What Causes a Toilet to Not Fill Up With Water

If you have a toilet that is not filling with water, there is a water access issue that must be addressed. Before checking anything with the mechanisms of the toilet, double-check that your water supply hasn’t been turned off. The supply controls are usually located underneath the tank of the toilet.

When the water is on, but the tank is not filling with water properly, then here are the other issues you’ll want to check inside the tank.

1. Float Ball

The float ball sits above the water in the toilet tank. As water rises, it slows the flow of water inside the tank and eventually shuts off the fill valve. If the float ball is too low, then it can cause water to stop entering the tank prematurely. Give the float arm a bend upward and this will usually solve the issue.

2. Fill Valve

The fill valve takes the water from the supply line to put water into the toilet tank. By raising the height of the fill valve, you can encourage more water to come into the tank. There should be an adjustment screw on the top of the valve. Turn it clockwise to raise the valve. Some valves use cylinders instead of screws – just pinch the cylinder and raise it upward.

3. Flapper Valve

You can tell if the flapper valve is the issue because your toilet will be running. There will be water movement in the bowl at all times. Check to make sure the chain is properly connected to the toilet handle first. Some chains can get pinched or knotted, causing the flapper to remain open. Otherwise, replacing the flapper valve can create the seal you need.

4. Water Pressure

If you’ve checked out everything on your toilet and the mechanisms seem to be working, then you could have a plumbing issue in your home. Older homes can experience corrosion in the pipes that lowers available water pressure. Some older homes may have a slow leak at a plumbing connection that is robbing your toilet of water. In this instance, you may need to hire a professional plumber to resolve your issue.

A toilet not filling up with water can be a frustrating issue. With these fixes, it can be quickly resolved.

Skip to content