Toilet not flushing reliably, clogs frequently

[Mastiff]

There is one toilet in our house that simply doesn't flush very well. When flushed it fills very full and then most of the time "catches" and the water sucks down as normal, but sometimes does not. When it doesn't I can wait a minute or two and the level drops and it can be flushed again. Most of the time this is it, but once in a while it requires plunging to get going again. I've plunged the snot out of it, thinking it is some sort of partial clog. Also attempted to snake it, but stopped when I saw I was scratching the porcelain. Any ideas what this could be and how to fix?

 

[FullySprinklered]

Probably got something down in the trapway. If it lets liquids pass, but clogs on solids, you need to go after it.

Put the augur all the way down in the bowl before you start running the cable through. That'll prevent marking up the bowl.

If nothing happens for you, pull the toilet and go in from the bottom and push the obstruction out the way it came in.

Baby spoons, hair dye bottles, toothbrushes, stuffed toys, perhaps an unwanted, well chewed apple, driver's license, bar of soap, cell phone, it goes on and on.

Good luck.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jadnashua]

If it isn't in the toilet itself, it could be an improperly installed drain line (insufficient slope or incorrect slope or a belly or a partial obstruction). The toilet can't flush if the drain line is full or partially already full.

One other thing to check is after a flush and refill, the bowl has the proper level of water. This is probably not the issue, but it doesn't hurt to check. Note the water level in the bowl. Take a bucket and slowly pour water into the bowl. See if, after a delay, the water level rises or returns to the original level. If it rises and stays, that's also a problem that needs to be addressed. To work right, the bowl needs to be properly full before you flush it.