Toilet Repair: Griffin Plumbing Helps You Tame a Tricky Toilet
The toilet. Griffin Plumbing knows that this is a plumbing repair topic no one really likes to discuss. Even more so, this is something no one likes to call a plumber to fix. But, life happens and so do toilet troubles. Here are some signs that it is time to call your favorite Santa Maria plumbers to keep your toilet repair issues from spilling over into serious trouble.
Is your toilet’s flush feeling puny?
Many toilets manufactured between 1994 and 1997, at the start of the water reducing toilet surge, simply do not flush well. There really isn’t anything you can do about it. You just need to replace your toilet.
However, if your toilet was made before or after this time, and is still acting wimpy, you may have a partial clog in the tank lines. The only way to safely clean them is to hire a professional plumber, as the products used can be hazardous to your family’s health and must be modified depending on the type of sewer system you are using.
A starter but not a finisher?
If you flush the toilet and everything seems fine initially, but then just shuts off, it is a good indication that your flapper needs to be replaced. Flappers can wear out over time and become water logged. You can check this by looking inside the tank when you flush and watching the flapper. If it returns to its initially position quickly while not completing a full flush, it means it’s time to replace the flapper. This can be a pretty easy and inexpensive plumbing repair.
Who flushed?
Ever sit in your house and suddenly hear the toilet flush on its own? This is actually a pretty common problem and it means that you have a leak in your toilet tank that is forcing it to refill itself. Time to call your Santa Maria plumbers!
Does your toilet tank whistle a tune with each refill?
This is likely due to a very old toilet setup. The old standard was a ball cock valve with a ball float on the end of a rod. When you flush this kind of toilet, the ball floats higher and begins to slowly close the water fill valve. This can often sound like a high-pitched whistle that gets louder or higher in pitch the closer it gets to closing. If this is the case in your home, it is probably time to upgrade your toilet tank to something a bit quieter and more efficient.
Slow to Flush? Grab a bucket!
A quick way to determine if you have an actual clog in your toilet plumbing or if there is another underlying plumbing repair issue is to grab a bucket. Fill a five-gallon bucket with cold water and then quickly pour the water into your toilet bowl. If you have a clog in your waste line, your toilet will essentially back up, or at least drain very slowly. If you do not have a clog, and there is something else causing the sluggish flush, your toilet will flush itself at full strength. This trick can save you a lot of time and money in extra investigation.
Have more toilet repair questions or concerns? Griffin Plumbing is standing by to resolve any of your plumbing repair woes. Call us today at (805) 934-1949, and let us tame your tricky toilet!
