How to Increase the Flushing Power of Your Toilet

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Check for Clogs

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Do you have to flush your toilet several times to get rid of the toilet contents? Well, this could be due to a lack of toilet flushing power. A toilet with a weak flush can be annoying, unhygienic, and start a larger plumbing problem.

However, there are several things you can do to improve your toilet flushing power. But, before diving into the solutions, you need to identify the root cause of the low flushing power. Here are a few things that you can do to improve the flushing power of your toilet:

Check for Clogs

Toilets get clogged. So, if your toilet has lost a good amount of flushing power, the first thing to check is whether you have a clogged toilet or not. To check if your toilet is clogged, pour a gallon of water into your toilet bowl and flush it. This should dislodge any items that are clogging up the trap.

Check for Clogs
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If this doesn’t work, grab a toilet plunger and give it a few good plunges. The suction created by the plunger should help to break up any clogs like toilet paper and allow your toilet to flush properly. Make sure the plunger has a good seal and that enough water covers the plunger’s mouth.

You can also grab a plumbers snake and try to clear the clog yourself. To do this, insert the plumber’s snake into the toilet bowl and push it down until you feel resistance. This is where the clog is likely located. Start twisting the snake around and try to break up the clog.  This way, you’ll be able to restore your toilet flushing power.

Clean the Toilet Bowl Flush Holes

If your toilet bowl has holes around the rim, then it could be clogged with mineral deposits. Check the toilet bowl flush holes located around the rim of your toilet bowl. These small holes may get blocked and clogged. And when this happens, less water will shoot out during a flush, resulting in a weaker flush.

Clearing up these mineral deposits can provide more water pressure. To do this, empty both the toilet tank and toilet bowl. Turn off the water supply to the toilet before flushing the toilet, then watch to ensure the tank empties. Once your tank is empty, let the toilet bowl dry, or take a rag to the inner rim of the bowl around the flush holes.

After that, take a sturdy, waterproof duct tape and apply it over the holes to block the holes entirely. After taping off, pour a gallon or more of white vinegar into the toilet tank. Flush the toilet and check that the tape is held securely over the siphon jets.

The tape should trap the white vinegar in jets, allowing it to dissolve mineral buildup in the holes. Your vinegar should sit for at least half an hour, or stay in the toilet overnight if necessary, as long as the water is off and the toilet is unused. After the vinegar has a chance to work, remove the tape, turn the water supply back on, and flush the toilet a few times to clear out the vinegar. You can also take a bristled bottle brush to the flush holes to gently scrub away any remaining stubborn mineral deposits.

Check the Water Level in the Toilet Tank

If your toilet isn’t flushing properly, one of the first things you should check is the water level in the toilet tank. If the water level is too low, the toilet won’t be able to generate enough force to clear everything out in one flush. The water level in your tank should be about an inch below the flush valve.

To check the water level, remove the toilet tank lid and put it on the ground. With the newer toilets, there is a mark on the side of the tank to indicate where the water level should be for optimal flushing power. If your tank isn’t filling up to the waterline, then the float may be stuck, or there could be an issue with an overflow tube.

Adjusting your water tank float assembly could be a simple fix. Over time, the float can get stuck at a lower level than it should. This means that the water level in the tank will not rise to the full level. When your tank doesn’t have enough water, you’ll have a weaker flushing toilet. Move your water tank float assembly unit to make sure it’s moving smoothly.

Fix or Replace the Flapper

The flapper is the rubber stopper at the bottom of your tank that keeps water from draining out until you flush. If it’s not sealing properly, water will constantly be trickling into the bowl, which can reduce the amount of water available for a powerful flush.

Fix or Replace the Flapper
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The flapper can shift slightly out of place, meaning you’ll need to adjust it to create the proper seal. The rubber can also wear out, which needs that you’ll need to replace your flapper from your local hardware store.

Inspect the Chain and Flush Valve in the Toilet Tank

The flush valve is the large plastic piece at the bottom of your tank that the flapper is connected to. The chain is what pulls on the flapper to open the valve and release water into the toilet bowl.

