The Water Level in My Toilet Is Too High

When you notice the water level in your toilet bowl or tank sits higher than normal, the high water level may be an indication of a bigger problem with the toilet. Several possible problems, all of which you can solve yourself, can cause high water levels in your toilet as well as other complications.

If the water level in your toilet's bowl sits higher than normal, the cause may be a partial or complete clog in the toilet's drain. By pouring a large bucket of water rapidly into the toilet bowl, you can determine if the toilet has a clog or not. If the water drains normally, the toilet does not have a clog. If the water does not drain and you have to stop pouring to avoid over-filling the bowl, the toilet has a clog that you need to remove.

Even though you poured water in the toilet's bowl and the water drained, if the toilet does not drain quickly and completely, your toilet trap likely has a partial clog. The trap is the curving section of the drain that sits just below the toilet's bowl. When the water level rises to a certain point in the bowl, the water will spill over the top of the trap and flow down the toilet's drain. A partial clog in the trap will keep the water from spilling over into the main drain as easily, keeping more water in the bowl than normal. Plunging or even using a toilet auger will clear the partial clog.

When the water level in your toilet's tank sits too high, it will regularly splash over the opening in the vertical pipe in the tank, called the overflow tube. The overflow tube keeps the water from spilling out of the top of the toilet's tank, draining the water into the toilet's bowl as it comes down the overflow tube. The water level in your tank should sit about an inch below the overflow tube, keeping the water from spilling into the overflow tube unnecessarily. You can lower the water level in the toilet by changing the level of the black float. If your float sits on the end of a metal rod, bend the end of the rod down. If your float travels up and down on a metal rod, turn the screw on the top of the float so the float travels down.

Changing the water level in your toilet will affect the toilet's flushing power. With less water in the toilet's tank, your toilet will flush with less power. Lowering the water level too much in the toilet's tank will lead to more clogs in your toilet. If you intend to save on water, keeping the water level so low that your toilet clogs can lead to more flushing which will negate any water savings. Dual flush toilets offer a way to choose how much water you use with each flush, without risking clogging your toilet on a regular basis.