. An old flapper shouldn’t be the cause for your toilet to not flush, however, it’s important to keep an eye on it so it works properly and you don’t waste water.
An old flapper can negatively influence the flush by making the flush weak. A weak flush could mean your toilet won’t flush (learn more about buying a new flapper)!
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Child Put Something In The Tank
This one is also rare but possible. Kids like to hide toys and clothes. They pick things up, carry them around, and place them in strange places.
If you have young children, I’m sure you’ve taken plenty of clothes and toys out of the toilet!
If your kids have seen you remove the lid of a toilet tank, they might want to try as well. If they put something in the tank the flapper might have something on it that prevents a flush.
Check for long lost toys inside the bowl – they could be preventing a flush.
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Clog In The Bowl
Another reason your toilet won’t flush is because the toilet is clogged. It might be due to a problem in the pipes. Things that cause clogs include:
- Too much toilet paper
- Flushed toys
- Hair and dental floss
- Tampons
- Wet wipes
- Pet hamster 🙁
- Dead plants
I wrote an article about ways to remove a clog in the toilet that you may find helpful. A plunger should to the trick but vinegar and baking soda might help the situation as well.
Conclusion
It’s happened to me a few times: my toilet won’t flush. Figuring out why your toilet isn’t working may seem complex but it probably isn’t. If you’re handy, you won’t need to call a plumber.
Yes, you can do it yourself!
If you go through a mental checklist it will help you figure out why the toilet isn’t flushing. First, check the water line to make sure it’s on. Next, you’ll want to look inside the tank to make sure the various components are working together to raise and drop the flapper.
Lastly, you might have a clog in your pipes that doesn’t allow the toilet to flush. If you have a clog a plunger should help for minor problems.
Once you’ve gone through all these potential causes, only then, should you consider calling a plumber. Minor issues you can fix yourself but if it’s a serious problem in your pipes you’ll definitely want a professional.
Good luck with flushing your toilet and thanks for reading. Don’t forget to check out other articles on Toilet Travels to learn more.