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Help with toilet bowl not filling/not flushing correctly

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5.2K views 45 replies 9 participants last post by  Homerepairguy  
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#1 ·
Image

I have a brand new toilet...a few months old. It's a Gerber Maxwell, and has a weird fill valve...
So the bowl after flushing has a lower level than it had previously and now barely flushes.
The water level inside the tank is on the line.
Can I adjust the fill valve? Since I can't find the type online can anyone help me?

Thanks,
Cheryl
 
#2 ·
hayley3 said:
View attachment 758266
I have a brand new toilet...a few months old. It's a Gerber Maxwell, and has a weird fill valve...
So the bowl after flushing has a lower level than it had previously and now barely flushes.
The water level inside the tank is on the line.
Can I adjust the fill valve? Since I can't find the type online can anyone help me?

Thanks,
Cheryl
Click to expand...
If the water is at the fill line and fills properly without spraying all over or taking too long to fill the tank, the fill valve is not the issue.

Try adjusting the chain on the flapper. Looks really loose and may not be holding the flapper up long enough to let the water come out properly to flush the bowl. Flapper may only come up an inch or so and go right back down. I've seen this a few times. Usually adjusting the chain fixes it. Do not adjust chain too tight or too loose. You want a little slack but not that much showing in your picture.
 
H
#4 · (Edited)
jmon said:
If the water is at the fill line and fills properly without spraying all over or takes too long to fill, the fill valve is not the issue.

Try adjusting the chain on the flapper. Looks really loose and may not be holding the flapper up long enough to let the water come out properly to flush the bowl. Flapper may only come up an inch or so and go right back down. I've seen this a few times. Usually adjusting the chain fixes it. Do not adjust chain too tight or too loose. You want a little slack but not that much showing in your picture.
Click to expand...
So I noticed the overfill tube has no water in it..would the chain cause that?
 
#10 ·
hayley3 said:
Ok so now the tank is filling up and then slowly empties? In April, I dropped a bar of soap in there....would it not have melted by now?. The flapper is quick but I will try to do a video, I can only upload 10 second videos.
Click to expand...
Where did you drop the soap, in the tank or the bowl? If in the bowl, it's long gone by now. If in the tank it could be causing the issue.
 
#17 ·
The phone uses .mov. You have to edit it to .mp4
hayley3 said:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
youtube.com youtube.com

Okay I had to make a Youtube video so you could see it.
Click to expand...
that will work. The phone uses .mov. you have to edit it to .mp4 to upload to the site.
 
#24 ·
Agree with roger, Got to be a fill valve adjustment. That should do it. let us know if that works.

Sorry about that, I got confused when you say it fills to the correct level after flushing.

Your toilet is brand new. it's got to be something simple.
 
R
#23 ·
hayley3 said:
View attachment 758266
I have a brand new toilet...a few months old. It's a Gerber Maxwell, and has a weird fill valve...
So the bowl after flushing has a lower level than it had previously and now barely flushes.
The water level inside the tank is on the line.
Can I adjust the fill valve? Since I can't find the type online can anyone help me?

Thanks,
Cheryl
Click to expand...
Looks like there is plenty of adjustment left in the float valve. Just turn that screw to raise the water level. As soon as you start turning the screw, you should hear water coming into the tank.
 

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#25 ·
So when I adjust the screw it does nothing. But if I push on the plate beneath it , the water level rises , once I flush the water level goes back to the line in the tank.
I also thought it had to be something simple but it acts like a clog to me...why is the water in the bowl, it's way up there but then eventually goes down after a minute or two.
 
#29 ·
It's not your toilet, you have a clog issue. Try plunging. That usually works unless the clog is further down stream then you'll need a snake. .

Use this type of plunger to make the proper seal.

Image
 
#31 ·
Maybe, I figured the bar of soap would just flush right down the drain.

But that's a Gerber toilet, the trap may be smaller or the bar of soap got lodged in there somehow. So maybe that's the issue. Try plunging, I would think that should do it.
 
#35 ·
Sorry to hear that. Then if your previous toilet did the same thing, it may not be the toilets, you may have a partial clog further down the line.

At least it's draining slowly for now. The toilet auger may not work either, you may need your main line snaked.

Best to call a drain company/plumber who have the equipment to snake the main line first thing Monday morning. weekends and holidays you'll pay more.

Sorry I couldn't help you out any further.

Maybe other members can give you some better advice.
 
#38 ·
Tried pouring a bucket of water into the bowl to see if it flushes that way?

If so, that shows that it just needs more water.

If not, there's an obstruction along the way.

Try pouring multiple buckets of hot water into the bowl without using the flush handle to melt/break up the clog.

I've also seen that putting some Dawn dishwashing detergent can help, too.
 
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#39 ·
RockyMtBeerMan said:
Tried pouring a bucket of water into the bowl to see if it flushes that way?

If so, that shows that it just needs more water.

If not, there's an obstruction along the way.

Try pouring multiple buckets of hot water into the bowl without using the flush handle to melt/break up the clog.

I've also seen that putting some Dawn dishwashing detergent can help, too.
Click to expand...
I tried hot water, some vinegar and baking soda...I just tried 1/4 cup dish soap.. And it's making me nervous because if it was a waste clog that should've fixed it??
Waiting on Home Depot to process my order so i can pick up the auger. I used "pick up" because it was the last one. But they are taking forever.
Plenty of water backs up in the bowl when I flush.
 
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#40 · (Edited)
So I have a resolution. I had the Ridgid auger a long time ago and didn't know how to use it so was skeptical this would work.
So today I bought the same auger and I put it in a little bit and hit a block...I watched a video on Amazon to see how it was done, so I closed my eyes worried I would break something and pushed through it and sure enough that was the clog. I could not believe that it worked! OMG Yay!
I would like to thank everyone for replying and to Jmon for "being there" and offering to help. It means a lot to a woman who is trying to do this alone to have this support, so thank you soooo very much!
 
#45 ·
Side effect of all this is that, due to clog fatigue, I've decided on getting either a highly-recommended Toto or the largest American Standard Champion 4 and that i found out that non-white toilets (almond/bone) are hard to come by...
 
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