Toilet flushes slowly

[AE Todd]

I know that is poor English. The toilet doesn't flush itself. Someone has to push the lever. But I've had the rooter people out twice now, and they have used the wire thing on the entire house, and it took 3 flushes this morning to make everything go down. The rooter guy looked into an access point and didn't see any backup water, and the washer drain fine, and nothing else backs up, so I wonder what makes a toilet flush slowly. What is the chance that the air tube to roof is clogged in some way?

[hallerb]

try flushing with a bucket of water, just dump it in.

if it flushes ok the drain lines and everything else is fine and the trouble is the toilet.

poor flush means you have line troubles.

if it flushes well with bucket of water the trouble is quickly and easily solved with 20 minutes careful work and at under 10 bucks.

[RLM]

Change to a diet with more fiber.

[DerbyDad03]

Pour a bucket of water in the toilet. If it flushes fine, you might have what is known as a "sluggish toilet". Try this...

Stolen without permission from

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Does the water raise in the bowl , swirl around and then drain down without completely flushing, leaving the solids behind? If so I have a solution that most repair plumbers miss. Look down at the bottom of the bowl. If there is a small hole, then that is a jet that starts the syphon action. If it's clogged the water will just swirl around and slowly go down leaving solids behind. Take your finger,(UGH!!) and run it around the inside of the opening. Over the years minerals build up and cut down on the syphon (flush) action. If it is rough or you feel build up, take a table knife and put a bend in it to get around the curve in the bowl and chip and scrap it clear. Next take a coathanger and clear out the holes around the rim. They start the swirling action. And last, check the water level in the tank. It should be 1/2" below the top of the over flow tube.

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[HeyBub]

NO!

Fiber causes "floaters." He needs "sinkers."

Red meat, that's the ticket. Yum.

[hallerb]

if the toilet flushes solids well with a bucket.

by a gallon of muriatic acid, safety glasses and a funnel one that will fit in the dip tube top opening.

put on safety glasses, open window, it will smell bad.

put funnel in dip tube, take deep breathe, pour a quart or so in funnel, avoid splashing,,,,,leave room. shut door.

20 minutes later flush toilet 10 times minimum. to clean out the acid.

this will clean the bowl rim passages, the passage at the bottom, and all the interior passages inside the toilet.

you can drain toliet bowl if you want but thats not really necessary.

the acid dissolves hard water sediment in the lines and openings.

total cost 1/2 hour and under 10 bucks

[DerbyDad03]

If you are going to use this suggestion, PLEASE (and I *never* capatilize in a post) read the info at this site:

Hydrochloric Acid, 33 - 40% - Synonyms: Muriatic acid; hydrogen chloride

You really should know what you are dealing with before you start.

[Oren]

You both are correct. I've used hallerb's method. I suggest your entire comment be moved to the top as a disclaimer of sort..

-- Oren

Why is there only one Monopolies Commission ?

[jim]

And then get ready for the china to start looking older as this will with time take the finish off glazing The holes around the rim are not the promblem but the siphon hole could be as was suggested try a small wire in it also try it in the rim holes . If you see any rust around the tunnel entrance it is a sign that the toilet needs to be replaced as it is shaling inside and this not repairable. Shaling will cause the hole to get smaller and the water and waste cannot get thru as well as once did. How old if 20 yrs or more get a new one and the promblem will be solved .

[the other Kurt]

Maybe everyone in your household, needs to eat more fiber.

[Oren]

Four strikes. You're out.

" >> > the acid dissolves hard water sediment "

Is your _Shaling_ the same as calcification or hard water sediment deposits?

-- Oren

"I wouldn't even be here if my support group hadn't beaten me up."

[Sam E]

That's real meat, not the runny dog food they put in frozen or canned "beef" Mexican food.

[Sam E]

Deep BREATHS mould be much more satisfying.

[hallerb]

well around here hard water is common, and the problem is definetely the rim holes, which clog over time, you can try opening them with a coat hanger end but that doesnt address the gunk in the interior passages.

when first seeing this trouble I tried CLR that hard water remover its blue green color. dumped it down the dip tube i could see it didnt come out the front of the bowl rim passages at all.

Now dont do this excessively, its a stong solution to a serious clog not a clean toilet weekly item.

now it might lead to a earlier toilet replacement, but then again a toilet that cant flush is garbage anyway, so what do you have to lose?

[hallerb]

you know that site would scare anyone. I was very reluctant the first time I tried it myself.

but theres must be different concentrations available and the kind sold at the hardware store is mostly sold for brick cleaning.

I wondered how much it would burn and tried a tiny bit on my finger. nothing no reaction.

then put a small spot on my hand, waited a minute, and rinsed it off. no burn no nothing except a dry spot the next day, hand cream took care of that.

so use common sense, window open safety glasses for sure, rubber gloves a good idea.

but dont go overboard its really not that noxious, other than smell.