4 Common Toilet Troubles

No one wants to realize their toilet is not working correctly. Toilets are a fixture you use every day, but fixing troubles is never fun. However, a dysfunctional toilet can cause extensive damage to your home if not fixed quickly. Here are four common toilet issues and what will need to be done to fix them.

  1. Running toilet. The toilet that keeps running has an issue with the stopper mechanism in the tank. When the tank fills, the stopper should close. If water is still escaping into the bowl, the stopper may not be sealing, or the ballcock float is stuck. These parts can be found at any hardware store if you want to replace them on your own.
  2. Wax ring seal is broken. If you notice a leak around the base of the toilet, it most likely is a broken wax ring. The toilet needs to be reset and sealed to prevent leaks and damage to the floor. This may require the service of a plumber.
  3. Crack in the toilet or base. A cracked toilet usually needs to be replaced. In many cases, you can just replace the tank or base instead of the entire toilet. Contact a plumber and give them the model number of your toilet to determine the type of replacement you will need.
  4. Overflowing toilet. When your toilet is overflowing, you most likely have a clog in the drain. Use a plunger to dislodge the clog. If this does not work, it may be further down in your plumbing and calling a professional is your next move.

While you can fix some toilet issues on your own, it is best to leave the big jobs to a plumber. They can quickly repair the problem and relieve your toilet troubles.

Posted on behalf of:
Metro Septic LLC
1210 N Tennessee St
Cartersville, GA 30120
(404) 973-2471

How to Diagnose a Running Toilet

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.