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Why Won’t My Toilet Flush? 6 Things To Try If Your Toilet Won’t Flush

6 October

Is your toilet not flushing? No matter how much you try to flush your toilet bowl or use a toilet auger, it just won’t. Before, you probably thought the overflowing toilet situation was the peak of all embarrassing problems when the problem involves only too much toilet paper or paper towels in the clogged toilet, and you can rely on your toilet plunger. But now, instead of your “toilet is clogged”, you have a toilet that refuses to flush away. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there before, so we all know that sinking feeling very well. You stand up, press the button on the toilet cistern or toilet’s tank and… the toilet won’t flush!

And here you thought you were having the best of days. But it never happens conveniently, and it never seems an easy fix when you’re faced with plumbing problems like a toilet that won’t flush or flow quickly. However, although your face is red and your pants are around your ankles, it doesn’t mean the world is ending just because the toilet’s not flushing. It’s probably not a big deal, and you might not need help yet, so you don’t have to call an emergency plumber. You can probably fix the problem yourself without being a professional plumber.

Want to have a go at fixing that toilet tank before calling in a very professional service? Go for it!

Make sure you have the Gold Coast Plumbing Company’s number close by if you need help, or you may want to give up because it’s not just a low water level in the toilet tank and it could be more than clogged inlet holes. You can rely on us for further toilet repairs to toilet cistern replacement!

So, let’s get into the whole process of fixing a toilet that is not flushing properly and see the most common reasons behind keeping your toilet from flushing! They could simply be in your toilet tank.

Why Is My Toilet Not Flushing Properly? What Is The Most Common Issue?

Inside A Dual Flush Toilet

1. The Button

Don’t go wild yet with panic! If you can’t flush the toilet, it’s highly possible it’s not a broken toilet or something wrong with your toilet tank. It could be that the toilet won’t flush because there’s something wrong with the flush button or toilet handle itself. Your flushing handle could be the problem and that’s why it won’t flush properly. Your toilet flushes when you push a button, turn a lever, or pull a chain. So does that mechanism feel normal? Is it all limp or stuck? Do you press it, and there’s utter silence? It could be that the linkage mechanism is disconnected or broken.

2. The Insides

You’ll have to dig a little deeper if there’s something wrong with the toilet and it’s not the flush button. Most toilet insides can be easily accessed by removing the cistern lid, revealing the simple mechanisms that handle flushing. If you’re dealing with a toilet that won’t flush, check to see if something is damaged or broken within the toilet cisterns like you would the fill valve if your toilet is running. Check your lift chain, flush valve, water valve, float ball, and more. If you cannot see anything, you may call a plumber.

3. Is There Toilet Water?

Aside from those simple parts, a water supply should be found inside that cistern. Is there a proper amount or enough water supply? Can you see if the water in the tank is up to the water level? It should be one inch below the top of the tank’s overflow tube. If not, you could be facing a water supply issue. The water should be getting delivered to your toilet bowl in the form of a flush. If there’s no water or you have a low water level, that could explain why your toilet won’t flush. It could indicate that the problem is with your water level supply rather than your throne (check other taps) or the cistern inlet valve is blocked. 

4. Don’t Keep Flushing

What happens if your toilet is flushing but just isn’t flushing correctly? Perhaps you flush the toilet, and the bowl fills up with water beyond the usual water level since it doesn’t drain. The first thing to do is stop flushing! The only thing worse than a toilet that won’t flush is an unflushed toilet that overflows over the floor. And you don’t want that to raise your panic to another level!

5. Clear A Clog

If point 4 is experienced, the problem is not with the flushing mechanism. If the water from your toilet is not draining, you will most likely have a clogged toilet drain. Paper towels or wet wipes could have gone down the toilet bowl, causing a blockage in the main sewer line, which would explain why you have a slow flush or your toilet doesn’t flush at all despite the flush button being okay or having enough water in the toilet bowl tank. Even so, it might not be a big deal. Blocked toilets are common. Hopefully, you’ve got some rubber gloves handy. So put them on and prepare to do some digging. You could have a simple (ahem) ‘obstruction’ within the wrist reach. So please don’t be shy and give it a go. You might even find that mobile phone that went missing last Tuesday!

6. Take The Plunge

If it’s not a blatant obstruction causing the problem, it’s time to grab that plunger. The plunging method is pretty simple. Make sure the business end is submerged, and start vigorously pushing and pulling on that tight seal. If you’re lucky, the clog will unclog, and the water will drain. Once you press that flusher button, the problem will be solved with more luck.

Toilet Still Won’t Flush? Don’t Be Scared!

If you’ve got to this point and your toilet continues to be stubborn and won’t flush, it’s still not time to panic. You could:

  • Try a special toilet or drain cleaning enzyme or chemical product from your local hardware store
  • Cook up your mix of baking soda and vinegar
  • Buy or borrow an exceptional plumbing ‘snake’ to get deeper into that drain
  • Try a wet vacuum

Or you can contact our emergency plumbers anytime, whether your toilet won’t flush or it’s just slow to empty or fill — our licensed plumber is happy to help!

Clearing Toilet Tank With Rubber Glove

Get In Touch With A Professional Plumber For An Expert Plumbing Service

What are the most common reasons behind your toilet won’t flush? Are you still having no luck with your toilet bowl and the water flow? Is your toilet still not flushing? Or are you facing another issue, like your toilets may flush, but they drain slowly? That’s another trouble brewing, which may be caused by toilet paper stuck where it shouldn’t be. Don’t wait for guests to visit and use your toilet. Although misery loves company, you might only be putting them in an embarrassing situation, and at the end of the day, it’s your toilet. And you might find yourself fixing the mess your friends and family left.

So, call in the trusted local plumbers that Gold Coast residents trust. The Gold Coast Plumbing Company are seasoned experts in fixing that ‘toilet won’t flush’ emergency. No drain can’t be unblocked, no leak or drip can’t be stopped, no hot water system issue can’t be solved, and no toilet can’t be fixed or replaced. The expert plumbers from Gold Coast Plumbing Company know all the toilet drain pipe design and drain lines.

We’ll solve your plumbing problems in a jiffy! And for your plumbing maintenance, we’ve got a full range of plumbing services to cater to your needs. Whether you are in Labrador, Pacific Pines, Helensvale or anywhere across the Gold Coast, we can take care of your plumbing issues; reach out to our team today. If you need a new one to replace your faulty and running toilet, you can still reach out to us! We’re all about the toilet flapper, handle, and toilet tank and ensuring you have the best working toilet.