Toilet Troubleshooting

Toilets are one of the most wonderful inventions of our time. They rid of waste and keep our houses clean. We can do all of this right in the comfort of our own home. However, toilets have several annoying problems that families experience frequently. If you don’t have a clogged toilet, you might have a toilet that won’t stop running. Toilet problems are endless. To help you identify and correct those toilet problems, I have compiled a troubleshooting list.

Clogged Toilet
A clogged toilet is perhaps the most annoying of all problems. It can be very disgusting and can also get pretty messy. Usually a clogged toilet simply means you have a drain that is blocked. This calls for a plunger. You must always get a tight seal when using a plunger. Then, pump up and down many times. If this doesn’t work right away, try again.

Continually Running Toilet
There are several reasons you could have a running toilet. The most common reasons include: an improperly sealed tank stopper, float ball that is filled with water, or an overflow tube that is cracked. You can fix these problems by replacing the old stopper, float ball, or overflow tube from your local hardware store. Each one of these repairs is extremely simple. A child could perform them.

Tank Sweat
During the summer months, the air around your tank is very warm while the toilet water is fairly cool. This can create tank condensation. If you have vinyl flooring, condensation could ruin it if left untreated. You can easily correct a sweaty tank by installing insulation on your tank. You can find insulation at any local hardware store.

Weak Flush
Perhaps one of the most common household problems for a toilet is an inadequate flush. There are a couple common causes of this problem: the stopper closes before tank has an opportunity to empty, and a defective link between the flush handle and trip lever. To fix the stopper problem, simply open the tank and watch what happens when you flush. Than make the necessary adjustments to the rod and chain. To fix the handle link problem, replace gaskets and tighten up couplings and tank bolts.

Have you ever had houseguests and had to tell them to hold down the flush handle extra long, or giggle it when finished flushing? Toilets have so many problems to deal with. If you know the common remedies for these toilet problems, you will save a lot on your plumbing bill.