Many things in your household can annoy you, from drafts to leaks, and even cold floors. But a weak flushing toilet does not need to be one of them.

A weak toilet can occur from many things, but first, check the shutoff valve and make sure it is wide open. Make sure there are no clogs with a plunger and that your float is allowing enough water in the tank.

Why is My Flush Weak?

Many factors can cause a weak flush, but it will occur from either the water coming in or out of your toilet. The easier one of these to test is the water leaving your toilet through the drain pipe.

First, pour a bucket of water into your toilet; if it flushes correctly, the problem is not the drain. If it is slow, you need to remove the clog. There are many ways to do this, but the easiest way is to use a plunger or an auger.

If your toilet tank is providing weak flow from the tank, this can come from several sources. Follow these steps to ensure every part of the system is working to fill your bowl.

Step 1: Check the water supply
Turn the shutoff valve off and remove the line from the fill valve. Now point the line into a bucket and turn the water back on. If the flow is good, the water supply is not at fault. If it isn’t, the shutoff valve is likely at fault and needs to be replaced.

Step3: Check the water level
There is often a mark showing the correct water level in the tank. If there is not, set the float to fill the water level to about an inch below the top of the overflow valve. Then, make sure the water is high enough to meet the float; otherwise, your fill valve may need to be replaced.

Step 3: Check the flapper chain
The flapper opens the tank to allow water to flow into the bowl. If the chain is misadjusted, it may not allow the flapper to open wide enough and allow much water in. Allow only a little slack.

Cleaning The Siphon Jets

Your siphon jets are what release water from the tank into your bowl. This is also what creates the centrifugal flow of water in your toilet. The strength of the centrifugal flow and water entering are both critical for helping move waste and bring it down the drain.

If none of the above solutions worked, you might need to clean your siphon jets and the short length of pipe between your tank and rim. There are several ways to do this but we will give an effective method here. To do this, follow these steps.

  1. Apply duct tape to the siphon jets. You are trying to create a seal to hold the liquid in the rim. So, make sure every jet is sealed.
  2. Pour vinegar into the overflow tube. The overflow tube is the open-ended pipe in the middle of your tank. To pour into the overflow pipe, you should use a funnel and remove the fill hose to avoid pouring it into the tank unnecessarily.
  3. Flush and wait. Do not remove the tape for a few hours, at least. You could leave it overnight.

Can I Convert My Toilet to a Power Flush System?

A power toilet works with water and air from a bladder in the toilet. After a flush, it uses air to push the water through the toilet. If you want to install this system, follow these steps:

  1. Put the cylinder aside. Take the bladder out of the power flush conversion kit. Then, remove the cylinder from the bladder, and put it aside for now.
  2. Place the bladder. Put the bladder’s water supply tube through the hole in the bottom of the tank. Then, place the bladder in the tank. Be sure to line up the hole on the bladder’s base with the hole in the bottom of the tank.
  3. Connect the bladder to the tank. Put the cylinder into the bladder and screw it in. Then, use pliers to grip the small indents located on the top of the cylinder to tighten it into the bladder.
  4. Attach the power flush arm. This will connect your existing power flush arm to the arm on the cylinder you just installed.
  5. Reattach the water supply. Now, you can flush to test.

Why Does My Toilet Take So Long to Fill Up?

One of the most common reasons for a toilet to fill slowly or not at all is old valves or debris problems in the system. Like other toilet parts, valves wear out and need to be replaced.

Also, the problem may be caused by debris buildup. Debris can build up in the valve, the supply line, or even the shutoff valve. A buildup in any of these parts could limit the water supply, thus making the toilet slow to fill.

  1. Turn off the water. Turn the shutoff valve located behind the toilet clockwise until it stops. Then flush the toilet.
  2. Move the float cup. Locate the float cup and move it up as far as it will go. Then, make sure you don’t drop the float cup or let the valve shaft turn.
  3. Remove the valve cap and lever. Turn the lever on the side of the valve, and the valve cap 1/8 of a turn and remove them.
  4. Clear the debris. Put a cup over the valve and then turn on the water for about 15 seconds. This should flush the debris out of the valve.
  5. Reassemble the valve. Place the cap back on and twist to secure.

How Do I Know if My Toilet Fill Valve Is Bad?

Your fill valve is what tells the water to turn off when the tank is full. So, a bad fill valve may either prevent your tank from filling or cause it to run constantly. This may end up costing you a lot on your next water bill.

There are 2 symptoms you can look out for.

No or weak flush: If your toilet is not filling its tank with water, it cannot flush strongly. If there is no water, it cannot flush at all.

Toilet is constantly filling:  If your toilet seems to continually be filling, this may mean it is too slow to reach full level. However, it may be merely running water down the overflow valve and down the drain. You may want to check the pressure-assist toilets.