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Water low in new toilet bowl

15 years ago

The old one always seemed sort of low and I just installed a new toilet. I have not yet put the tank on but I fill the bowl with water and a good bit goes down the drain.

I know the trap in a toilet is actually in the toilet so why would a new toilet bowl hold so little? There is no leak on the floor. It just seems like less than all of our others in the house - geeze this is tough DIY work

(No dog jokes, I'm watching it disappear)

Thanks

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Comments (3)

zl700
15 years ago
Welcome to the world of water conserving 1.6 GPM flush toilets.

What you describe is your dissapointment in the water surface (Wet drop zone).

Without much water in the bowl or a pressure assisted flush it can be difficult to keep clean.

Unless it has always been a problem where the bowl is evacuated, usually due to venting issues. You can check this by holding float down and letting the fill tube fill the bowl slowly which will settle at your seal hieght.

Today when buying a new toilet, one must shop the water surface area besides, looks, rough-in, color, handle style, base, trap, and many other items.
brickeyee
15 years ago
Carefully not the water level and pour in another quart of water.
If the level rises more than about 1/2 inch the bowl fill after flushing is low.

You will probably see no change in the level.
Newer toilets use a minimum of trap depth to try and save on water use.
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If you add water to the bowl, does it still go down to that low level, or does the level remain higher? If the latter, then the fill valve and/or flapper valve in the tank needs some adjustment. When the fill valve shuts off after a flush, the water level in the tank should be about 1/2 inch below the overflow tube. Too low, and there's not enough water to do the job. The small tube that goes from the refill valve to the overflow tube should have a good stream coming out of it while the tank is refilling. That is what brings the water level in the bowl to the fill level. When the flush handle is depressed, the flapper should stay open long enough for the flushing water to mostly drain from the tank. This way the time it takes for the tank to refill also gives the bowl enough time to be topped off.
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justnigel
15 years ago
Double-check the level of the floor, front to back. If it's way off, you could be losing some 'wet surface'.

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