Toilets That Run Between Flushes

March 18th, 2013 Posted in Toilets
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Sometimes toilet plumbing can cause problems, especially involving water constantly running in the toilet tank after it’s been flushed. A tank that continues to run and either doesn’t or can’t fill up after being flushed is usually caused by a defective flapper, the rubber piece inside of a tank that plugs up the filling hole at the bottom of the tank. The flapper must be in good shape and undamaged so that it can fill up the hole and block further flow, so if it appears to be damaged or malfunctioning in any way, get it replaced.

A toilet tank that does allow water to run and fill up, but which allows water to continue running after being full is usually the fault of the float ball, a contraption attached to a small metal or plastic arm inside of the tank. The ball will rise with the increasing water level, and once it reaches a certain height, a valve is closed which stops more water from getting in. See if you can adjust the ball or arm by hand, or that its replaced if necessary.

Water can sometimes refill the bowl or tank in a slow or sluggish manner. The cause of this problem comes from clogs or blocked refill holes, which are very tiny holes seen under the rim of a toilet bowl. Use a toothpick or water stream to clear them. A clog in the drain of a toilet can cause water backup, and usually requires the use of a plunger to loosen or break up the clog. Make sure you know the number of a trusted local plumber to contact in case of more serious toilet emergencies.

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Clogged Toilet? Skip the Liquid Drain Cleaner

March 13th, 2013 Posted in Toilets
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Few things are as messy and unpleasant for homeowners to deal with as a clogged toilet. If you live in a home with only one bathroom, it can also be a relatively urgent situation. When going to work with a plunger yields no results, you should think twice before reaching for a bottle of commercially-available liquid drain cleaner.

At first blush, liquid drain cleaner might seem like the solution to all of your problems. After all, it’s designed to bust tough clogs in your sink, shower and bathtub drains. What it’s not formulated for, however, is the toilet.

If your toilet isn’t flushing at all, the chemicals in a commercial drain cleaner almost certainly will not be able to reach the blockage. Most clogs form beyond the top of the S-trap, so the drain cleaner will generally sit in the bowl and never come into contact with the clog at all.

Furthermore, most drain cleaners are comprised of caustic lye and other dangerous chemicals, often including sodium hydroxide. When sodium hydroxide comes into contact with water, it reacts by generating extreme heat. Not only can this chemical reaction melt the wax seal between the base of your toilet and the sewer opening, it can also cause hairline stress fractures and cracks in the toilet bowl.

It’s natural to come back to the plunger method when a liquid drain cleaner fails to perform, but doing so increases the risk of skin irritation and injury resulting from contact with these corrosive chemicals as the water in the toilet splashes back onto you. Rather than taking your chances with dangerous and potentially destructive chemicals intended for sink, tub and shower drains, it’s best to call a licensed plumber in your area.

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The Long Term Problem with DIY Plumbing Repairs

February 1st, 2013 Posted in Toilets
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Simple home plumbing maintenance such as clogged toilet repairs or a clearing a stopped up drain can often be handled by most homeowners. However, when it comes to the more major repairs and plumbing fixture installation, do-it-yourself solutions can come back to haunt you in the future.

There are two ways DIY plumbing can negatively impact a homeowner. The first is simply the issue of fixing one problem in a way that may create another one. If you don’t have a full understanding of how your home’s plumbing system is put together and how it works, you may end up fixing a surface problem, while, unknowingly, creating another one that may not show up until weeks or months down the line. Calling a professional plumber in at that point will usually cost you much more than if you’d had a professional take care of the smaller problem in the first place.

The second way the DIY plumbing can create a problem is when it comes time to sell your home. If your DIY plumbing is not fully up to code or doesn’t pass the critical judgment of a home inspector, you may find yourself either losing a potential buyer or having to put additional money into correcting the plumbing before you can finalize the sale.

Don’t risk these issues to save a few dollars or because you ‘think’ you can figure it out yourself. A reliable licensed will make sure it is done correctly the first time. Plus, you’ll learn more by watching him and asking him questions than by using the trial and error method.

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Why Won’t Your Toilet Flush?

January 16th, 2013 Posted in Toilets
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The invention of the indoor toilet has been a wonderful convenience for modern man. However, the toilet or water closet, as it is often called, has one issue that they never worried about with the outhouse and the chamber pot.

Since neither of those antiquated options had a flushing mechanism, you didn’t have the problem that occurs with our modern toilets and changes them from a convenience to a great inconvenience. That inconvenience happens when the water of our ‘water closet’ does not do the work it is intended to do. There are various reasons why a toilet does not flush properly and may need toilet repairs.

