Possible Causes of a Weak Flushing Toilet

A weak flushing toilet experiences trouble flushing all of the waste in the bowl down the toilet's drain, leading to problems keeping the toilet clean as well as a higher water bill from multiple flushes. Taking the time to determine the cause of the diminished flushing power and to take steps to correct the problem will help restore your toilet to a normal working condition.

A regular flush toilet that does not use a pressure assist chamber in the tank depends on the force of gravity to pull the water from the toilet's tank into the bowl below. The force of the fresh water flowing into the bowl pushes the waste and water in the bowl out and down the toilet's drain. If your toilet's tank has too low of a water level the flushing power will be weak. Raising the height of the float in the toilet's tank will increase the amount of water in the tank and the toilet's flushing power.

A clog in the toilet's drain line will cause the toilet to not flush as powerfully as before. The clog could be locate either in the toilet's trap, the curving section of the drain that sits below the bowl, or in the drain pipe in the floor underneath the toilet's base. Using a plunger or an auger will allow you to dislodge clogs composed of waste and toilet paper. The hook on the end of the auger will help you retrieve clogs caused by foreign objects.

If you are not sure whether deposits in your toilet have diminished the flushing power, rapidly pour a bucket of water in the toilet's bowl to see how the toilet flushes. If the toilet flushes better, then deposits are causing the problem. Deposits from hard water will gather in the passageway between the tank and bowl, and especially in the port holes under the toilet's rim where the tank water enters the bowl. Pouring vinegar or a mixture of muriatic acid and water down the overflow tube in the toilet's tank will clean out the deposits. If deposits remain, use a wood skewer or toothpick to clean out the ports.

If you have a low flow toilet, the weak flushing power may be from the design of the toilet. First generation low flow toilets will not flush with as much power as toilets made before them or low flow toilets from the second generation on, according to home improvement expert Tim Carter. The manufactured date for your toilet was stamped on the inside of the tank. If your toilet was made between 1994 and midway through 1997, you have a first generation low flow toilet. Removing clogs and deposits will help, but you must replace the toilet with a new one to have as much flushing power as other toilets.