Toilet Flushing Problem

[GSD]

Previously our toilet flushed fully with just one push on the handle but now only about half of the cistern empties. This means that you either have flush again straight away, or hold the handle down until it empties fully. However if you hold the handle down the cistern makes a sort of flapping noise when it's fully empty. Otherwise everything seems to be fine.

I do hope that this makes sense but does anyone know what is causing this problem and how to cure it?

 

[chrishutt]

Could be a failing (will get worse) diaphragm on the syphon. If you have a close-coupled WC this can be very tricky to deal with (unless you have a 3 part syphon). A picture of the innards of your cistern might help us to advise you further.

 

[GSD]

Thanks very much for getting back to me but although I do have a digital camera I'm afraid that I don't know how to attach images to this reply.

I'm pretty sure that the toilet and cistern are from the Ideal Standard Tulip range and are about eighteen years old, and having looked at another toilet in the same house the syphon looks pretty standard and has the Ideal Standard logo on it.

Whilst the cistern is not close-coupled to the toilet it is boxed in behind a false wall in the bathroom. Fortunately, however, there is what looks like a removable shelf above the cistern which hopefully will allow me to access it, but I don't know whether I will have enough room to be able to detach the syphon from the bottom of the cistern and the downpipe. If I haven't is there anyway that I can remove or repair the syphon in situ?

 

[Expertboy]

Replace the syphon valve if you know how to do this, if not replace the whole syphon they are only about 10 quid.

 

[JohnD]

If you have to take the old syphon out you may like to consider a Flapper valve. Very quiet and hardy any moving parts to wear out.