Have you ever had that terrifying experience when you go to flush the toilet and nothing happens? Or worse yet, you flush the toilet and water starts creeping its way toward the toilet bowl rim instead of going down?
Most people have encountered a similar bathroom plumbing nightmare in their lives, but not everybody knows what to do in these situations. With that in mind, today we’re going to tell you how to handle common problems that might be preventing your toilet from flushing, and give you a great tip for flushing an uncooperative toilet.
Call the Professionals to Handle Clogs
When you don’t want to waste any time fixing your bathroom plumbing, the best solution is to call your local plumber to inspect for clogs. Clogs are one of the most common reasons a toilet won’t flush, because if there's a blockage plugging up the pipe, then wastewater can't go anywhere, and nothing will drain when you try to flush.
When you go right to calling in the pros, you won’t lose time with DIY assessments and solutions and will be able to get the toilet fixed quickly and properly, meaning you and your family can get back to life as usual.
Check the Flapper for Common Problems
If you don’t think the problem is a clog, another common issue with toilets is the flapper, and there are several flapper-related problems that can prevent a toilet from flushing properly.
When there's an issue with the flapper, you'll probably notice that the toilet seems to be running all the time, because the flapper’s job is to seal off the tank from the bowl when the toilet isn't flushing.
To check the flapper, remove the toilet tank cover and find the rubber seal at the bottom of the tank. For starters, make sure the chain didn’t accidentally get stuck under the flapper. Next, remove the flapper and check for warping, disintegration, and other signs of wear that would indicate it’s not forming a proper seal anymore. You can replace a worn flapper very easily by taking a trip to the hardware store, buying a replacement, and swapping out the old for the new.
A Quick Fix for Flushing a Toilet That Won’t Flush
When you're in a pinch and need to flush the toilet but can't figure out why it won’t do anything, there is a trick you can use to force the toilet to flush, provided it isn't clogged. Fill a bowl or bucket with water and pour all the water into the toilet bowl at once.
The pressure from the extra water will force the toilet to flush, and then you'll be free to investigate the problem further or call in an expert for a bathroom plumbing diagnosis.
Many minor toilet issues can be fixed simply with a new flapper or a new flapper chain, but you should always trust a professional plumber to deal with clogs and other problems. If your toilet won’t flush, however, it’s not the end of the world, and you'll be relieved to know that you can in fact still flush a toilet that’s in disrepair, as long as there's no clog blocking the flow of water.
