Plumbing issues in the bathroom happen all the time. Your preparedness in dealing with the malfunctions goes a long way in limiting the extent of damage that might occur. To help you deal with these issues when they happen, we have listed some of the common toilet problems and how to fix them.
Water leaks/Water on the floor
Water leakages can be very dangerous. When the water spreads on the floor, it could result in a slip and fall accident where a person can be injured severely. The solutions to this problem vary depending on what caused the leakage. You can start by tightening any loose water connections to the tank, followed by insulating the insides of the tank. Next, you should replace the wax ring in the toilet base, before finishing off with tightening the tank bolts. Once you have dealt with all those areas, it is unlikely that you will experience the water on the floor problem again.
Clogging
A clogged toilet is the last thing anyone wants to deal with. Unfortunately, there are times when you have no option but to fix the problem immediately before it gets out of hand. In this case, you will need a ball, flange plunger, or water closet auger. Whichever one you use, the aim is to force the items blocking the water path out of the way. You can push them using the water closet auger, or pump the water with a flange plunger hence forcing the obstructions out of the way.
Loose flush handle
When the flush handle is loose, it is likely the lift wire or lift chain have been disconnected. The simplest solution in this case is to have them reconnected. The other solution involves adjusting handle mounting nut in the tank. Since it has reverse threads, rotating it anticlockwise to tighten the bolt is all you should do.
The toilet runs constantly
A toilet that runs constantly is not only annoying but also leads to an increase in utility bills. To avoid these problems, it is better to have a look at the numerous causes and alongside their solutions. First is that the flush valve may not be sealing. Here, you should inspect the flapper ball or tank ball for replacing any damages. If it is completely worn out, you should have it replaced. Otherwise, good servicing and repair would do just fine.
If the problem is with the diaphragm type ballock or plunger not shutting off completely, you should bend the float arm so that the float ball is immersed a little deeper into the water. The water level may also be too high thus causing the water to run into overflow pipe. Your solution here would be to adjust the water level in the tank.
Most of these solutions are DIY, and wouldn’t need a plumber. Provided you follow the manufacturer’s instructions, everything will run smoothly. After all, you never know when your toilet may decide to start acting up. It could be late in the night, early in the morning, or during a holiday when your chances of finding a plumber are very slim. If you really need a plumber during these period, consider checking out our emergency plumbers for a solution to all plumbing issues you are facing.