The Flushmate toilet, unlike any other gravity-fed toilet, is known for its pressure-assist technology, which harnesses the pressure from the water supply to provide the energy needed to flush. But when a problem like toilet-not-flushing occurs, a huge dilemma is created. If you are experiencing the same, we will provide you with a well-sourced solution and the reason why this is happening.
The reason why your Flushmate toilet is not flushing and the solution to it is as enumerated below:
- Inadequate air pressure or problem with the air draw- adjust the pressure by troubleshooting the actuator and the air valve.
- Improper adjustment of the flush valve cartridge- troubleshoot the air inducer valve and the flush valve cartridge.
- Clog in the inlet screen- remove the object causing the clog.
- Leak in the vacuum breaker - troubleshoot the vacuum breaker.
- Drain line problem- this is a problem that is located in your pipeline. To fix this, use an auger to clear the clog or call a plumber.
- Broken toilet handle - open the toilet tank and troubleshoot the toilet handle.
If you are experiencing the aforementioned, you might want to consider reading throughout this post as we have sourced solutions for a Flushmate toilet that is not flushing, which can surely help you.
Troubleshooting Your Flushmate Toilet That Won't Flush
A Flushmate toilet is an incredible invention that uses pressure to flush and is also known for its high efficiency and promotion of low water consumption. However, just like any other toilet, it can also be prone to damage, such as when it is not flushing properly. Listed below are the possible reasons and the solution to fix it.
There is inadequate air pressure or air drawn in the tank
Flushmate toilets require a specific level of pressure for them to fully function and are designed to push the contents instead of siphoning the waste out of the bowl. When there is inadequate air pressure in the tank, your Flushmate-operated toilet won't flush because there is not enough strength to extract the waste going to the drain line.
Troubleshoot the air inducer valve to adjust the pressure
To troubleshoot the air pressure in the tank as well as the actuator, you should do the following:
- Make sure that the water supply valve is fully open, then turn it off.
- Flush the toilet to relieve the pressure.
- Make sure that the water supply line is disconnected from the Supply shank.
- Remove the air inducer cap and the duckbill valve (from the air inducer cap).
- Rinse any object obstructing the duckbill valve.
- After rinsing, put the duckbill valve back into the air inducer housing.
- Seal the air inducer cap and put it back.
- Reconnect the water supply and check if the toilet is fixed.
Check out this duckbill valve at Amazon.
Check the air inducer if there is sufficient draw
If there is still a problem with the air pressure, you can proceed to check the air inducer to see if there is sufficient draw in the water. You can do this by placing a small amount of water over the whole located on top of the Air inducer cap and flushing the toilet. If you see that the water is drawing in as you flush it, this means that the air inducer is now working properly.
Adjustment problem with the flush valve cartridge
A problem with the flush valve cartridge occurs usually when there is a leak that can be fixed by yourself by replacing and adjusting it. However, when the adjustment made was not in a proper way, this may affect the Flushmate's ability to work properly, thereby making it incapable of flushing.
Troubleshoot the flush valve cartridge
There might be an instance wherein you tried to adjust the flush valve cartridge, and somehow it got damaged, or maybe your cartridge suddenly gave up due to old age. If that is the case, then you can do the following:
- Turn off the water supply and flush the toilet.
- Hold the actuator down until the vessel is completely drained.
- Pour a small amount of water into the cartridge housing area.
- Turn on a water supply and if there is a bubble in the cartridge supply area, then there is a leak.
- Remove the cartridge carefully by hand or using a screw.
- Replace the cartridge or fix it if still possible.
- Turn on the water supply and observe if there are still defects other than the cartridge.
- Reinstall the cartridge by turning it clockwise while pushing down to apply an adequate amount of force.
Check out this Sloan Flushmate flush valve cartridge at Amazon.
