Picture it: you’re enjoying an evening home with friends and get up to go to the bathroom. You do your business, flush, and it goes down as usual… until something goes wrong. The waste is mostly gone but the water isn’t coming back like it usually does. There are still some scraps of wet toilet paper stuck in the bottom of the bowl.
It’s filling up again, but not as fast as it normally does. You figure you can wait until the problem works itself out. Then you hear a knock at the door.
We’ve all been there before, and we’ll all be there again. The question is, what do you do about it when it happens?
There are three common plumbing problems that might be behind your slow-filling toilet. Follow the steps below to figure out which issue you’re dealing with and whether you need to get a professional involved.
1. A Clog in the Drain
The most common reason for slow bowl refills is also the one people dread the most – the clogged drain.
The prospect of unblocking it might not be fun, but there’s no way around it. Break out the plunger and get to work. A little time and some elbow grease should solve the problem in most cases. If you’re pretty sure the drain is the problem but you can’t dislodge the clog yourself, consider calling a plumber to check it out.
2. A Clog in the Fill Valve
Sometimes, the clog isn’t in the pipes but in your fill valve. This component regulates how much water goes into your toilet bowl at any given time. If something gets stuck in there, water won’t be able to pass through it as quickly, making it hard for the bowl to refill after a flush.
You’ll find your fill valve inside your toilet tank. Take it out and inspect it. Remove any debris you find and clean off any built-up sediment using a commercial descaling solution. If it looks worn or damaged, consider replacing it entirely. Put it back in the tank and give the toilet a test flush. If the bowl fills quickly again, you’ve probably solved the problem.
3. Debris in the Supply Line
If these fixes don’t work, the problem may be in your supply line. Try fixing it by detaching the water supply line from your toilet tank connection. Place a bucket underneath the supply line and turn it on for just a moment or two. You’ll flush out any debris that might be in there and make room for better water flow. Afterwards, reconnect the supply line and give it a test flush.
Still Not Filling Up? Call the Pros
These measures will take care of most slow-filling toilets, but not all. If you’re still having problems with yours, it’s time to call in the experts. Contact Fowler Plumbing today and book an appointment with one of our trusted team members. We’ll figure out what’s causing the problem and get your toilet flushing reliably again.