how to fix toilet flush

4 Answers 4

One thing you can try is to shorten the chain to the flapper. Sometimes a long chain leading to the flapper will not allow you to open the drain fully (you are only lifting the flapper just a little bit). A partially lifted flapper will not allow the maximum volume of water to flow into the bowl in the shortest amount of time possible, causing a weak flush.

answered Sep 9 '11 at 17:45

Jeff WidmerJeff Widmer

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You can easily verify this, by removing the tank cover and flushing normally. If the flapper does not lift all the way, shorten the chain.

Sep 9 '11 at 18:05
You can also watch how quickly it falls back down & seals ... it shouldn't fall back down 'til the water's drained from the tank. If it falls too early, you may need to replace the flapper, as it's not keeping an air bubble under it.

Sep 10 '11 at 3:00
Shortening the chain seems to have done the trick.

Sep 10 '11 at 19:56

I just fixed a problem like this. My flapper had a plastic float on it. The float was waterlogged and would not stay open for the full flush. The float is counterbalanceed by a tube of water that slowly drains from a small hole at the bottom of the tube. Once the water in the tube is drained the weight of the flapper causes the flapper to close completing the flush cycle. The waterlogged float was too heavy for the counterbalance tube of water to keep it open. Replaced it and its fine.

answered Dec 28 '17 at 20:48

Using the K.I.S.S. formula, my first thought would be to see what is in the tank drain. I've found a Scuba Steve equivalent, a sock and a toilet "breath mint".

If it's the latter, use gloves / eye protection. I got the bleach tablet out with a serrated knife but since I did not have gloves on, I got light chemical burns. Within a month I had fingerprints again so my cat burglar days were done. Sadly, I returned to being a t*rd wrangler.

answered Nov 30 '13 at 20:17