Is Your Toilet Slow to Fill?
If your toilet seems like it’s slow to fill after flushing, you’re not alone. Many homeowners encounter this problem — sometimes even with new toilets! There are a number of reasons why your toilet may be slow to fill.
Though it depends on your home’s water pressure, when everything works properly, most toilet tanks fill in about a minute. For the toilet to work properly, the reservoir in the toilet tank needs to fill to capacity.
If you have low water pressure, your toilet may take a little longer to fill the tank to capacity. Even so, there could be something else going on that is causing your toilet to fill slowly.
To find out why your toilet is filling slowly, there are some potential culprits that might be to blame, which include:
- A waterlogged float ball
- A water supply valve problem
- Fill valve tube issues
These are fairly simple to check and shouldn’t take long for a professional to address. We’ll explore each of these situations in detail below.
The Float Ball is Waterlogged
The float ball controls water that comes into your toilet tank. Depending on the material that yours is made of, it can become waterlogged with age.
If the float ball is waterlogged, it won’t let the tank fill fully and efficiently — instead, it will hang too low. This means that the tank may not be getting the right amount of water or that the water may fill more slowly, as if there was low water pressure.
It is important for the toilet tank to fill back to capacity after each flush. If the tank is only partly full or the ball is not floating near the top of the tank, the float ball may be waterlogged. If this is the problem, a plumber can replace the float ball in short order.
However, you should know that a float ball is considered to be old toilet technology, so if this is the problem, it may be a good idea to discuss replacing your older toilet parts with more modern components or even having a new toilet installed.
Water Supply Valve
A toilet’s water supply valve controls the water flowing into the toilet tank. If it has a problem, it may not deliver the correct amount of water at the proper speed. If it is fully open and not delivering sufficient water at the proper speed to your tank, you may have low water pressure.
The problem could also be that there is build-up or even some debris blocking the water flow. A plumber can tell for sure and remove the build-up or debris, if there is any, without causing a water spill or leak.
Issues with the Fill Valve Tube
If the problem with your slow-filling toilet doesn’t appear to be the float ball or the main valve, it could be the fill valve tube. This valve controls the water level in the tanks.
Over time, fill valves can move out of alignment, wear down, or become clogged, all of which can prevent the water in the tank from filling properly. This can even mimic a low water pressure problem.
The position of the fill value can vary in different toilet models. Because of this, it may be hard to tell where the valve should be in your toilet. However, plumbers are familiar with a wide variety of makes and models of toilets and should know exactly where the fill valve will be on your specific toilet.
The Best Plumbers Near Me
If you still don’t know why your toilet is filling too slowly, and you want to find the best “plumbers near me,” give Stith Plumbing and HVAC a call today. Our licensed professionals are trusted to handle all sorts of plumbing issues, from toilet problems to low water pressure, clogs, and more. We’re here to serve residents in Johnson, AR, Springdale, AR, and Lowell, AR. Give us a call today!