Does your toilet refuse to stop running? Strange gurgling noise emitting from your toilet bowl? From water leakage to odd noises, toilets can do all sorts of frustrating things.
The good thing is, with a little troubleshooting, there are numerous toilet problems you can solve on your own. Here, the specialists at West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. will go over some of the most prevalent toilet problems, what they mean and whether it’s a plumbing issue you can fix yourself—or, if it is better to call in an expert.
1. Why Does My Toilet Always Run?
If your toilet is constantly running, it is an issue you should fix because it's in all probability also costing you money on your water bill.
A frequent reason for a running toilet is something wrong with the overflow tube. Positioned in the tank in the back of your toilet, an overflow tube removes extra water from the tank into your toilet bowl so the water level in your tank won't get too high and overflow the top of the tank. Occasionally, the issue is that the plastic tube connecting your fill valve to your overflow tube is detached. If that’s the case, you can reach into the tank and reattach them. It also might be your toilet is running due to the fact the overflow tube is isn't tall enough for the water level and needs to be replaced by one that is the appropriate height.
Another reason for a toilet to run could be the flapper--which serves as a plug in the bottom of your tank—is malfunctioning and no longer forms the tight seal required to hold water in the tank. This enables water to seep through or around the damaged flapper and leak out the bottom of your tank into your toilet bowl.
At times, a running toilet is caused by something awry with your toilet float, which is a floating device that maintains the water level in your tank. It does this by shutting off your fill valve when the water level raises the float to a predetermined height. If your float is set too high, this lets the water level to rise too high, and the unwanted water will flow into your overflow tube and down into your toilet bowl.
2. Why Is My Toilet Bubbling?
A gurgling toilet is often caused by a partial clog in your toilet, drain lines, mainline or an obstruction in your sewage vent. If the cause of the issue is a clog in your toilet, you can attempt to correct this by using a plunger or drain snake to release the clog. If this doesn’t work, you can look at where your sewage vent exits your home to ensure it is not blocked by debris that would restrict air flow.
If you've confirmed the problem isn't a clog in the toilet or a vent obstruction, it would be a good idea to call a professional such an expert from West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. to evaluate the problem. As the go-to plumber in West Jefferson, West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. will find out if the issue was caused by a blockage in one of the drain lines carrying toilet water out of your home or the mainline that carries waste water away from your home to the municipal water system.
4. Why Won't My Toilet Flush?
If your toilet is hard to flush, there’s a good chance the problem lies the chain, flapper or the handle. That’s because there’s a chain in the toilet tank that is hooked to the back side of the handle. The other end of the chain is connected to the flapper, which serves as a plug in the bottom of your toilet tank.
The easiest way to figure out why your toilet is hard to flush is to remove the lid, look inside the tank and investigate.
Here’s how the process ought to work anytime you flush a toilet: you push down the handle, which pulls up the chain, then the chain pulls the flapper up and that permits the water to flow out of your tank and into your toilet bowl.
Sometimes a toilet doesn't flush because the chain is stuck on something within the tank, which prevents the chain from yanking up the flapper to let out the water. Or, the chain is too long or becomes detached from either the handle or the flapper. If this happens, free the caught chain or reach in and change it to the appropriate length.
At times flappers can get stuck when they get old or become worn out. Or, there could be something awry with the handle.
5. Why Is There a Leak in My Toilet?
A leaky toilet can be a costly situation, potentially producing water damage in and around your bathroom. Many times, a leaky toilet is caused by a cracked supply line or a crack in the toilet tank. If your toilet tank is overflowing, it may be a malfunction in the toilet float.
Cracked gaskets around the connections on the underside of the tank also can let water to leak out of the toilet, as can a broken toilet flange or wax ring at the base of the toilet where it attaches to the floor. Often, these issues are best fixed by a certified plumber.
6. Why Won't My Toilet Fill With Water?
A toilet not filling with water in many cases traces back to a problem with the fill valve, which is what fills your toilet tank with water. If the tube has failed or is plugged by rust, sediment or mineral buildup, it potentially could not be allowing water into the tank.
Another common cause for your toilet not filling with water is something amiss with the float, which is a device that prompts the fill valve to stop letting water into the tank when the water has risen to the correct level. The fill valve performs this function when the water level lifts the float to a set height. It may be that the float/float assembly needs adjustment so that the water is allowed to reach the correct level. Or, repairing a toilet not filling with water might require adjusting or exchanging the fill valve.