Plumber Chat: Why Is My Toilet Water Pressure Low?
A toilet that has poor water pressure when flushed is frustrating. If you’re having to flush more than once regularly, it’s time to address the source of the problem. Low toilet pressure is a major contributor to slow toilet flushes.
Here are tips from a professional plumber as to the main reasons why your toilet may have low water pressure and how you can fix it.
Check Your Water Level
To help your toilet flush efficiently, the water level in the tank needs to be at the correct level.
This can be easily checked by removing the lid from the toilet tank and checking the water level inside. The water level should be approximately one inch below the tube in the middle of the tank. If the water is lower than this you will need to adjust the float inside of the tank which will then raise the water level.
If you have a ball float, look for the screw on top of the fill valve and turn it in a clockwise direction to raise the water level. It’s important to make sure that the ball float doesn’t have any water inside; if it does, your toilet won’t fill properly.
For models with a cylinder float valve, you will need to squeeze the clip on the float until the water reaches the required level.
Check For Leaks
Many individual pieces make up your toilet tank. Over time these pieces can be susceptible to cracking, chipping, or even tearing. When these minor leaks occur, your toilet may not fill properly.
There are two main parts to check: The fill valve and the flush valve.
The fill valve is a small tube that refills the tank after flushing. The flush valve consists of an opening at the bottom of the tank and releases water whenever the toilet is flushed.
It’s recommended to get professional help when it comes to identifying and repairing any damaged parts in your water tank. An experienced plumber will be able to locate low water pressure problems and fix them promptly.
Check Your Flapper
A toilet flapper provides a seal that prevents water from leaking from the tank into the bowl.
The chain that connects the flapper to the flush handle is important to check. If this chain is too long, the flapper won’t rise all the way to allow water to drain quickly. This chain may need to be shortened.
Be careful not to shorten the chain too much as this may cause a leak. A rule of thumb is that there should only be about half an inch of slack in the chain length required to operate the flapper.
Clogged Rims
Water travels into the toilet bowl from the tank via a series of small holes that are located on the underside of the toilet rim.
These holes can easily become clogged with lime build-up or other debris, which results in the water not being able to enter the bowl with the same amount of force. These small clogs can affect a toilet’s water pressure as the waters exit pathway may be blocked which makes flushes slower than normal.
An easy way to identify these clogs is to use a small mirror to view the underside of your toilet bowl rim for signs of blocking. Any blocked holes need to be brushed thoroughly with a nylon brush to clear any clogs that may be present.
You may need to contact a professional plumber if you have a serious clog you can’t clear on your own.
All Your Plumbing Needs Taken Care Of
Art Plumbing, AC & Electric provides comprehensive plumbing services throughout South Florida. Whatever your plumbing needs are, from toilet pressure problems to blocked drains, Art’s got you covered. Call us at 1-800-475-1504 to schedule an in-home consultation today!
