Summary
A toilet trip lever should not need to be held down. Check for a bent trip lever arm (replace with metal if needed), slack in the chain, and proper water level (1/4" below overflow tube) and surface area (around 9"x8").
Answer:
No, it shouldn't be necessary to hold the trip lever down for the duration of the flush. If you find that you're having to hold the trip lever down, this article will provide information on what can be done to correct this.
Below are a few things to check inside your tank if you find that it's not clearing the bowl:
- Over time you may notice bending in the trip lever arm, requiring the lever to be held down to complete the flush. If this bending is significant, we suggest replacing the trip lever with a metal trip lever, if available.
- There should be no slack in the chain from the trip lever to the top of your flush valve.
- Confirm the water level in the tank is set to an appropriate level. For the ideal flush, you'll want the water to fill to 1/4" below the top of the overflow tube.
- The water surface area should measure approximately 9 inches by 8 inches. A smaller surface area may result in a weak flush, requiring the user to hold down the handle for a longer period.