Toilet Giving You Grief? Try These 4 Solutions

Written by  //  February 2, 2015  //  Plumbing  //  Comments Off on Toilet Giving You Grief? Try These 4 Solutions

It’s hard to imagine living without a toilet in your home in today’s modern age, but when your toilet is giving you grief, you will have to turn to other alternatives until the mess is fixed. Luckily, there are some easy fixes when your toilet becomes clogged or even when the water continues to run. As a resourceful homeowner, try these four solutions and see if you can fix your commode with a few very simple adjustments.

1. Fixing a Running Toilet

A running toilet is one that always sounds like it has just been flushed. It sounds this way because there is a problem with the flotation ballcock or arm in the tank where the water is held. It is not only annoying; it can also cost a fortune in water bills. To solve a minor running toilet issue, lift the lid and then lift the floating arm. If the water stops, this means that the water in the tank does not get high enough to allow the water to turn off.

There can be a simple solution. First, inspect the arm to see if it gets caught on anything in the tank. If this is not the problem, unscrew the ballcock and see if water has gotten inside of it. Any damaged balls will need replaced so that the water level can get high enough for the water to stop running.

2. Unclogging a Minor Clog

There are minor clogs, and then there are more stubborn clogs that can be very difficult to tackle. If you have a minor clog, you will need a flange plunger that accommodates the unique shape of the bowl to free up the clog, allowing the water in the bowl to go down the pipes to the main drain. This is an extremely common household problem, but all too often people use the incorrect method to clear the clog.

With your flange plunger, seal the opening of the bowl and be sure the water level covers the plunger head. Flush just once if the level is low and then press down to get suction. Press up and down rapidly while the outlet is sealed until the debris is thrust out. If you have cleared the clog, lift the plunger and it will begin to drain. You may need to repeat the process more than once.

3. Unclogging Stubborn Clogs

Clogs that have made their way to your pipes can be more difficult to clear. If you have made the plunge and you still cannot get the clog clear, you may need to use what professional plumbers call an auger. These tools have an auger bit at the end of them to help break up clogs in your drainage pipe. You can crank it down the pipes by pushing it clockwise until it reaches the debris. If you feel like you’ve cleared the clog, flush. If you cannot clear it on your own, it may be time to call Plugged Piper Drain Service or a plumbing company in your particular area.

4. Cleaning a Sluggish Toilet

A sluggish toilet is one that drains but takes a while to flush. If you have hard water, the problem may not be the plumbing system but mineral deposits in the rinse holes right under the rim of your toilet. Use a mirror to see if these holes that flush water into the bowl are clogged. If they are, remove the deposits with a coat hanger and try to flush.

Toilet problems are nagging ones that must be dealt with. Be sure that you take time to troubleshoot because you may be able to come up with the solution without spending a fortune doing so.

About the Author

View all posts by

Comments are closed.