# Low water in Toilet Bowl



## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

Just curious if there is an adjustment using the apparatus in the toilet tank to make the water level in the toilet bowl come up.

The water level in bowl is shallow and is barely above the hole that the water flows into when you flush the toilet.

Sometimes when the toilet in the other bathroom is flushed, it causes the toilet with low water level to gurgle which mkes my wife think something is wrong

So, since it's abnormal for the water level in the toilet bowl to be so low (when comparing to other toilets) any thoughts on how to fix this would be appreciated.

Note... in the tank it does have updated kit installed in the tank like you see in the plumbing stores that replaces the old style (it's an older house)


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

OK, so I was able to set the black plastic float in the tank to where it comes ujp higher... and in doing so, water overflows into the pipe causing more water to come in to the bowl

Is this all I need to do, or do I need to be considering doing something different?


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## Snoonyb (Nov 2, 2017)

Just keep playing with the adjustment.


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## nealtw (Nov 2, 2017)

Plastic tube that adds water to the over flow tube is what tops up the water in the bowl.


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

OK, thanks!

I've tinkered with the adjustment and I now have more water coming into the bowl so this should fix it I'd think.


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## Sparky617 (Nov 2, 2017)

You want the water to stop below the overflow tube or the water will be running all the time.


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

On my setup, the black float comes all he way up and turns off the water.

I adjusted it so the float would come up higher which allowed water to flow in to the tube which put more water in the bowl which is what I was wanting.

But, so far the water does not continue to run cause the float turns off the water when it comes all the way up.


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## nealtw (Nov 2, 2017)

That's not good. I will try this again, I just borrowed it from google.
While the tank is refilling a small amount of water is also going from the Fill Valve through the Refill Tube into the Overflow Tube. The Overflow Tube empties directly into the toilet bowl. ... If it weren't for the Refill Tube there would be only a small amount of water in the bottom of the bowl.

Picture at this site.
http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/ToiletFlush.htm


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

Before I made any adjustments at all... there was so little water in the bowl it was just above the hole where water comes from when you flush it down at the lowest part of the bowl.

What happened was when my wife would flush the toilet in the other bathroom it was making a gurgling sound in the bathroom of the toilet that had the low water.

The other toilet had plenty of water in the bowel as do most residential toilets I've ever seen.  I don't recall seeing too many toilets that barely have any water in the bowl.

If adjusting the float higher to make more water go in the bowl is not the right way to fix this situation... what is?




.


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## nealtw (Nov 2, 2017)

Krich said:


> Before I made any adjustments at all... there was so little water in the bowl it was just above the hole where water comes from when you flush it down at the lowest part of the bowl.
> 
> What happened was when my wife would flush the toilet in the other bathroom it was making a gurgling sound in the bathroom of the toilet that had the low water.
> 
> ...


The overflow is a safety in case the valve doesn't close. So that aint it. If the water is coming out of that little tube and is going down the overflow then I thing the toilet is working right. 

If the toilet is working right we look at the venting as if there is no air behind water the water will siphon the water out of a trap somewhere.  I would suspect a plugged vent. You might want to run water down from the top on the roof and have someone watch that the tub doesn't fill up


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

OK, I have noticed movement in the water when we have high winds... which was why I was thinking the vent may be OK


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## nealtw (Nov 2, 2017)

Krich said:


> OK, I have noticed movement in the water when we have high winds... which was why I was thinking the vent may be OK



[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTJVn3vso8k[/ame]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOvSDqmyS_U[/ame]


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

OK, that makes sense... I'll get up there with my water hose and blow it out and move whatever might be obstructing the vent on down the line.


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## nealtw (Nov 2, 2017)

Krich said:


> OK, that makes sense... I'll get up there with my water hose and blow it out and move whatever might be obstructing the vent on down the line.



Do not fall off the roof.


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## Snoonyb (Nov 2, 2017)

Adjust the float so that the water shuts off just below the top of the overflow tube, then flush the toilet. the toilet bowl and tank should then fill to the standards for the praticular fixture you have.


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

> Do not fall off the roof.



Now that's definitely some good advice! 





> Adjust the float so that the water shuts off just below the top of the overflow tube, then flush the toilet. the toilet bowl and tank should then fill to the standards for the praticular fixture you have.



That's what was not happening... I had to adjust the float up so some water would run in to the overflow just to get a little more water in to the bowl.

So, maybe the vent is clogged... I'll get my hose with the high pressure nozzle stuck down there and then get someone to turn it on and hopefully blow out the soot.

And yes, I'll have somebody toilet side to keep an eye on things to let me know if water is coming out anywhere so I need to turn the water off.

Maybe I'll wait until someone is sitting on the toilet to do this


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## Snoonyb (Nov 2, 2017)

"*That's what was not happening... I had to adjust the float up so some water would run in to the overflow just to get a little more water in to the bowl.*"

The bowl is designed to fill to the level of the trap.

Simply running water into the bowl only tells you the approximate height of the lip of the trap.

Some modern WC have an inherently lower trap height and a lower water level in the bowl.

After you adjust, flush to insure your adjustment worked.


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## Krich (Nov 2, 2017)

> After you adjust, flush to insure your adjustment worked.



