What Causes A Slow Draining Toilet? Here’s The Solution!

Do you have a slow draining toilet? A toilet draining slowly can make it difficult to flush. A toilet draining or flushing slowly raises many questions regarding if there is something wrong with it. There are multiple reasons this could be happening.

Common Causes Of A Slow Draining Toilet

There are three common causes for a slow draining toilet. These aren’t the only things that could be the cause, but they are the first things to look out for.

Calcium Buildup

Minerals such as calcium can build up around the jet holes in your toilet. This causes the pressure to lessen and become less powerful.

Low Water Level

Low water level is the most common reason for a slow draining toilet. The water being below the recommended level can cause the toilet to not flush correctly. This will vastly decrease the flushing power of your toilet. More water in the tank allows for more force being used to flush. 

A Clog in The Toilet

Any clogs can cause a slow draining toilet. To test this, pour a large amount of water into your toilet, around a gallon, and see how quickly the water rises. If the water rises quickly, this means you have a clog in your toilet. 

How To Fix A Slow Draining Toilet

Once you’ve found the reason your toilet is clogged, it’s time to fix it! There are many ways to fix the problem, so continue reading to find out how.

Replace cracked toilet bowl

Cracks in your toilet bowl can cause your toilet to leak. These leaks will reduce your water pressure and therefore lead to a slow draining toilet. Sealing agents will not be very beneficial in fixing the problem, so you will have to replace the toilet bowl. You can install this on your own, but the task can be complicated if you’ve never done it before. Call a professional plumber to install a new one for you! 

Unclog toilet with plunger

If your toilet has a clog, just unclog it! Use a flange plunger to unclog your slow draining toilet. The flange plunger is designed to be used in toilets, but you can also use other types of plungers. It might take awhile to unclog it if the clog is bad enough, so be patient. If the plunger just isn’t getting the job done, you may have to try another method.

Unclog with dish soap

Did the plunger not work? You can also use dish soap and hot water to unclog your toilet. Pour some dish soap into your toilet, and wait for about an hour for it to settle and make its way through the drain. After you’ve let it sit, pour a pan of hot water into the tank. Let this sit for another hour. After you’ve waited an hour, try flushing your toilet. If the toilet is still clogged, we recommend calling your local plumber to get the clog out. In this case, there was most likely something flushed down the toilet that wasn’t meant to be flushed.

Remove damaged fill tube

If your fill tube has damage, this could create many problems with your toilet. If the fill tube breaks, your toilet will overflow with water. It can break and unclip from usual wear and tear. Check your fill tube and see if it has damage. If it doesn’t have damage but it’s unclipped, simply clip it back into place. 

Blocked sewer line vent

Your sewer can become clogged from tree branches, dead animals, and large clogs from your toilet that built up over time. Clogs in your sewer will lead to a slow draining toilet. Cleaning this out will most likely require a plumber to fix it. They can do this with either an auger, a hydro jet, or replacing the line. You will only need to replace the line if it has physical damage. 

Remove mineral build up

If there is a build up of minerals around your toilet, clean these with a mineral remover. Apply the cleaner to anywhere there is build up. Let this sit for at least a few minutes. After you’ve let it sit, use a small screw driver or something similar and scrape away at the mineral build up.

Replace broken fill valve

If you have a broken fill valve, you’ll need to replace it. First you need to turn off your water supply to the toilet. Flush the toilet until all of the water is out of the tank. Next, unscrew the water hose from the bottom of the fill valve. Remove the valve and insert the new one. After you secure this into place, reattach the refill tube and the water supply hose.

Final Thoughts

A slow draining toilet can cause a lot of issues in your bathroom. Even if it is still flushing, it’s not good for it to drain slowly. Anytime a toilet is not draining normally, it means there is something wrong. This can eventually lead to it not flushing at all. If these methods didn’t help you fix the problem with your toilet, call your local plumber to access the situation.

Call 1-Tom-Plumber

Don’t hesitate to contact us here or call us at 1-Tom-Plumber (1-866-758-6237) if you need a plumbing service. 1-Tom-Plumber’s certified team of plumbers and drain technicians respond immediately to any emergency plumbing, drain cleaning, or water damage problem. We also handle the excavation of underground water lines and sewer main lines. Our immediate-response team is available every day and night of the year, even on holidays.