Sydney Plumbing Tips: Why Your Toilet Won’t Flush

No one wants to walk into the bathroom and find that someone’s left something behind. It’s disgusting, and incredibly unhygenic. But sometimes it’s not the person’s intentions; sometimes it can be the fault of the plumbing. So how do you get your toilet flushing without having to call every plumber or plumbing contractor in Sydney?

The most common cause of a toilet that won’t flush is that it’s clogged. It’s a pretty simple thing to diagnose as well as fix. A toilet will get clogged if you flush things that aren’t bodily waste or toilet paper – it’s as simple as that. No sanitary products, makeup removers, or paper towels. But if someone in your household does flush something they shouldn’t, you can fix it by getting your trusty plunger. You’ve got two options with the plunger: you can use it to push the blockage through, or you can use it to create some suction to dislodge the stuck item. But not every toilet that won’t flush is clogged, there are definitely a few other reasons for your toilet to fail to do its one job.

Your toilet might not have enough water in the tank, and this can stop it from flushing properly. The right water level is about three centimetres below the lip of the overflow pipe in your cistern. For your water level to dip, it usually means that the water valve has been accidentally turned off, maybe in the process of some other toilet maintenance. All you need to do is turn it back on, make sure your tank fills to the right level, and then flush away.

The rubber flapper valve inside your cistern is what controls how and when your toilet flushes. If it starts to break down, it can often mean your toilet won’t stop flushing, but if it’s damaged in some way, like being bent or warped, it can just as easily stop your toilet from flushing at all. Pop down to your local hardware store, and a new flapper valve won’t cost you very much at all. Then drain your cistern and replace the old flapper valve with the new one. Let your cistern fill up again, and take it for a test flush.