Toilet Mechanism Problems

The design of the toilet has been around a long time - it is a simple but effective design, and allows for the removal of waste, while preventing sewer gasses from entering the home. The design of the toilet is simple enough that faults are rare - but they do happen!

The toilet is divided into two main parts - the tank and the bowl. The tank is where the flushing mechanism is contained, and where water for the next flush is stored. Most tanks have a capacity of 1.6 gallons of water, though in the past up to 7 gallons could be used during the flush. The bowl is where the water collects. Behind the bend is the 'U-bend' pipe. The pipe is constantly filled with water, preventing sewer gasses from rising through the toilet.

When the toilet is flushed, the pulling of the flush opens the valve between the tank and the bowl, and gravity allows water to flow into the bowl, removing any waste and cleaning the bowl. The pressure from the water causes any waste and water in the bowl to overflow over the U-bend, and so the waste will carry to the main drain. As water leaves the tank, the float ball moves down with the water. This opens the ballcock and allows the tank to refill with water. As the tank fills again, the float ball rises, shutting off the ballcock. An overflow pipe is located in the tank in case the float ball fails to shut off the stopcock.

Despite the simplicity of the toilet design, things can, and do, go wrong. The float ball is one of the main offenders - if it leaks, or if it is very dirty, it will sit lower in the water, and may not shut off the ball valve, causing constant filling of the tank. If the lever between the float ball and the ballcock is bent, or stiff, than the ballcock may be being prevented from reaching the correct height, and again this will prevent the ballcock from shutting off, allowing water into the tank constantly.

If after the tank has filled, there is still water seeping into the bowl, then it is likely that there is a leak in the tank. You can find the leak simply by putting some food colouring into the water, and observing where the colour goes. If the valve between the tank and bowl is at fault, then it may need to be replaced. If the leak is through hairline cracks, you may need to replace the entire tank or toilet.

If the toilet simply isn't draining, you may need to remove a blockage. For this you will need a plunger. Before starting, it may be wise to remove some water from the bowl, in case the plunger doesn't work - this prevents overflow when you flush later on, should the plunger fail. Simply put the plunger into the bowl, towards the back where the water leaves the bowl. Pump vigorously 10 times, to try and create a vacuum. This should remove the blockage, and you can flush the toilet to test this. If it hasn't worked, you will have to wait for the toilet to drain again, and repeat the actions with the plunger. If after several tries you cannot clear the blockage, you will probably need to call a plumber.

If the toilet is slow to drain, check your sinks, baths and showers to ensure that all these are draining correctly. If they are not, the blockage is probably in the main drain, in which case a plumber should be called.

Blockages and draining problems are usually caused by something that shouldn't be there, such as a nappy or a sanitary towel, so ensure no-one in your house is placing these items down the toilet. Also, if you have an air freshener which clips onto the bowl, ensure that it is still in place. It may be that the blockage is in the pipework behind the bowl - it may be possible to remove any trapped items by removing the pipe. To do this, place a bowl under the pipe and unscrew the joints holding the pipes together. If the blockage is indeed in this area, it should be easily removed by hand. If not, the blockage is probably in the main drain, and should be removed by a professional.