toilet flushes 3 times after the plumber adjusted it

lipwak

Hi,

The plumber came by a few weeks ago to do a few things like replace the valve for the feed into the tank and some other non-related stuff. Since then, the toilet goes through 3 flush cycles, most of the time, when it is flushed. What did he do to change things? Before he came, it would flush once. (This has happened before. Right after he’s been here, it flushes for maybe 3 cycles for awhile and then goes to 1 and stays at that.)

I had a plastic jug in the tank to reduce the amount of water in the tank because the toilet has overflowed too many times. He didn’t like that. Took the jug out and told me to get rid of it. As soon as he was gone, I put it back in…

I also had lowered the setting for how much the tank will fill up, again because the toilet had overflowed too many times. i had things set so that no matter what, it wouldn’t overflow and I didn’t have to worry about that. Now, I worry that with the improved flushing, that I am at risk if things back up again.

I checked the level to see how high it was and it *seems* like it is back to the level I had it set to, meaning that he didn’t readjust things so that it filled higher, but I don’t know for sure. (I looked at the waterline in the tank and it seemed to be filling to the lower one, the one I had set it to.)

So, while I like that it flushes well, I worry that if it does back up, I’m going to have an overflowing bowl. Yes, I know that having a good strong flush makes for less backups and that my having the jug in there and a lower level makes for a less vigorous flush. It's a trade-off I have to make cuz I don't want it to overflow anymore.

Why does it flush 3x per cycle now?

Many thanks for any answers.

Cheers,

John L

Paul48

The flapper is staying open too long. The type of flapper determines if and how it can be adjusted. Does it have a float on the chain?Lowering the water level in the tank is a double-edged sword. It makes it so it won't overflow, but it also makes it flush less, so the next time it probably will clog. Adjust it back to the proper height. Get everything working correctly, and if it still won't flush properly, get a better toilet.

lipwak

Thanks. I watched it and it is staying open all during the 3 flushes. Yes, it is on a chain. (It's a Big Orange #57732)

I wonder why it's doing it now and it didn't before. That doesn't seem like an adjustment that the plumber would make. Is there anything I can do to stop it from doing that, short of replacing it? Work it some?

That worries me. Like you say, it is a double-edged sword. Yes, it flushes better now but if it does back up, it will overflow more, as water will keep coming into the tank.

It's unlikely I can get a different toilet as I am renting and improvements like that are unlikely.

At least I know what is going on now so thank you.

With this "improved" flushing, I'm going to leave the water level at the height it's at now, which does seem to be a little lower than the old full height.

ChrisJ

My guess is you have a 1.6 gallon flush toilet and he installed a flapper meant for an older 3+ gallon flush toilet.

If this is the case, and I bet it is, you need the correct flapper.

My preference so far are the adjustable Fluidmaster ones as it lets me tweak the flush so it slams shut just as the water leaves the bowl. A clean flush, every time, and only one.

Homer and Lowes carry these as well. It has numbers around the flapper part and you rotate the flapper it self to change the setting.

http://www.amazon.com/Fluidmaster-502P21-Universal-Flapper-Microban/dp/B000BVS3H0



That said, I'm a huge fan of Gerber Viper toilets. If you clog one, you did something really seriously wrong. We've had one since 2011 and no one, even kids has clogged it. My Kohler on the other hand...........

lipwak

Interesting. Thanks, Chris J!

Larry Weingarten

Hello: It's a bit of a long shot, but if the incoming water is at too high a pressure/flow, it can unseat the flapper. Try closing down the angle stop so it fills slowly and see it it helps. If not, no harm done!

Yours, Larry

lipwak

How does one close down the angle stop? What is the angle stop? Thanks.

Paul48

The valve that shuts the water off to the toilet.

lipwak

Ah, thanks!

lipwak

The recent problem of it clogging up (before I put paper in it) happened today. I had to snake it out twice! This happened before the plumber came by as well. I had to snake it out then too. Twice in the past month now. At least it didn't overflow this time...

I had turned down the valve to just before the point of it making a difference in hearing it fill. It flushed 3x right after that and then the second test flush only flushed 1 & 1/2...

I have turned the valve a little more open now and it's flushing 3x.

I have resigned myself to snaking it out when it clogs. My landlady isn't going to buy me a new toilet and I don't want the rent raised if she did.

ChrisJ

How's the new flapper?

Having a jug of water in the tank doesn't improve flushes btw.

lipwak

Same old flapper. Yeah, I know the jug doesn't help and probably hurts but I need to be sure the toilet doesn't overflow so anything I can do to lower the level helps. The jug and adjusting the level on the thingee... (It has a screw(s) that can be adjusted to set the height that it shuts off at.) have helped up until recently.

hot_rod

The correct flapper is probabley than 10 bucks. A low price for piece of mind.