Toilet Repair & Installation
Fix running, leaking and clogging toilets, replace them, or add a bidet seat.
Plumbing guide
Toilet Not Flushing in Fountain Hills, AZ: Causes and Fixes
When a toilet does nothing or flushes weakly, the cause is either in the tank or in the drain. A minute of looking tells you which, and it decides whether a plunger or a repair is the answer.
By the Fountain Hills Rapid Plumbing team ·
Open the tank and inspect it
Remove the tank lid and push the handle. If the handle feels loose, the chain that links it to the flapper may have come off or snapped. Re-hook it so there is a little slack, about half an inch. A taut chain props the flapper open, while a sagging one fails to raise it far enough.
If the tank is nearly empty and does not refill, the fill valve or the supply stop may be closed. Check that the small valve on the wall is open, and listen for water entering the tank.
Check the water level in the tank
Water in the tank ought to settle about an inch lower than the rim of the overflow tube. Too low a level gives a weak flush because there is not enough water to push waste through. A fill valve can be adjusted with a float screw or clip.
If the level looks right but the flush is weak, the flush holes under the rim may be clogged with mineral scale. A small mirror and a wire show whether they are blocked. Soaking with vinegar frees them.
Is it a clog?
A bowl that fills high, drains slowly or rises after the flush points to a clog. A plunger with a flange, sold for toilets, works best. Seat it fully, push down gently first to expel air and then pump with steady strokes.
Keep chemical drain openers out of the toilet. Those products can harm seals and endanger whoever works on the line next. A closet auger reaches clogs that a plunger misses.
What you see and what it usually means
Use the bowl and the tank as your clues.
| What you see | Likely cause | Try this |
|---|---|---|
| Handle loose, nothing happens | Chain off the flapper | Re-hook the chain with slack |
| Weak flush, tank low | Low water level | Adjust the float |
| Bowl rises, drains slowly | Clog | Flange plunger or auger |
| Several drains slow | Main line problem | Stop and call for a drain inspection |
The flapper and the fill valve
A worn flapper can fail to seal or fail to lift. Replacing a swollen, warped or crusty flapper takes minutes and costs little. A fill valve that is cracked or stuck is also a quick swap.
These repairs overlap with a running toilet. Our guide on a running toilet covers the same parts from a different angle.
When more than one toilet is slow
If the tub drains slowly, the sink gurgles or two toilets are sluggish at once, the problem is probably not the toilet. A partly blocked main drain or a vent problem can slow everything. A snake used in the toilet will not clear it.
This is when a drain cleaner with a camera or a jetter helps. The hydro jetting page describes how a line is cleaned, and the drain cleaning page covers when a snake is enough.
What not to flush
Wipes marked flushable remain whole well after toilet paper has dissolved. They catch on roots and rough spots in a pipe and form a mat that traps everything else. Paper towels, feminine products and cotton swabs act the same way.
In a town with a sanitary district, clogs in the main also affect neighbors. Keeping non-paper items out of the toilet protects the whole system.
When the tank is empty and will not fill
If the tank stays empty after a flush, the supply stop on the wall may be closed or clogged, or the fill valve may have failed. Turn the stop fully open, then listen for water. If you hear nothing, the line may be blocked by debris after work on the street.
Disconnect the supply line over a bucket to check the flow, with the water briefly on. A strong stream means the fill valve is the culprit. A weak one points to the stop or the pipe.
Know your toilet's age
Toilets from before the early 1990s draw far more water for each flush, and they clear waste easily. Newer low-flow models can be sensitive to a small blockage. Knowing which you have helps set expectations.
A toilet that fails often despite repairs may be due for replacement. A plumber can compare the cost of another repair with a new unit.
Using a plunger the right way
Use a flange plunger made for toilets, not the flat cup type for sinks. Make sure there is enough water in the bowl to cover the cup. Seat the plunger and push slowly the first time to push out air, then pump firmly for 15 to 20 strokes.
Once the water goes down, try a gentle flush. If the bowl refills and rises again, stop and try an auger. Protect the floor with towels.
Low-flow toilets and older pipes
Water-saving toilets use less water, so they rely on a clean path and a good flush design. Older cast iron drains with rough interiors catch paper more easily. Roots entering from outside can narrow a pipe.
If clogs repeat every few weeks, a camera inspection shows why. It is cheaper than guessing, and the camera page describes the visit.
Call if water rises
If the bowl rises toward the rim after a flush, stop. Do not flush again. Raise the tank lid and press the flapper shut, or turn the wall stop to keep the tank from refilling.
If the toilet overflows or sewage appears elsewhere in the house, treat it as an emergency and call. Where a same-day visit is possible, the dispatcher can arrange one.
Common questions
Toilet flush questions
A low tank level, clogged rim holes or a partial clog are the usual causes. Check the water level first.
It is better not to. The chemicals can harm the seal and are risky for anyone who works on the line later.
Air is being pushed through the system by a partial blockage or a vent problem. Call for a drain inspection.
If it is your only toilet or it overflows, it can be. A dispatcher will help you decide.
Related services
Drain Cleaning & Unclogging
Unblock a backed-up sink, tub, laundry or main drain and trace what caused the clog.
Hydro Jetting
Wash grease, scale and roots off the pipe wall when a cable only opens a narrow path.
More plumbing guides
Fixing a toilet that runs nonstop
A toilet that never stops refilling wastes water around the clock, and a flapper, fill valve or float is nearly always behind it.
Sewage odor indoors
A rotten-egg or sewage odor has only a handful of origins, and a dry trap is far more common than a broken pipe.
Why bills run high
When the bill jumps, the culprit is usually a leak, an irrigation setting or a change in how the house is used.
Toilet not flushing?
Explain what happens when you press the handle and the dispatcher routes the call.