Toilet doesn't flush right

[test]

While flushing the toilet earlier this evening, I think 2 other people in the house turned on the water, which messed up my toilet's flush. The water went down a lot of slowly than usual.

Now I just tried flushing it, and the water went up near the top of the bowl, as if it is clogged. But then the water started going down again, and it went all the way down to the hole within 30 seconds, which kinda tells me that it isn't clogged. I've clogged the toilet many times before, and the water always goes up near the top and takes an hour or so before it goes back down to the normal level. This time, it went to the top and then went all the way to the bottom in around 60 seconds.

I tried flushing a few more times, and the same thing happened. Water went near the top and then went all the way down to the bottom in 60 seconds. Now the water level is about 2-3 inches from the bottom. Time for me to go to bed, but will this problem require the plunger? I consider that the last resort, as I hate having the toilet water splash everywhere. Any easier solutions?

[terry]

Can't see why anybody else 'turning on the water' at the same time would affect the flushing action of your toilet. Flushing, in most toilets, uses the water held in the flush tank; which then refills gradually before you can flush again. Sounds like a slight blockage in the discharge pipe and/or perhaps a blocked vent? If you are not familiar with how toilets work get someone to check it out for you. You can also try plunging the bowl to see if the obstruction is close enough to be dislodged.

[HeyBub]

A toilet will flush (one time) if the water to the house is turned off! Your problem is not with incoming water, it's with outgoing waste.

The line is clogged. The clog could be within the toilet fixture itself (such as a hairbrush or the cat), or downstream.

["Blattus Slaf]

You either have a toy caught down the pipe or a long piece of constipation. Then when you keep adding toilet paper it lodges around the object and makes the draining slower and slower. Try a plunger which will work best if the bowl is half full of water. Use quick jabs. If that don't work, call a plumber who will use a snake or high pressure.

[hallerb]

poor flushing can be caused by clooged rim jets, and made worse by other water use at time of flush.

the clogged interior passages can be easily fixed..........

[Bob F]

Other water use should affect no tank toilet I've ever worked on.

Use a plunger to clear the partially blocked drain.

["Blattus Slaf]

Water use at time of flush has nothing to do with it. The ball flap closes before the water tank is empty. That would only affect the refill time, of course if you are so stupid as to try and flush before the tank is full and shut off it's your problem. If your rim jets are clogged you have bigger water problems.

[tnom]

Stay away from fiber. Eat more greasy foods.

[Oren]

Fixed a toilet for a Realtor once. A minor leak at a tank bolt, I pulled the tank from the bowl for the fix. To my surprise there was a syringe in the rim jet channel of the bowl. Somehow it was in the tank and got past the flapper...I really don't know how. The toilet did flush better:)

Oren

--

[Red Green]

Oren wrote in news:jvl6r3p0eg9s7ckk8ejb3chei02jevimmt@

4ax.com:

Someone shootin' the shit I guess.

[hallerb]

sorry wrong, at the moment you flush the flapper opens and water thru that thin line that goes into the tube sticking up goes into the bowls rim.

that water starts the wave that helps flush the toilet.

rim clogs from hard water are very common. over time stuff builds up. easily and cheaply fixed too.

[Mark]

sorry wrong, at the moment you flush the flapper opens and water thru that thin line that goes into the tube sticking up goes into the bowls rim.

that water starts the wave that helps flush the toilet.

rim clogs from hard water are very common. over time stuff builds up. easily and cheaply fixed too.

That little squirt of water into the overflow tube is not likely to have much impact on the flush rate of the toilet. That water is only intended to ensure the bowl is refilled once the flapper closes. In the case of my toilet, the valve has a 'no drip' feature that keeps the float up for a couple seconds and the inlet water doesn't even start flowing until the tank is about half empty and the flush is about complete.

[hallerb]

sorry your wrong..........

i have fixed a bunch of toilets with internal sediment clog of bowl rim.

its critical to starting the wave that actually gets the water moving to flush.......

when the bowl rim holes get clogged water tends to just swirl around and around, solids dont empty well

["Blattus Slafal]

That thin line is only to refill the crapper bowl AFTER the flapper shuts and the siphon action stops.

[tnom]

The thin line (refill tube) that goes through the line that sticks up (overflow tube) can not possibly supply enough water for the series of rim holes that start a swirling action.

And the bulk of the water comes from the flapper opening, not the re-fill tube.

[PaPaPeng]

I have a very similar problem. every five years or so. The cause is the wax seal softening* and letting air in to break the siphon during the flushout cycle. I'll skip the probable theories for what's happenings. Try replacing the wax seal. Whether it will work or not it is a realtively easy task and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Check the toilet bowl discharge passage for obstructions while you are at it. Since you have the toilet taken out you have to replace the seal anyway. Good luck.

*(My washroom toilet is offset a few feet from the basement furnace. Maybe the heat softens the wax enough for it to break the seal eventually.)

[jJim McLaughlin]

HUGE SNIP

Always wondered about rm clogs.

How are they"...easly and cheaply fixed...?

TIA.