If your chain is too long, it can get tangled and prevent the flapper from opening all the way, leaving it open and water continuously running through. This means not enough water pressure and a weaker flushing toilet. If you hear water running in the night, then your toilet tank could be leaking because of this or a cracked overflow tube.

To fix this, make sure there is enough tension in the chain so that it can close but not too much that there is extra sitting on top of the flush valve. Inspect your flush handle and make sure it is not loose, as this can also add slack to the chain. If you have too much slack, your flapper can close prematurely, and there will be not enough water coming through.

This lack of water pressure means there will be a weaker flush. If you have a dual flush toilet, you’ll want to make sure that it’s flushing the right amount. There are two button dual flush toilets, and the buttons can be moved around. This means that when you’re doing a full tank flush, it’s only doing half. Inspect the button on your dual flush toilet and make sure the buttons line up with the appropriate flush valves.

Clean Out Your Toilet Using Vinegar

If you have a clogged toilet, there’s a good chance that it’s due to a buildup of mineral deposits. You can clean these out by pouring a cup of vinegar into the bowl and letting it sit for 30 minutes. To do this, remove the tank lid and put it on the floor.

Next, turn off your cold water supply. Look for the pipe coming out of the bottom of the toilet tank and follow it to the wall or floor, there should be a valve there to shut off the water to the toilet. Flush your toilet to drain all the current water that is in it.

Once the bulk of the water has come out, pour the vinegar into the tank and let it sit for at least 2-3 hours. The longer the white vinegar can stay in the tank, the more the chance it has of removing any clog that may exist. Then give your toilet a few flushes.

Use Bleach to Clean Your Toilet

Turn off the water supply to the toilet tank. Next, pour a gallon of bleach into the toilet bowl and let the bleach sit for up to half an hour so that it has time to work on the clog. Put a sticky note to let your family members know that they should not use the toilet for half an hour.

After 30 minutes, flush the toilet, and that gallon of bleach will dislodge any clogs that are in the toilet. Turn the water on again, and put the toilet tank lid back on. Allow the toilet tank to fill back up before flushing the toilet. This will ensure that the flush is fully gone out of the bowl and give it some time to unclog the toilet.

Replace the Toilet

If you have done all these and still you’re experiencing a weak flushing toilet, then it’s time to replace your old toilet. With old toilets, the wear and tear can make it so that they don’t flush as well as they used to. Also, the technology in toilets has improved over the years, so a new toilet will likely have a much more powerful flush than an old one.

Take the time to shop around and compare prices and the features to find the best flushing toilets that fit your needs and home. With a little research, you’ll find it more cost-effective to replace your than to pay for the repairs if these solutions don’t bring positive results.

FAQs on How to Increase Toilet Flushing Power

What is a pressure assisted flushing toilet?

A pressure assisted flushing toilet uses a tank within the toilet that is pressurized with air. This type of toilet is able to force water into the bowl much faster than gravity fed flushing toilet. This is the most powerful toilet you can come across.

How to increase flushing pressure in the toilet?

Increasing the flushing pressure in your toilet is very easy. Once you know the root cause, you can take the necessary steps to increase the flushing pressure. Some of the ways that you can increase flushing pressure in your toilet include:

Cleaning the bowls and traps: Over time, your toilet bowl and trap can become clogged with dirt and debris. This can reduce the amount of water that is able to flow through and ultimately reduce the flushing pressure. By taking the time to clean your toilet bowl and trap regularly, you can help keep them clear and increase the flushing pressure.

Final Thought on How to Increase Toilet Flushing Power

Flushing power is very important for your toilet’s smooth operation. Because the plumbing problems are bound to happen, it doesn’t mean that you can’t fix these problems yourself. If you find out that your toilet is losing water pressure, try fixing it yourself, considering these DIY skills. But if you’re not comfortable with the fixes, call a professional plumber to help you out.

 

 

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