plumbing problems what would cause the water in the toilet to go low?

Public Comments

1. it would help if you added more to your question. what part of the toilet. makes quite a difference..
2. Check to make sure that the water supply from the fill valve to the overflow tube is properly replenishing the water level in the bowl. Try the idea of a large amount of water with a bucket down the toilet; if the toilet has trouble draining, a clog in the line is most likely the problem. There also could be a hairline crack in the bowl that could cause this, but no showing visible leaks due to the fact that it is leaking within the bowl into the drain.
3. My toilet water level goes low when it is very windy outside!!
4. An obstruction in the trap (the "s" section downstream from the bowl) will cause flushing problems AND cause the bowl level to be low..
5. I presume you mean the level in the bowl is low. Check inside the tank to see that the little tube that diverts water into the overflow has no become disloged and is not putting water into the overflow tube. This is what fills the bowl back up after you flush.
6. If its an outside toilet which you don't use much it might simply be evaporation which would occur in hot weather. If the water level goes so low that its below the bend you are in for an awful stink as the water acts as a barrier to the foul gases in the sewer.
7. Ok, if you "flush" and it fills up....then later you find that its "low" then you have a plugged vent pipe. What happens is, you run the water downstairs in the sink, and basement, and it siphons the water from the toilet, because its trying to draw air from the vent stack...(Remember the staw and the drain? The drain goes faster if you have the straw stuck in it, because its getting air and not vacum packing itself or flooding itself while it tries to drain). Ok, go up on the roof and with a flash light, look down there and see if you can see an obstruction. Ok, now if you dont, then have someone in the basement, over the clean out, (cap on the sewer drain that needs to come off, so you can clean out the sewer, usually on the main trunk line), take it off and when you shine the light down there, have someone stick thier hand or something into it and they should see the light reflecting on it...(its a straight shot down). If not, here is the best method I use... Get some PVC pipe..3/4" (they come in 10 feet sections). Now, get male and female ends to join sections together... Glue them on first, before you take them to the roof. Now, (did I mention you should have a rope too?, well, get one about 50 feet long 1/4 inch), attach the rope to the first piece of pvc pipe..(this is so that if you DROP the thing, you will be able to RETRIEVE IT!), put a few wraps of tape around it to be sure it doesnt slip off! Insert the first piece down, and screw on the next piece...(have the rope tied off, so that you can do this with out holding on to it). lower each section down, until your at the clean out...(you should have hit something by now...thump it hard, until you shove the obstruction downward and outward)... Also, have some one at the clean out...(I would put a clear piece of saran wrap, or plastic wrap over the clean out so the sewer gassed dont come into the house and overcome whom ever is down there!)...When they radio up, (two way radios are nice feature to have), then you will know that your vent it clear. If your afraid of heights, have a Professional do this, as you dont want to fall an injure yourself! I wish you well.. Jesse
8. there is a master trap ot p trap built into the base of your toilet. this trap is used to keep sewer gases from coming into the home. if the toilet bowl is where the water level is dropping it is because the master trap has a crack in it... u will have to replace the toilet bowl to correct this problem.... if the level of water is dropping into the tank... u can replace the ballcock/ fill vavle and flapper to correct this problem.. good luck