Your Kohler toilet will give you a more extended honeymoon period and many years of excellent service. Still, like every other toilet, you will eventually deal with issues brought on by wear and tear, bringing us to today’s topic, Kohler toilet flush problems and how to troubleshoot them.
Kohler toilet flush problems can result from lift chain or flapper issues, low water levels, clogs in the drain line, jet, or trapway, and a damaged toilet handle. In addition, the flush valve might also be malfunctioning.
The last thing you want is a toilet that will struggle or fail in draining your waste after using it. Therefore, get ahead of the issue the moment you notice flushing problems in your Kohler toilet.
Kohler Toilet Flush Problems (Reasons & Fixes)
Below is a summary of the various reasons your Kohler toilet is exhibiting flush problems and how to fix them.
| Reasons | Recommended Fix | |
| 1. | Low water height | Turn the adjustment screw clockwise to increase the water level. Also, replace your toilet’s fill valve. |
| 2. | Clogging | Unclog the drain line, jet, or trapway |
| 3. | A damaged toilet handle | Tighten the handle or replace it |
| 4. | A faulty flush valve | Clean your toilet with safe cleaning products. Replace a worn-out flush valve |
| 5. | Disconnected or long chain | Reconnect your toilet chain to the right hole for proper slackness |
1. Low Water Height In The Tank
Your Kohler toilet requires sufficient water to flush all your waste, which means having the proper water height in your tank. The adjustable float controls your tank’s water level.
Your toilet will deliver a weak flush if the float is too low or has a faulty fill valve. Fortunately, you can quickly solve these problems without calling an experienced plumber.
Fix
You need to have your Kohler toilet tank’s water level an inch under the overflow pipe. Here’s what to do to raise the tank’s water level to the correct height.
- Turn the float’s screw clockwise.
- Inspect and replace the fill valve if it’s worn out.
2. Clogging
Your toilet will clog in different areas, including the trapway, drain line, and jet if you keep flushing items you shouldn’t like menstrual products, baby wipes, and condoms. Clogs will cause your toilet flushing capabilities to be useless or inefficient.
This is an issue you will likely face with a dual-flush toilet. While the solid waste flush utilizes the standard amount of water, flushing liquid waste uses less water which can cause the pipes to stagnate if they were not made for this system.
Clogging is an issue you should monitor in a dual-flush toilet that isn’t in constant use, like the basement or guest bathroom toilet.
Fix
Restore your toilet’s flush and have it running again by clearing the clogs using a plunger. Alternatively, you can pour hot water, baking powder and vinegar, dish soap, or different lubricants down the bowl into the drain pipes.
Moreover, you can create a makeshift drain snake using a hanger which you will then push it into the toilet drain and then dig to clear out the debris. However, make sure you remove the water in the bowl beforehand.
3. A Broken Or Loose Toilet Handle
Consider yourself lucky if the cause of your toilet flush problems is a loose or damaged handle because this is an issue you can fix without much fuss. Unlike other toilet problems, fixing the handle doesn’t entail handling the house’s pipes or plumbing, but your hands will get wet.
A loose handle is annoying and deprives you of your toilet’s full flushing power. In addition, it means the plunger won’t open fully; hence you will not get a functional and full flush.
Breaking the handle rarely happens but will affect the flush mechanism should it occur. Luckily, the issues can be fixed without interfering with most toilet parts.
Fix
- Take out the toilet lid and examine the handle.
- Free the lever with your hands if it’s snagged to another inner part of your Kohler toilet.
- Turn off the shut-off valve, empty the tank, and check if the handle nut came loose. If it did, tighten it with an adjustable wrench. However, don’t overtighten it to avoid damaging the porcelain and creating more significant problems.
- If the handle is broken, loosen the nut to remove the damaged handle, pop it out from outside, and remove the chain joining the flapper and the handle. Next, put in the new lever and handle. Finally, the chain goes in; adjust it well to achieve the proper slack.
- Turn the shut-off valve back on, then test the new handle. Your job is complete if everything functions as intended.
- If the flush is still lacking, adjust the chain.
4. A Faulty Flush Valve
A flush valve is a tiny rubber piece whose top has a handle that lets the water flow from the toilet tank to the bowl when pulled down. This component can wear out and lose the ability to seal well, causing your toilet not to flush properly or leak.
In addition, the flush will be non-existent or weak if the flush valve isn’t seated correctly.
Fix
To fix an improperly seated flush valve, remove the canister and then reattach it. This is a pretty straightforward job, but you will need to remove the lid to access it.
Replace the flush valve if it’s damaged. However, ensure you buy a quality Kohler flush valve (View on Amazon)
5. Disconnected Or Long Chain
Your Kohler toilet may also exhibit flushing problems because the chain is disconnected or too long. Such a chain will make the handle loose causing the toilet not to flush properly or not at all.
Fix
- Reconnect the chain if disconnected.
- Connect the chain’s end to a higher hole if it’s too long. Keep adjusting the chain as necessary until you attain the right slack.
Kohler Toilet Won’t Flush (And How To Troubleshoot It)
Below is what you should do if you discover your Kohler toilet will not flush:
- Ensure the trip lever chain is connected to the handle. If necessary, reconnect it to the flush valve or trip lever.
- Examine if the trip lever has excess slack. You can remove slack by removing a few chain links.
- Make sure the trip lever arm is parallel to the tank’s top.
- Make sure the trip arm bracket is vertically positioned with the bottom of the tank and fits flat against the tank wall’s interior.
Kohler Toilet Doesn’t Flush Completely.
- Check for excessive slack in the trip lever chain.
- Ensure the rod of a Kohler dual-flush toilet is the correct length.
- Confirm that the toilet hose is correctly joined to the canister top.
- Make sure the water level is at the marked waterline.
- Examine the rim hole for dirt and debris. Clean them if necessary.
- Ensure there are no obstructions in the waste line, jet, or trapway.
FAQs
1. How Do I Make My Kohler Toilet Flush Longer?
You can make your Kohler toilet flush longer by adjusting the chain to have the right slack and ensuring the canister valve or flapper seals properly.
This will make sure the flapper or canister flush valve lifts high enough, increasing the dropping time and thus providing enough water to flush the waste.
2. Why Does My Kohler Toilet Not Flush?
Your Kohler toilet isn’t flushing because it’s clogged, has a faulty flush valve, the chain is too long or disconnected, the handle is broken or loose, or the water level is too low.
Final Remarks
Kohler toilet flush problems shouldn’t drive you into panic mode because you can easily repair the issue. However, when doing a DIY project to fix flushing problems, ensure you practice safety above all else.
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