DIY: Clogged Toilets & Leaking Toilets

Toilet Tips in Boise

One of the most important and most used home fixtures is the toilet. Although toilets are a reliable part of the plumbing system in your home. Eventually, all of us have to face some toilet issues.  One of the most common problem regarding toilets is clogging, but obviously, this is not the only one. The good thing is that many toilet-related problems can be fixed by do-it-yourself techniques.  In this article, we will discuss some common toilet problems and will learn to solve them. 

• Clogged Toilet: 

The easiest way to clear a clogged toilet is the use of a plunger, which is sometimes known as a plumber’s friend. If the bowl of the toilet has enough water that can be covered by the rubber suction cup of the plunger, simply place the suction cup over the hole and move its handle up and down. If there is not enough water, do not flush, because you may end with an overflown toilet bowl. You can use any other pan or pot to supply enough water in the bowl. Some clogs are just too stubborn to be cleared with a plunger and may require a local plumber to assist you.     Call Plumbing Solutions of Idaho (208) 947-4033 for all those stubborn clogs which just won’t clear.  

• Common Tank Problems: 

One common toilet tank problem is flow of too little water from the tank to the bowl. What could be the problem, and how can you solve it: 

• You should first check the water level on the tank. Most likely the water level is low. If the water level is below 1 ½ inches to the top of the overflow tube, bend the float arm slightly and let more water come in the tank. 
• If the water level in the tank is normal, and still you have the same problem, then there could be a problem with the flush valve seat. Possibly, the ball is dropping too soon and not letting enough water come out of the tank. This could be because of the guide being set too low. Raise the guide of the toilet, making sure that it is in alignment with the wire. If these two are not aligned properly, the ball will not drop in the seat valve opening, and the water may run continuously in the bowl. 

Replacing the Toilet Seat: 

• Sometimes, your toilet seat has to be changed. This is probably the easiest toilet repairing job that you can do. You can easily find the style of the replacement seat in the market that matches your bathroom’s color scheme. Now days, toilets are available in two different standard sizes, and replacement seats are also available for these two. Once you get the right size of your replacement seat, simply loosen and remove the nuts on the hinge and lift your toilet seat. Sometimes, the nuts can be corroded and you are unable to remove them easily. If this is the case, use a penetrating oil and give it enough time to get soaked. If you can’t access the nut, use a wrench. But make sure that you don’t use too much force, as it damage the bowl or the water tank of your toilet. Toilets are simple and easy to understand mechanisms. You can keep your toilets in running and good condition with just a little maintenance each year.

By Tim Smith

Published: June 11, 2017