We’ve all had our fair share of toilet problems but that doesn’t mean we should start calling the neighborhood plumber who by the way, charges a lot. Sure, there are things that only he can fix but then again, the four most common problems are actually those that we can fix and won’t really require his services.
The first of these is the forever running toilet. Yes, it can be irritating and can also cause our water bills to rise. Let’s not forget that it’s bad for mother earth as well to be wasting water like that. So, the solution is very simple and quite easy to do. Just open the tank lid and see if the flapper is seated properly on the fill hole to bowl. In case you’re not sure what the flapper is, it’s usually the black or blue rubber gasket that covers the fill hole to bowl. If it is not seated on the fill hole to bowl, simply adjust the chain which is connected to the flush handle by either letting a link out or tightening it. Either way, just make sure that the flapper is properly covering the fill hole to bowl. In some instances that the flapper may be broken, shut the water off and buy a replacement for the flapper. It will only cost about $2.
Related to the previous problem is the flush valve. The flush valve is the cylinder-shaped thing with a large ball that allows the water to stop flowing when the tank is full. Simply trun the water off and drain the tank and after that, you take out the supply line with a vise grip or slip joints. Unscrew the large plastic nut located just below the tank and remove the flush valve. Do the opposite when putting the new flush valve. This will set you back around $20.
For those who have problems with a clogged or overflowing toilet, just have a handy plunger in hand. This will cost you about $3 to $5. In case it doesn’t work, there are other remedies on the internet that uses natural ingredients that are not harmful to the environment.
The last of the usual suspects is the crazy loose toilet seat. Yes, it can be quite uncomfortable but that is not a reason to call the plumber. Remember, there are only two bolts hidden under the lid which can either be made from metal or plastic. If the lid is loose, you can try tightening the bolts with either a flat or a phillips screwdriver, whichever is applicable. In some instances, the toilet seat may already be damaged or worn out. The bolts may also have loose treads. In this case, you can just run down to a local store and buy yourself a toilet set which will probably cost you around $19.
As you can see, these are the common problems that we face at home that don’t require the plumber to come over. It’s also good to try fixing things for us to learn Who knows, maybe next time, the neighbors will be calling you.
I have replaced the toilet tank supply system and discovered that the flapper needs replacement. I have purchased the replacement flapper. Now I have to remove the current system consisting of 2 short sections of tubing connected at a 90 degree angle to each other, under which the flapper is attached. There doesn’t appear to be any way to remove the existing mechanism. I know there must be a way but I haven’t yet discovered it. What is the removal procedure?
@Jim Stephens
It sounds like you are trying to remove the flush valve assembly?? You normally do not need to do this if you are just replacing the flapper. The flapper usually has two “ears” on each side of it which slip over the two “hooks” that protrude on each side of the fill tube. What brand is your toilet? You can email a picture to me and I’ll take a look at it.
I am stuck. I tried to replace the toilet tank flush system, but ran into difficulty trying to connect the water supply line. When trying to remove the underside “plastic” nut, apparently I tightened it and now I can’t get it off, because the interior tank nut apparently tightened down at the same time….I have tried repeatedly to remove this damn nut and can’t. Any suggestions?
Pegi,
Go to any hardware or home store and purchase a pair of Channel Lock style pliers. You don’t need to spend a fortune but don’t buy cheap foreign junk either. The Channel Lock style plier has adjustable ratcheted handles that will allow you properly grip the plastic nut and remove it. Sometimes a second person, if available is helpful to hold the fill valve from inside the tank while you loosen the nut. Just remember that as you’re looking up at the nut from the floor, Righty-Tighty and Lefty-Loosy. In other words, turn the nut to the left or counter clockwise to remove it. If this doesn’t work for you, call a qualified person to assist you.
We have two toilets in the house. Master bathroom flushes fine, however the guest bathroom does not. Water seems to linger in bowl and then eventually goes out. Have tried plunger to no avail. Any ideas or solutions for this??
I have the same problem and on the advice of a plumber bought a liquid product that he said should work. After two applications of this sulfuric acid product my toilet still isnt working properly. I need the same help.
my tolits just start running for no reason. i have changed out the float valves.
coutld it ber the pressure valve coming from the street?