There is a clog in the inlet screen
The inlet screen is the one that filters water coming from the water supply going through the inlet before it can go to the Flushmate tank. This is usually located at the bottom of the tank, directly connected to the water supply line. If there is a clog in the inlet screen, this will cause trouble in flushing as there will be no water passing through the tank.
Remove the object causing the clog
You can simply examine if your inlet screen is clogged by inserting any long-pointed object that is available to you, such as a paperclip, into the lower supply shank to loosen the inlet screen. After doing this, you can re-apply the inlet screen by pushing it upward to the supply shank using your finger.
There is a leak in the vacuum breaker
The vacuum breaker serves as a safety tool for the prevention of contaminated toilet water. If you are having trouble with your vacuum breaker, which causes your Flushmate toilet to not flush properly. Most likely than not, there is an insufficient flow of water or air because of a clogged inlet screen located in the lower area of the supply shank.
Troubleshoot the vacuum breaker
If you notice that your toilet is not flushing and the problem lies with the vacuum breaker, then you can do the following to troubleshoot it.
- Shut off your water supply and start to loosen the hose clamps to assure that no excess water is left.
- Locate the vacuum breaker in the Flushmate tank and remove it.
- Clean the vacuum breaker tube and replace the sack to repair the leak.
- Put in the new vacuum breaker and close the tank.
- Turn the water supply back on.
Problem with the plumbing and the drain line
Having a problem with your drain line or plumbing is a common dilemma when it comes to toilets, be it a Flushmate toilet or not. If there is nothing wrong with your Flushmate, but your toilet is still not flushing, then the pipe must be the problem. Problems like this occur when there is a clog or the plumbing.
As seen in the illustration above, there is a lot of reason why clogging exists, a couple of which would be debris build-up or grease deposits.
Check out this insightful post on how to unclog a toilet with a toilet brush.
Clear the clog or call a plumber
If the clogging is worse than you expect, then you should probably resort to calling a plumber. Otherwise, you can opt to do the following to ease or clear the clog and get your Flushmate toilet running again.
- Use a plumbing auger to remove/clear the object causing the clog.
- Use a chemical that can help in dissolving the object causing the clog, such as copper sulfate, Root killer, and citrus cleaner.
- Use a plunger to mitigate clogging.
Check out this Foaming root killer at Amazon.
The toilet handle is broken or loose
If you press your toilet handle, but nothing happens, or you hear an unusual noise from it, then most likely, your toilet handle is disconnected from the flush valve. You don't have to worry when this happens because it can easily be fixed with a simple DIY.
Troubleshoot the toilet handle and check the inside of the tank
You can simply fix the toilet handle by opening the tank and connecting the toilet handle to the flush valve. However, if you think that your flush handle cannot be saved anymore, consider buying a new one that fits with your Flushmate toilet.
Check out this Universal toilet handle at Amazon.
Pros and Cons of a Pressure Assist Toilet Like the Flushmate
As earlier stated, there is a big difference between having pressure-assist toilets such as the Flushmate toilet and a regular gravity-fed toilet. We have sourced below some pros and cons that you might want to consider before buying the toilet that you want.
Pros:
- It has a powerful flush which allows you to save water and energy.
- Most pressure assist toilet clogs less.
- It is proven to be low maintenance which makes it easier to clean.
- It stops toilet tank sweating or condensation, which is common in humid areas.
- It is capable of flushing huge amounts of waste.
Cons:
- This kind of toilet tends to be loud.
- Because pressure assist toilets are quite customized, this makes their materials harder to buy/find.
- It is more expensive than the gravity-fed toilet.
You can check this post on how a running toilet increases electric bills for more insight.
Conclusion
Investing in a Flushmate toilet is a good and practical choice because it saves water and is low maintenance. However, when a problem such as toilet-not-flushing occurs, expect that it will be hard to locate markets where Flushmate tools are available. It's a good thing that you can troubleshoot problems like this by yourself. Simply check for the defective parts as listed above, and follow the steps indicated.