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Common Toilet Problems

You may not always think of your toilet as an important piece of equipment. But you should, because when your toilet has problems that keep it from performing as it should or make it unusable, you will regret it later. If you have any problems with your toilet remember these helpful tips for some common toilet problems that can help get your toilet back up and running.

  1. Trickling water into the toilet bowl – You may periodically hear your toilet begin to refill, as if it had been flushed. If your toilet cuts on and off on its own, or runs occasionally, you may have the problem known as the phantom flush. This problem is more than likely the result of a bad flapper or flapper seat. This is not a difficult fix — it takes about ten minutes and a trip to the hardware store, and if you’re at all handy, you can do it yourself. Otherwise, we would be happy to send someone to take a look at it for you. It’s not always a bad flapper, but that’s the most common problem.
  2. Water Trickling Into the Tank – If you ever hear a hissing sound coming from the toilet, first you will want to check to see whether the float is sticking or if it needs adjusting. Then you should check to make sure the refill tube isn’t inserted too far into the overflow tube. If the problem is not fixed after doing these two things, you may have to replace the ballcock assembly. This is a more complex problem than a leaky flapper, and you will most likely want to call a plumber.
  3. The Bowl Empties Slowly – This problem is usually caused by clogged holes located under the rim. This is usually an easy fix, only requiring a coat hanger or any other curved piece of wire. Use the coat hanger to poke at the holes to clear the debris out the way and unclog the holes. Just remember to not scratch the bowl. In some cases, a vigorous scrubbing with a long handled brush will do the trick.
  4. Clog – This is one of the most common types of toilet problems. A plunger is a very helpful tool for clearing clogs. If this does not help, a call to a plumber will get you fixed right up. It’s not advisable to snake a drain yourself, as it can be a messy process for the inexperienced.
  5. Leaky seals – Most standard toilets have five seals and each of these five seals has the potential to leak and cause problems. These are issues that should be dealt with immediately because the water can rot the floor. It may be difficult to catch, sometimes, as people occasionally mistake the dampness for condensation from the toilet bowl. Condensation is very unlikely to form puddles, however, so any wet spots around your toilet are cause for concern.

So as you can see, toilets can cause a lot of different problems if they are not taken care of. If you are having problems with your toilet but don’t think you can fix the problem yourself call My Plumber today at (844) 294-8999.

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