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Dulley's Money-Saving Tip #1145

Clean out the flush jet in a toilet

(related Dulley column topic links - 558)

Recently, the toilet in my office did not flush properly. The water in the bowl just swirled around and did not flush well. I ran an toilet auger through the bowl and it all seemed open. I call several plumbers and they all said that they would come out and clean out the drain for about $100. My last call was to an older retired plumber who said that the flush jet was clogged. This is a very common in our area because of hard water and I would not be surprised if the other plumbers knew this too. This jet forces water into the drain to start the flushing action.

To fix this common problem, find the flush jet (a small hole about the size of a finger) in the bottom of the bowl. Poke a stiff wire or ice pick into the hole to clear out any hard water deposits. It takes about 60 seconds to do. Several brands of toilets have the flush jet hidden up inside the drain and it is difficult to get to. Empty the bowl and dump some white vinegar into the overflow tube in the tank. The vinegar will flow down into the bowl and jet area and hopefully loosen hard water deposits.