  • Toilet handle. Your toilet’s flush handle is connected to the mechanism inside the tank that lifts the plunger off the tank’s drain to allow the water to flow from the tank to the bowl and flush the contents down the drain. Occasionally, the mechanism attached to the toilet handle can break. If this happens, the handle will generally flop without any tension. Lifting the tank cover off will allow you to look inside to see if that is where the problem lies.
  • Flushing mechanism. Even if the mechanism attached to the handle is intact, there may be other problems related to the flushing mechanism which are stopping it from operating properly. Many toilets have a chain that is attached to the plunger that sits in the bottom of the tank. If that chain breaks or becomes detached at either end, then the flush handle will not be able to do it’s work of releasing the plunger. Again, raising the tank cover and looking inside can easily determine if this is the problem.

Should you discover that your flushing mechanism is broken and no longer operating correctly, a call to your local plumber can quickly remedy the situation.

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Common Toilet Repair Issues

December 7th, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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We’re all thankful to have the benefit of indoor toilets rather than the outhouses and chamber pots of our grandparent’s generation. Unfortunately, our modern commodes are not without their problems. It’s no fun when a toilet no longer operates the way it is supposed to. Here are some of the most common toilet repair issues and their potential causes:

  • Won’t flush. When your toilet won’t flush at all, the problem is often either in the handle or the interior flushing mechanism in the water tank of the toilet. The handle of your toilet is connected to a mechanism, often a lever and chain, which lifts the ball cock and allows the water to flow out of the tank and into the bowl. If the handle has broken or the chain has become tangled, detached or broken, the ball cock won’t be lifted and the toilet won’t flush. Sometimes this is a simple DIY repair and other times it will require the purchase of new parts to repair the situation.
     
  • Clogged toilet. This is definitely the worst situation to encounter when it comes to toilet repair. Most times when your toilet bowl will not empty when it is flushed or empties very slowly, that is an indication of a clogged toilet. Your handy ‘plumber’s helper’ or toilet plunger is always the first resort and often all that is needed to dislodge the clog and allow the toilet bowl to drain. If this solution does not work, a foreign object may have been flushed down the toilet that is securely lodged. This may require the assistance of a plumber to determine the problem and dislodge the obstruction.
  • Water keeps running. This problem can be not only annoying, but costly to your utility bills. Just like the toilet that won’t flush. This problem can come from the handle itself or from a number of issues with the flushing mechanism inside the tank. It may take some investigation to determine the cause and correct the situation.
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How to Diagnose a Running Toilet

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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A toilet that runs all of the time can end up being costly for your water bill.  If you have a toilet that runs constantly, you can do a few checks to determine the cause before calling a plumber.  Here are some tricks to help you find out what the problem is so that you can purchase the right parts for toilet repair.

One of the first issues to check is if the flapper is not sealing properly.  The flapper is a partially flat rubber lid that covers the water valve to shut off the flow.  The flapper can lose its seal so that it does not close all of the way.  To find out if this is the problem, use a stick to press down on the flapper.  If the water stops, then the flapper needs to be replaced.

Also, look at the float, which is a large round ball attached to a long arm that rises with the level of water.  Once it gets to a certain position, it triggers the shut-off valve to stop the running water.  If the float does not reach that level, the water will continue to run.  Check the arm to make sure it isn’t bent or corroded to keep it from rising and make sure the ball is not filling with water.

You will need to check the chain that lifts the flapper to empty the tank and drops to let it fill.  If the chain is too short, it will not allow the flapper to close correctly.  A chain that’s too long can get caught under the flapper and cause the toilet to run constantly.

Once the problem is diagnosed, you can call your plumber and let them know the problem so they can bring the correct parts and make the repairs quickly.

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Why You Should Consider a Dual Flush Toilet

November 22nd, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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You may have seen them in public bathrooms or even at someone’s house, but dual flow toilets are still a fairly new sensation.  They are catching on quickly because of the amount of water savings they bring.  They are already quite popular in Europe and other countries, and now the US is getting on board.

Dual flush toilets have two separate mechanisms for flushing.  The first is a half flush used for urine while the full flush gets rid of solid waste and uses more water.  The benefit of using this type of toilet is that it conserves water, which is why it is so popular in countries where water is in short supply.

To choose a dual flow toilet, you will want to check its performance rating, called the Maximum Performance Testing or MaP.  This tells you how well the toilet cleans the bowl with a flush.  You will also want to find one that meets the High Efficiency Toilet standard for the best savings in both water and money.

