Toilet Water Level Drops

[Stuart Brooks]

Anyone have an idea what would cause the water level in a toilet bowl to drop slowly. Just had inspection on a 2006 home with 5 American Standard toilets. One toilet fills to an average height on refill after flushing then the water level slowly drops to just above the flush opening. This occurs all the time according to the current occupant/buyer. I checked the toilet for level. Possibly a venting issue?

[Jim Robinson]

I've seen a loose primer hose cause that problem. If not that, then I would look at the venting.

[A.D. Miller]

A partial clog will do that (personal experience).

FK: It certainly will (another nasty personal experience).:D

[Vern Heiler]

I know this does not relate to your problem but sometimes I have to marvel at the genius of simplicity. Thought you might like to see the toilets I found yesterday. No flapper valve to leak, no "please giggle the handle" sign, no overflow tube.

I would go with the partial clog as best guess.

[Jerry Peck]

I would go with the partial clog, but go even further and state it may be paper stuck in place where the bowl end of the paper is at the level to which the water drops to, below that level the water does not go up the paper and over the trap.

I suspect that is what I had happen not long ago where the bowl water level would drop about halfway over time (maybe an hour). Some good old fashioned plunging a couple of times and it went away. I suspect it was not "partially clogged" as such as there was no reduction in flushing capacity, just the water would drop after re-filling.

Anyway, that plunging solved the problem, so I'm guessing that it was paper and the plunging got the paper unstuck.