Fred,
Chances are if your toilet just randomly starts running water it means, that you are not getting a good seal around the flush valve. Water is leaking around the flapper and going down the toilet. If you want to test this, simply add a few drops of food coloring into the top of the tank so that the water in the tank is easily seen as a color. If the flapper is leaking, you will notice after a while that the water in your toilet bowl becomes the same color as the water in the tank.
If the colored water does migrate into the bowl, simply purchase a new flapper (usually a Universal works fine) and replace the old one making sure that flush valve rim (the hole that the flapper covers) is smooth and clean.
As far as the problem being a bad pressure valve? Not very likely. All that would do is cause your water pressure in the house to be either higher, or lower depending on what the problem is with the pressure valve.
Your solution may be simpler than you think. Even before running a toilet auger down the bowl to clear the waterway for a blockage, I always try the easiest things first. Remove the tank lid and flush your toilet. Is the flapper just floating for maybe 10 to 15 seconds before seating, allowing the tank to refill? If it is, then what is happening is it is allowing the water to flow out of the internal toilet trap causing it to fill with air. The next time you flush, the air in the trap causes the water in the bowl to not evacuate quickly resulting in what you are describing. To fix this issue, simply redirect the water stream from the small black hose that goes from the fill valve (usually on the left hand side of the tank) into the flush valve (the valve in the middle of the tank) so that the stream hits the side of the tube first rather than blasting straight down to the bottom of the tube.
Method #2 even easier yet, is to turn water supply valve off about 1/4 of the way. This will reduce the water pressure of the stream and usually accomplish the same result. The only negative result of method #2 is that it will also take a little longer to refill the tank.
I have replaced 2 out of 3 of my toilets with the dual flush energy efficient kind. I had the 3rd one in, filled it and flushed to test. I notice a fine trickle out the side of the toilet at the bottom. I took everything apart, checked the wax seal and tried again-same thing. The only difference with this toilet is that the drain instead of dropping straight down, is an angled piece of pipe. I am wondering if the neck on the wax ring is too long and is pressing against the slant pushing it out of place. Have you heard of this happening before??
I have a Toto G -max toilet. How do you make it so the water is lower than the water sipon? My toilet is using water because the level is a little higher than the sipon. thanks..c
At first my toilet wouldn’t flush or drain. Now it wants to flush and drains slowly but it doesn’t have the power to suck anything down. How can i fix this? I’ve tried plunging, I’ve taken the whole toilet off to check the stack pipe, I’ve taken the tank off to check the snake under the bowl and have found nothing clogging the toilet. Please help.
I have plunged and snaked my toilet but it still has no power for sucking down the waste… tried everything need your advise please.
I recently moved into a new home. The toilet in the master bathroom flushes fine except it bubbles up as if it has an air bubble in the line. Thinking that it might be a problem with the vent being plugged or partially plugged I ran a snake down the vent on the outside of the house. I did not find an problem and tried to see if there was any change. There is no change. Any suggestions for me to try?
How do I stop a leak from the bolt tie-down ,tank on top to the stool on bottom, two piece tank. It drips and I don’t want to break the stool again?
I just replaced a leaky flexible hose from the water spigot to the bottom of the tiolet. It sealed well and no leaks. But suddenly the water fill does not shut off when the float rises to the top and stops. The hose that goes to the overlfow tube continues to pump water. At first I thought it was a faulty fill valve, so I replaced it with a new universal fit unit from Home Depot. Initially, it worked (first flush) but on the second flush, again, the water continued to flow into the overflow tube. The float is rising to it’s top limit and I can’t figure out why the water flow doesn’t shut off. Surely, I don’t have ANOTHER faulty fill valve, do I? Good news… I repaired the leak….Bad News…my water bill will be higher because of the continuous water flow. Can you offer any assistance?
The toilet will not completely flush unless you hold the handle down. What part needs to be fixed?
i hear my one toilet drip and every few hours i hear it partially refill–also i’ve noticed the water pressure from the faucest go high then low–could that mean a leak in the pipes–i just received my water bill and there is 123 gal for 30 days last mo was 112 gal for 31 days==any help would be appreciated
rhank yoy
I have a leak around the sides of the toliet. Especially when you flush it and when the bath tub and sink is draining.
Can I fix it and is this more serious that I need to contact a plumber?
Teddy
Hi,
Husband( who is disabled) complaining that toilet does not have enough suction to flush waste matter. It is not clogged and appears to work fine when I use it. Would it help to get a new toilet that has a larger trap diameter on it or what should I do?