As with any other toilet, you need to try out different options to find the right height and size to be comfortable.  The popular standard for dual flush toilets on height is the same as regular toilets at 17-19 inches.  Even the shape of the seat can make a difference on your selection whether you prefer the round bowl of elongated for saving space.

Once you select the dual flow toilet you like, you will want to contact your local plumber to install it for you.  Your plumber can do a professional installation and you will be saving water and money in no time.

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No Reason To Avoid Low Flow Toilets

September 21st, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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Since they were first introduced in the early 1990s, low flow toilets have had a hard time shaking the reputation as poor performers to be avoided if at all possible.  To be honest, the poor reputation was well deserved at the time.  Toilet manufacturers were unprepared for government water conservation regulations that took effect in 1994 limiting the maximum amount of water that toilet could use to 1.6 gallons per flush.

Instead of designing new toilets that worked well with only 1.6 gallons of water, most toilet maker simply modified existing designs to reduce the amount of water that would flow out of the tank during each flush.  Unfortunately, most toilets that performed well using 3.4 gallons per flush didn’t flush well when limited to less than half the usual amount of water.  There was not enough water to clear all of the waste out of the bowl and the toilets were prone to frequent clogging.

Fortunately, the performance of low flow toilets has improved considerably since then and there is no reason to avoid low flow toilets any more.  Toilet manufactures have responded to consumer complaints (and declining sales) by redesigning their toilets to operate efficiently using only 1.6 gallons of water.  In fact, some new toilets use even less water and work just as well as standard toilets.

Experience has shown that redesigned low flow toilets flush fully and don’t clog any more frequently than older standard toilets.  Low flow toilet prices start as low as $100 and considering the money you save on water, they can pay for themselves in just a few years.

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Low Flow Toilets Save Water And Money

September 21st, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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Water conservation is important for many reasons.  Not only does reducing water usage conserve fresh water supplies, but it reduces the pressure on water and sewage infrastructure.  As the population increases, your local water authority has to build larger water treatment facilities, more pumping stations, install miles of water and sewer lines, and add more storage capacity.  In addition, by conserving water we can reduce the amount of energy needed for pumping water and for operating water treatment facilities.

On a personal level, water conservation not only reduces your water bill, but can also reduce the amount of energy used for water heating.  If you are on a septic system, lower water usage will help your septic system work better and last longer.

There are many ways we can save on water usage such as turning off the water while shaving or brushing our teeth and catching the water that would otherwise go down the drain while waiting for the shower to warm up and using it for watering plants.  However, an more effective way to save tens of thousands of gallons of water per year without even thinking about it is to replace an older standard toilet with a modern low-flow toilet.

If the toilets in your home date back to before 1992, they most likely use at least twice as much water per flush than modern low flow toilets use.  By replacing these old toilets with low flow toilets you can save about 3,000 gallons of water per person per year.  For a family of four, that’s 12,000 gallons of water!  You will not only conserve water, but depending on water and sewer rates in your area, you could also save $50 to $100 per year on your water bill.

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DIY Toilet Installation Concerns

August 7th, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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Whether installing a new water efficient toilet or replacing a leaky wax ring in an existing toilet, toilet removal and installation is bathroom repair commonly attempted by handy homeowner.  If all goes smoothly, a toilet removal and replacement or reinstallation is pretty straightforward.  However, there are several points in the removal and installation process where things can go terribly wrong and turn a small job into a big one.

If you have any doubt about your mechanical skills or encounter one of these common problems during a toilet replacement, it would be a wise idea to let a reputable local plumber handle the job.

Toilet replacement seems like an easy job:  Turn off the water supply, disconnect the supply hose, unbolt the closet bolts, and lift the toilet out of the opening.  Installation is the reverse.

However, problems can start right from the outset.  Many toilet shutoff valve have not been used in years if not decades.  Closing and re-opening an old, rarely used shutoff valve sometimes causes it to start leaking.  Worse, some shutoff valves are stuck open and it is easy to break or crack the water supply line trying to turn the valve.

A similar problem can arise when trying to disconnect the water supply line to the tank.  This pipe may have been there for so long that it is corroded to the shutoff valve and attempts to remove it can damage the water supply pipe or ruin the supply line.

Finally, it is not uncommon for the closet bolts to be so corroded that they have to be cut off with a hacksaw.  When installing the new toilet, many well meaning homeowners tighten the closet bolts too tight and crack the base of their new toilet.

If you are going to tackle a toilet replacement on your own, pay special attention to these possible pitfalls and call a plumber at the first sign of trouble.

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