3 Reasons Your Toilet May Not Flush Properly

If you have a toilet that was manufactured between 1994 and 2010, over time you may notice it doesn’t flush properly. “During this timeframe, toilets were required to be manufactured so they would use only 1.6 gallons of water per flush instead of the previous three gallons,” said Mike Krejci, a professional plumber with Jay’s Plumbing. “Problems arose because while toilets were amended to meet the restrictions, they generally weren’t redesigned to accommodate the lesser amount of water.” Here are 3 reasons why your toilet may not flush properly:

1. Older toilets were designed to hold more water in the tank and use that water for the flushing process. When the Energy Policy Act (which set national water efficiency standards for toilets, faucets, and showerheads) became effective in 1994, it took awhile for manufacturers to create a design to handle the lower water flow and to result in better flushing. Today, newer redesigned toilets are built to flush better with less water to meet the restrictions.

2. Calcium can build up inside the rim of the toilet bowl, blocking water flow and not allowing the toilet to flush completely. “You can poke holes through the calcium buildup with wire to reestablish proper water flow,” added Krejci. “While some homeowners might choose to replace the toilet, others who have a toilet in a specific color that matches other fixtures may want to repair it as needed.”

3. A toilet may not flush the right way if repairs were done over the years without using the original manufacturer’s replacement parts. A non-recommended replacement part could have an improper fit or be of a lower quality than those from the original manufacturer.

If your toilet doesn’t flush properly, there could also be a partial blockage inside the pipe caused by a small toy or dental floss getting accidentally flushed down the toilet. If your toilet isn’t flushing properly, contact Jay’s Plumbing to have the issue diagnosed and corrected.

Jay’s Plumbing

1509 Ogden Avenue

Downers Grove, IL 60515

Phone: 630-434-9200

office@jaysplumbing.net

www.jaysplumbing.net