5 Tips For DIY Toilet Repair

 5 Tips For DIY Toilet Repair

For small issues that don’t involve broken pipes or sewer backups, there’s no need to hire a plumber to fix it. The most common issues in plumbing you’ll face involve your toilet. You can save money by avoiding a bill from the plumber and by fixing fixtures that may be adding more to your water bill.

Tips For Repair

DIY toilet repair should be limited to problems that involve the tank and bowl of the toilet. Bigger clogs and plumbing issues should be handled by an expert so you don’t end up making the problem worse. Here are a few tips for repairing common problems that happen with your toilet.

1.  A common problem that people face with their toilet is phantom flushes, where water trickles into the toilet bowl as if someone had flushed it. The issue is almost always the flapper seat or flapper. The quick fix for this problem involves draining the bowl and tank then checking and cleaning the flapper, and replacing it if it’s damaged.
2.  Another problem for many is when water trickles through to the tank. When you hear the sound of a constant hissing noise coming from your bathroom, it’s probably because water is leaking into the tank through the supply line. The solution for this problem usually deals with the inlet-valve (or ballcock) assembly, the refill tube, or the float. You’ll need to check the float to see if it needs adjusting or is getting stuck. If that’s not the case, look over the refill tube to ensure that it only extends ¼” below the toilet’s overflow tube rim. If that’s not the source of your problem then you’ll need to get a new ballcock assembly.
3. The bowl emptying slowly is another common problem you may encounter with your toilet. This is usually caused by blockage found in the holes that are located underneath the brim of the toilet and the siphon jet. You can use a wire coat hanger to remove the debris that’s causing the blockage and use a mirror to see the holes underneath. Use the wire carefully so that you don’t scratch the toilet.
4. By far the most typical issue people run into with their toilets is it becoming clogged. It’s also one of the easier problems to fix. A plunger is the most effective way to clear a clog in most cases. You place the bulb in the bowl and push forcefully before slowly releasing to see if the clog has been cleared. For more difficult clogs, a closet auger is your best bet in clearing the clog. You insert the auger;s end into the bowl and twist the handle as it goes down the drain.
5. There are five seals on a standard toilet that can experience leakage. If any of these seals are leaking the solution is to identify the seal and then tighten or replace it. If you tighten the mounting nuts or the bolts, you might fix the problem. If you need to replace any of the seals, you’ll need to drain the tank and remove it. Then all you need to do is remove the old seal and replace it with a new one.

 The Bottom Line

 Common problems that occur with your toilet can be easily fixed with just a few tricks. When it comes to larger issues with the plumbing around your house, you need to call the experts. You want a plumbing company that you can rely on and you know they know what they’re doing. In the McKinney area, Hackler Plumbing is the company you can trust.