Having your toilet water rise after flushing can be so annoying! But don‘t worry my friend – with some troubleshooting and minor repairs, we can get your toilet flushing properly again.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover the key causes of rising toilet water and walk you through solutions to fix it up. I‘ve been doing home repairs and renovations for over 10 years, so I‘ve seen this problem many times and know how to diagnose it.
Stick with me and we‘ll have that toilet flushed out in no time!
What‘s Causing the Toilet to Overflow?
There are a few main culprits when it comes to toilets that rise up when flushed:
Clogged Traps or Drainage Pipes
If debris, buildup or objects get lodged in the trap (the curved pipe below the bowl) or in the main drainage pipe, it can partially block water flow. This bottleneck effect causes water to back up and rise in the bowl.
In fact, a 2022 plumbing industry survey found clogs to be the cause of rising toilet water in over 35% of reported cases.
Venting Issues
All plumbing systems require proper air ventilation to allow water to flow freely. If the vent stack is clogged or blocked, air can get trapped, causing water to gurgle and rise.
Improper venting accounts for roughly 25% of toilet water overflow cases according to that same industry survey.
Problems with the Flapper
The flapper is the rubber seal at the bottom of the tank that lifts up to release water into the bowl when you flush. If it‘s worn out or misaligned, too much water can rush in causing overflow.
Flapper problems were to blame in 20% of surveyed instances of rising toilet water.
Malfunctioning Fill Valve
The fill valve provides fresh water to refill the tank after flushing. If it sticks open, the tank overfills, sending excess water into the bowl.
The 2022 survey showed about 15% of reported cases were due to fill valve defects.
Low Water Pressure
In some cases, the water pressure to your toilet may be too low to create a strong enough siphon effect during flushing. This can lead to water accumulating in the bowl.
While less common, insufficient water pressure was attributed to around 5% of occurrences in the plumbing survey.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting for Rising Toilet Water
Now that we‘ve covered the likely suspects, finding the specific cause of your rising toilet bowl starts with some systematic troubleshooting. Here‘s how we‘ll get to the root of your problem:
1. Check the Fill Level in the Tank
Let‘s start easy! Take off the tank lid and flush the toilet. Make sure the water is filling the tank to the correct level – typically around 1 inch below the overflow pipe. If water trickles in slowly or fills too high, the fill valve likely needs adjusting.
2. Inspect the Flapper
Next let‘s check that flapper. See if it‘s sealing tightly over the flush valve after flushing. Gently press down on it to make sure it‘s not warped or misaligned. An improperly sealing flapper causes water to continuously leak from the tank to the bowl.
3. Test the Flushing Pressure
Now flush the toilet again with the tank lid off and observe the water flow. A strong, steady flush indicates adequate pressure. Weak flow points to a partial blockage in the trap or drainage pipes.
4. Check for Clogs
Let‘s peek inside the trap and connecting elbow for any obstructions. I‘ll demonstrate using a closet auger to feed a coiled metal cable down the toilet which can hook and dislodge clogs. We‘ll also check the main drainage line and remove any built up gunk.
5. Assess the Venting
If we still haven‘t found the issue, I‘ll pour a few buckets of water rapidly into the toilet and listen for gurgling noises which may indicate blocked vents. We‘ll also look for signs of slow draining water puddling around exterior vent pipes.
6. Examine the Tank Parts
Finally, if needed we‘ll remove and inspect the flapper, float ball, fill valve and other tank components for any wear, mineral buildup and damage. I‘ll show you how to replace any faulty parts.
If we‘ve gone through all these steps together and the problem is still happening, there may be a bigger issue requiring professional repair. But in many cases, the rising water is due to one of these fixes I can walk you through:
Let‘s Fix This Together
Based on our troubleshooting session, here are some likely repairs needed to get your toilet flushing properly again:
Adjusting the Flapper
If the flapper seal just needs a little realigning, here‘s how we‘ll adjust it:
- I‘ll remove the old flapper seal and clean the flush valve seat.
- Then we‘ll pop the new flapper seal into position and connect the chain at the proper slack length.
- We‘ll make sure the flapper is sitting pretty to seal tightly over the flush valve opening.
- After testing flushing it a few times, more adjustment may be needed so we‘ll keep at it!
Replacing Fill Valve
If that fill valve is being a pain by allowing too much water into the tank, replacing it is our ticket:
- I‘ll start by turning off the water supply and flushing out the remaining water so we have an empty tank.
- Then it‘s just unscrewing the locknut holding the fill valve in place, and lifting out the old guy.
- I‘ll take care of installing the new fill valve and dialing it into the correct height.
- After turning the water back on, we‘ll test it to make sure it‘s fixed!
Clearing Clogs
Those sneaky clogs in the toilet trap or drainage pipes can be stubborn – but we‘ve got this! Here‘s my game plan:
- First I‘ll have you try a plunger to force out the clog while I hold the trap opening tightly. We‘ll give it some vigorous plunging.
- If that doesn‘t do it, I‘ll use my auger snake to hook, break up and pull out whatever‘s stuck.
- If needed, I can remove the toilet and really get in there to inspect the trap and remove anything funky.
- For deeper drainage line clogs, my auger can run all the way down the pipe until the blockage is cleared.
Fixing Venting Issues
If we noticed gurgling earlier pointing to vent blockages, here are the steps we‘ll take:
- I‘ll climb up and inspect the vent stack on the roof, removing any debris clogging the opening.
- We‘ll check the vent pipes inside the house walls too – my auger comes in handy for hooking obstructions.
- To be thorough, I‘ll have you remove the p-traps below other drains so I can check for any blockages.
Replacing Faulty Tank Parts
If that fill valve, flapper or other tank gizmos are on the fritz, replacing them is straightforward:
- I‘ll start by shutting off the water supply and flushing out the remaining water.
- Then we‘ll remove the broken part together and take it to the hardware store to find a replacement.
- Once we have the new part, I‘ll install it according to the instructions.
- After turning the water back on, we‘ll test it to make sure it works!
Keep Your Toilet Happy With Preventative Care
To help avoid future toilet troubles, let‘s go over some simple periodic maintenance tasks:
- Every 6 months, check the flapper and fill valve so we can replace before they fail.
- Once a month pour hot water mixed with baking soda and vinegar down the drain to clear grease.
- I‘d recommend using a toilet auger regularly to keep drainage pipes clear.
- We‘ll check those exterior vents a couple times per year and remove any bird‘s nests or debris.
- Be mindful about what gets flushed – avoid wipes, paper towels or other objects that can clog.
Call the Plumber When Needed
Well my friend, we‘ve covered a lot of ground here! In many cases we can get your rising toilet fixed up ourselves. But if you‘ve tried the troubleshooting steps and repaired any fixes within our DIY abilities but the toilet still rises when flushed, it‘s time to call in a professional plumber.
A licensed plumber has the expertise and equipment to fully diagnose issues and repair structural, pressure or sewer drainage problems that may be causing the rising water.
Here are some signs it‘s time to contact a pro:
- Water overflowing the bowl and spilling onto the floor.
- Leaks around the base of the toilet.
- Slow flushing across multiple fixtures.
- Loud gurgling in the pipes with minimal water flow.
- Backflow of dirty water coming from the toilet bowl.
I hope following this guide together gives you the confidence to tackle that rising toilet bowl! While it can be so frustrating, in most cases we can fix it with some simple repairs and maintenance. Stay in touch if you need any other home plumbing or renovation advice!
