If you are someone unfamiliar with plumbing equipment, it is pretty normal not to know what a toilet siphon is. So, today we will answer the question, what is a toilet siphon, and teach you all that you need to know about them.
Siphons are essential to making a toilet function properly, so it is great to learn more about them if there is an issue with your toilet.
What Is a Toilet Siphon?
The toilet siphon is an essential tube in the toilet which lets liquid move upwards away from the reservoir, and after that, it allows the liquid to travel downwards without the need for a pump.
How Does a Toilet Siphon Work?
When the stopper in the toilet tank is opened, water gushes into the toilet bowl, which gets the siphon to start working.
As a hefty volume of water travels over the curve of the siphon, gravity pulls on it downwards.
A pressure difference is created as the atmospheric pressure lowers in the bend of the siphon due to the longer leg.This results in a higher atmospheric pressure on the other portion of the siphon.
Due to this, all the water is forced to travel over the curve of the siphon, taking the waste out.
It is pretty obvious from the description of this process that the toilet siphon does not need electricity to operate, which is a great convenience, so in case there is a power outage, you will still be able to use your toilet.
How Do You Clean a Toilet Siphon?
Hygiene is one of the most important things to maintain to live a healthy life, and so your toilet must also be always clean. Cleaning your toilet is not sufficient; you have to clean everything, including the toilet siphon.
To clean the toilet siphon, you will need to get a hold of good quality white vinegar, some sturdy duct tape, and a scrubber. Firstly, turn off the water supply and flush your toilet to empty the tank.
Then take your scrubbing brush and get rid of all the built-up junk in the siphons’ ends and the toilet’s rim. After that, you will have to pour plenty of vinegar into the water tank and flush the toilet.
In this way, the vinegar will make its way into the siphons, which means the entire length of the siphon will be clean.
Keep your toilet like this for several hours or overnight, and then turn the water supply on, remove the duct tape seal, and flush to get all the dirt out of the siphons.
After a few flushes, your water should come out clear; that is when you understand that the toilet siphons are free of any gunk.
We also recommend you to read our guide on – how to clean your toilet tank perfectly!
How Do You Fix a Toilet Siphon?
If you face any issues with your toilet siphon, you should first check whether the toilet hook is attached correctly. Another reason why your toilet siphon may not be working is the toilet flap may be torn.
Although toilet siphons can be repaired, we would highly suggest you replace the entire siphon. If you lack plumbing experience, we advise you to call up a professional plumber to do this replacement.
How Do I Know What Size Toilet Siphon I Need?
Before you start replacing your toilet siphon, you will need to know what size toilet siphon you will need. Most toilet siphon sizes are between 7.5 inches and 10.5 inches in height.
To know what size you will need, you will have to measure the height of the existing siphon in your toilet. To measure the height of the siphon, you will have to measure it from the lower end of the bell housing to just the tip of the siphon cap.
Often, stores will sell siphons with their measurements in millimeters, so if you measure the height of your siphon in inches, convert it to millimeters.
If measuring the height of the toilet siphon becomes an issue for you, and you want to play it a bit safe, you could get yourself an adjustable toilet siphon. These adjustable toilet siphons can work for sizes between 7 to 9 inches.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Toilet Siphon?
Although replacing a toilet siphon is a much better option than repairing it, the replacement will not come very easy on your toilet. The cost of the replacement widely depends on how easy or difficult it is to replace the siphon in your toilet.
If you replace it yourself, the cost will be lower, but the chances of a mess being created will be higher.
So, if you get a plumber to do the job for you, the whole replacement will cost you anywhere from 100 to 300 USD.
Are Toilet Siphons Universal?
Most toilets around the world have very similar plumbing and have toilet siphons. Thus, you could say toilet siphons are universal, but some toilets work differently.
Universal toilet siphons are sold in some hardware stores, much like the adjustable siphons that we have mentioned before in the article.
Instead of getting the universal toilet siphon, we would suggest you measure the size of your toilet siphon just to be safe. Besides, the universal siphons do not cater to all toilets, so measuring the siphon is better.
Final Words
A detailed answer to your question, what is a toilet siphon, and more have been given in this article.
Remember to handle all the toilet parts carefully if you are working on your toilet siphons yourself. If you think you need help, don’t hesitate to call a plumber!
