Let’s be honest; toilet problems aren’t anyone’s favorite issue to deal with as a homeowner. Whether it’s a slow-flushing toilet or one capable of flushing by itself, we would rather ignore it than try to fix the problem. However, these issues do crop up, and must be dealt with before they lead to bigger plumbing headaches. Many toilet problems are easy and inexpensive to fix on your own, if you know what the problem is and how to address the situation. Here are three of the most common problems and what needs to be done to resolve the issue.
- Slow-flushing toilet. If your toilet is flushing slowly but isn’t clogged, you may have mineral build up in your tank and fixtures. Check to make sure your tank is filling correctly; it the float is corroded, it may be shutting off prematurely. Try cleaning the mineral deposits off your fixtures or replacing them altogether.
- Self-flushing toilet. If the toilet is flushing on its own, most likely water is leaking from the tank into the bowl, causing it to fill and then flush. Put a few drops of food coloring in your tank and wait to see if the colored water leaks into the bowl. If it does, you probably have a leaky flapper valve.
- Clogged toilet. The first and easiest fix for a clogged toilet is to use your plunger to remove the clog. However, if the clog is farther down into your plumbing, you may need a snake to remove it, or a professional plumbing service.
Most toilet fixtures and parts can be found at almost any hardware or home improvement store and are fairly easy to install. If you aren’t handy with tools or just don’t particularly like working on your toilet, your local plumber can always come to the rescue to fix these common problems.
Posted on behalf of:
Bynum & Sons Plumbing, Inc.
2120 McDaniels Bridge Rd SW
Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 736-8283
