You must hear about the flapper if you know some details about the toilet part. The toilet water tank has a small rubber at the bottom, which is used to stop the water from running away from the tank and seal it. This is the flapper, and it prevents water from the tank from flowing down into the bowl area. When you pull the flush chain in your toilet, the flapper lifts, and then water flows freely from the tank to the toilet bowl. Mainly toilet flapper attaches to the toilet flush valve, and this valve is connected with a chain. This chain uses to pull the flapper and act as a lever.
The reason why the toilet overflows:
The overflow issue is just a nightmare for every house owner. There are many issues behind this overflow of the toilet. Like:
The main reason for the overflow in the toilet is the clogging issue. If you use lots of toilet tissue or use the toilet as a garbage bin, you must face this type of overflow after some time.
You must know all your waste dumps into the sewerage system with a drainage pipe. After using the sewer system for a long time, it got filled, and there was no place to hold more waste. This time you also face the issue in the washroom. There is no space in there to save.
If your drainage system attaches to the backyard garden, sometimes the root of the tree causes blockage of the pipeline. If you live in an old home with cast iron or terracotta pipe, you also face this type of issue because this pipe is easily damaged after some time. When it got destroyed, the tree’s roots blocked the area. So when you flush the toilet, the water doesn’t pass the drainage system from the bowl to the septic tank. And you face the overflow issue.
A vertical pipe is used with all your plumbing elements for venting purposes. It gets air into the pipeline to replace the air that reaches down the drain every time you flush. This pipe is located on the roof of the house. If any clog or debris happens, it slows down the draining process. You also notice some unpleasant smells in the washroom. It does not overflow the toilet, but it slows down the process, and after some time, it starts overflowing.
You must know the water tank of the toilet. If any leakage happens, the water does not remain in the tank. It flows down to the bowl without flushing. So after some time, you notice the overflow in the toilet. These are the primary reasons for this overflow issue of the toilet. And if you properly maintain it regularly, you also face fewer issues like this.
Can a damaged flapper cause overflow in the toilet?
So let the main discussion of this article be that damage happens, can not, or can overflow the toilet. And the answer is yes. Because the flapper is used to seal the water into the tank until you pull the chain of flush, when this piece of rubber gets damaged or worn out, it’s unable to hold the water into the tank. This additional water goes down to the drainage pipe—the overflow of the water creates an issue in the overflow tube. When the toilet is working just fine, the water level remains at least ½ inches away from the overflow tube. That means there is a malfunction in the water tank. And it does not only overflow the toilet, and you end up wasting a lot of water at a time, which increases the utility and waste for the environment.
This water leakage happens if the flapper is not set tightly in its place. That man fails to seal the water into the tank and runs from the tank. This piece of rubber mainly got damaged after using it for a long time or choosing the flapper’s wrong size. After using the flapper, the toilet quickly wears out and gets damaged. On the other hand, when you replace the flapper, you need to measure the size of the flapper. So that this easily fits into the place. Otherwise, you end up with a runny toilet.
How to fix this overflow issue caused by the toilet flapper?
Finding the leakage of the water tank is not an easy job. You need to find the main reason when you notice something wrong with the water tank.
Pour a few drops of coloring into the tank and wait for some time. If you notice the color of the toilet bowl doesn’t remain clean (mixed with food color), then there is an issue with the flapper.
You need to change the flapper. Then find the rubber flapper’s exact size and ensure it seals the water into the tank. After that, attach the flapper to the bottom of the water tank. If you cannot do it, you can get help from the plumber. They can quickly help you out.
Conclusion
The issue with flappers in the toilet is severe. But it’s tough to find out at the primary stage. You can follow the rules we discussed above. You just need to maintain the toilet. If you have children at your home, educate them on how to use this. Most of the time, they are the main culprit behind this situation. When you find the flapper issue, try to solve this immediately. This issue wastes a lot of water and adds extra money to your utility bill. So when you learn about this kind of issue, solve it as soon as possible.
Hi, this is Robert Crossan, the owner of this website, has 17 years of experience in the installation, maintenance, and repair of toilets and plumbing systems. After completing the Level 2 Basic Plumbing course in 2005, I started working in both domestic and commercial buildings as a professional plumber. So I can figure out the core difference between different toilet models and brands. It also helped me monitor their work performance and setbacks.