Your Toilet Won't Flush? Here are 5 Ways to Fix It!

It’s everyone’s worst nightmare. A toilet that won’t flush can quickly lead to distress and make it difficult for you to enjoy your home. If you don’t have a second toilet to use in the meantime, you might even consider this to be an emergency.

There are many reasons that your toilet might not flush, and many of them can be tackled without a professional. Before you pay for a callout, check if any of the following issues are to blame as you can quickly fix these yourself.

5 ways to fix a toilet that won’t flush

When you’re stuck with a toilet that won’t flush, there are a few steps you can take to remedy the problem quickly. Some of these will just deal with the immediate problem, while others could help to fix the issue more permanently.

Grab a bucket of water

If you’re struggling with a toilet that won’t flush and it has nothing to do with a blockage, you can quickly deal with the immediate problem by grabbing a bucket of water. Pour the water into the toilet bowl to get rid of any leftover waste. This will often make you feel more comfortable about tackling the issue – or calling for help!

Check the water

A common problem that your toilet won’t flush is that the water has been turned off. If you share an external stop tap with your neighbour, ask if they are doing any work that has required them to turn off the water. If this is the case, you’ll just need to wait for the water to be switched back on. You can also check if the water has been switched off in your local area to deal with repairs or leaks.

Open the lid

Next, you’re going to want to take the lid off the top of your toilet. If you see water, this means that the handle mechanism has broken or come loose. There is often a plastic tab that connects the inside mechanism of the handle to the valve that releases the water. See if you can easily reattach this. If this has broken, you will need to call in a professional.

Check the fill valve

If you open the lid and don’t see any water, this could mean that the fill valve is faulty. Try pushing down on the float (the large bulb-like object) and see if this triggers water to start filling into the tank. If the float gets stuck in an upright position, this can prevent the fill valve from opening. Give it a gentle nudge and see if there is anything blocking the float arm. If there is debris build up on the arm, try cleaning this with a toilet bowl cleaner to fix the issue.

Check around the toilet

A crack in the toilet tank could prevent the toilet from flushing. If you have a concealed cistern, this might be less obvious. In this case, you want to turn off the water to your toilet to prevent further water damage. If you allow the filling pipe to continue filling up the tank, this will only end up leaking out of your toilet.

Final thoughts on fixing a toilet that won’t flush

As you can see, there are plenty of solutions you can explore before you call out an expert. But if the issue is related to a worn down component, these solutions will only offer temporary relief. You’ll need to call in an expert plumber to get to the heart of the problem and quickly put things right. Get in touch today if you’re struggling with a toilet that won’t flush.