This guide will walk you through flushing problems of the American Standard toilet, and how to fix them.
Toilet runs intermittently
A phantom flush is when a toilet runs intermittently and spontaneously fills itself as if it has been flushed. It is characterized by a slightly slow leak of water from the toilet tank to the bowl. A worn-out flapper can cause a toilet to run intermittently.
Solution: Drain the bowl of water. Clean the flapper seat and replace the worn-out flapper with a new one.
Water trickling into the tank
If your toilet makes a hissing sound, there are high chances that the water is not flowing into the overflow tube. The rim of the overflow tube is where the water level should be. If there's a leak, then the water may be above the rim. The float cup could also be stuck, which you would need to adjust.
Solution: You would need to turn the screw that is on the inside of the inlet valve assembly in order for you to have adjusted the float cup.
You may need to replace the fill valve assembly with a new one, in case the float cup is not the problem.
Other reasons for the toilet to run intermittently
Clogging of the fill valve by debris could be a cause for your toilet to run intermittently. The following is how to remove the debris and dirt that causes the clog:
- Shut off the water from the main water supply to your toilet.
- Lift the arm of the fill valve in order to remove the cap of the fill valve assembly. Turn the fill valve counterclockwise, and press it down simultaneously.
- In the area where you have removed the cap and at the top of the fill valve assembly, place a plastic cup upside down. Turn the water supply back slowly—this would eventually clear off all the waste and debris.
- Rinse off the cap thoroughly after you have shut off the water.
- Fit the cap back into its previous position, turn it clockwise, and then turn the water back on
Slow toilet flush
A slow toilet flush is a result of clogged holes that are usually under the bowl’s rim. To clear up the rim’s holes, use a wire to poke through the holes gently. Be careful not to scratch the porcelain of the bowl, and then flush the toilet to clear the holes out.
Dreaded clog
A clogged toilet is a common toilet problem. There are several tools that you can use to unclog your toilet. Toilet plungers, that is the double thrust force-cup plunger, would be the most effective to unclog your toilet. Properly insert the plunger’s bulb inside the toilet bowl and use force to pump it. Flush the toilet by releasing the handle slowly and observe to see if the toilet is unclogged. If it is not, repeat the process until you get the desired results.
For those clogs that are difficult to unclog, use a closet auger: Insert the end of the auger inside the toilet drain hole and twist it, while simultaneously pushing the rotor downward. Be careful with the auger as well, so that you do not scratch the porcelain of the toilet bowl.
Leaky seals
A faulty and loose seal can cause a toilet leak. The ideal solution would be to tighten the seal or to replace it with a new one. The seal that is between the tank and bowl is usually the largest. If this seal breaks, there would be a leak, and water would come out underneath the tank.
Solution: To replace this seal, drain the tank, remove it and then turn it upside down. Remove the seal and simply replace it with a new one. Also, tighten all the mounting nuts and bolts in order to completely stop the leak.