Unsticking a Stuck Flushometer Valve



Everyone has seen it, a stuck flushometer valve. You know the lever that makes an industrial toilet flush. The one people flush with their feet because they do not want to touch it. There are two ways the flushometer valve gets stuck. Either the valve is stuck on, causing a rush of water to continually flow into the bowl, causing a whirlpool of water in the toilet, or stuck off. When the valve is stuck off, the toilet does not flush at all. These valves get stuck for a variety of reasons, most of them dealing with the improper use of the valve. Solving the problems with the valve is vital to the proper usage of the toilet, and if it is the only toilet in the bathroom, the stakes just got higher.



Assuming that the flushometer valve is stuck in the on position, there are two things that can be done. One, do nothing and risk a wet bottom while using the toilet. This may not be a bad option, a lot of money is spent on toilets that do just that. The down side is that the water is cold and this leaves you with a wet bottom and only toilet paper to dry it. The water may also get on your pants or skirt, resulting in a host of questions and jokes once done eliminating.

The other thing is to fix the stuck valve. If the valve is stuck in an obvious direction, say down or towards the back, centering the valve will cause the water to stop. This does involve touching the valve though. Grab a handful, but not excessively huge handful of paper towel and grasp the lever. Pull the lever towards the center of the pipe, causing it to lock into place. The tactic failed? Giggle the handle a few times to help the lever situate itself into a locked position. Those handles that have been engaged for a long period of time may not snap in position right away.

Assuming that the flushometer valve is stuck off, there may be a few things that can be done. The first option is to walk away. While eliminating in an empting toilet is possible, eliminating in a full toilet is not so good. This can cause bacteria from others to get on you. The used toilet may also be a full toilet from people who did not wish to attempt to fix the problem and left it for someone else. Did they tell you that you were that someone else? Grab a plunger for safety and get to it.