Actually it's working just fine now after I adjusted the float to be higher so water goes in to the overflow which resulted in a higher water level in the bowl.

And, yes I not only tested it but have been using it all day and it's working just fine.:thbup:

But, I'm still gonna get up on he roof and blow out the vent with the water hose and see if that helps at all since it's not normal for the water level to have been so low in the first place.


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## nealtw (Nov 2, 2017)

The normal full height in the bowl  is the level of the level of the trap. So if you slow put some in with a bucket it will end up at the perfect level.

Are you  sure the flapper is not getting hung up and is closing to late. Or to soon.


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## Snoonyb (Nov 3, 2017)

Krich said:


> Actually it's working just fine now after I adjusted the float to be higher so water goes in to the overflow which resulted in a higher water level in the bowl.
> 
> And, yes I not only tested it but have been using it all day and it's working just fine.:thbup:
> 
> But, I'm still gonna get up on he roof and blow out the vent with the water hose and see if that helps at all since it's not normal for the water level to have been so low in the first place.



I would not have suspected the vent, because the symptoms were for miss adjustment, where a problem with the vent would result in an incomplete flush, retaining waste and water in the bowl.


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## Krich (Nov 3, 2017)

> So if you slow put some in with a bucket it will end up at the perfect level.



I really wouldn't want to have to put water in a bucket to pour in the bowl every time I use the toilet.... if I do that, they'll start calling me Bucket Boy :down:

I have it at a normal level in the bowl now after tweaking the height of the float.





> where a problem with the vent would result in an incomplete flush, retaining waste and water in the bowl



I actually have to hold the handle down so the flush will complete (which is working OK since I don't mind doing that), so I still need to make sure the vent is not obstructed


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## Snoonyb (Nov 3, 2017)

*"I actually have to hold the handle down so the flush will complete (which is working OK since I don't mind doing that), so I still need to make sure the vent is not obstructed"*

That's actually not a symptom of an obstructed vent.

It is however, an operating condition of a low flush appliance, where the WC is designed to complete a flush using a small amount of water. If you listen carefully, by holding the flush lever down the WC actually flushes twice.


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## Krich (Nov 3, 2017)

Well, it's malfunctioning because most times it does not flush at all unless I hold the handle down.

If I do not hold the handle down, then a little more water comes in to the bowl and it does not actually flush.

I need to find one of those old sckool large tanks to put on there so a large amount of water can flow when it flushes and get away from this low flush garbage.


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## nealtw (Nov 3, 2017)

Krich said:


> Well, it's malfunctioning because most times it does not flush at all unless I hold the handle down.
> 
> If I do not hold the handle down, then a little more water comes in to the bowl and it does not actually flush.
> 
> I need to find one of those old sckool large tanks to put on there so a large amount of water can flow when it flushes and get away from this low flush garbage.



Unless it is a very old unit the low flush should not effect it. They work fine now.


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## Snoonyb (Nov 3, 2017)

There is another possibility.

It's rare, but there could be a calcium buildup in the trap which is also a symptom that you are describing, and the simplest cure for that is to replace the fixture.


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## Krich (Nov 3, 2017)

> Unless it is a very old unit the low flush should not effect it. They work fine now.



When it starts gurgling due to the toilet in the other bathroom being flushed... something is not working right.   

The fixture is not that old as it was changed out a few years back, so it's a modern day fixture and not one of ones from the 1930s or anything.


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## nealtw (Nov 3, 2017)

Krich said:


> When it starts gurgling due to the toilet in the other bathroom being flushed... something is not working right.
> 
> The fixture is not that old as it was changed out a few years back, so it's a modern day fixture and not one of ones from the 1930s or anything.



I think gurgle is a venting problem.


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## tuffy (Nov 4, 2017)

The only time ours gurgles and has low water level is when our main sewer line is plugged.


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## frodo (Nov 6, 2017)

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## slownsteady (Nov 6, 2017)

Frodo is watching.......he'll let all you guys go for a while. Then he'll swoop in like Batman and solve this.


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## zepper (Nov 9, 2017)

Wow, there's so much to learn about this, there should be a degree in Toiletology.

I've often wondered if it'd be possible to raise the water level in our bowls. In their great wisdom, the designers of our artsy-craftsy dual-flush Caroma toilets decided to make the water level so low, leaving so much of the bowl exposed, that&#8212;how can I put this delicately&#8212;_reminders_ are often left that the last user was a tad off-center. 

We considered putting a little card on each tank asking guests to check after doing their duty, but my wife decided that'd be tacky.

I know you're discussing an older toilet here, but maybe we could work in a newer one with the same goal?

(It's also beyond me why anyone would include the word "aroma" in a toilet brand.)


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## slownsteady (Nov 9, 2017)

:agree: Well that about sums it up...LOL


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## pbesong (Nov 16, 2017)

Could be that you're flapper isn't staying open long enough. If it closes say when the tank is only half emptied, the water will shut off before the bowl fills back up.


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## nealtw (Nov 16, 2017)

pbesong said:


> Could be that you're flapper isn't staying open long enough. If it closes say when the tank is only half emptied, the water will shut off before the bowl fills back up.



That is what the little tube is putting water in the over flow for..


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