The toilet is one of those essential, can’t-live-without appliances. A broken toilet, especially if it is the only one in your home, is extremely jarring to your lifestyle, habits, and nighttime bladder. Protect yourself and your plumbing against these common toilet issues with these workaround solutions!
Low Bowl Water
After you flush, the tank water spills into the bowl and deposits a consistent amount of water after each flush. If your water level slowly drops or the water level is cut in half, you have a problem. When this happens there are two possible culprits.
1) The bowl could be cracked. This could happen near the bowl’s piping, the interior colon, or a little further down. You can often trace pools of water behind the toilet or the room below your bathroom.
2) Toilet paper clogs the bowl’s colon. The toilet paper acts as a bridge between the bowl and the drain, slowly depositing the water into the drain. This is called capillary action, and occurs because the adhesive forces between the water and toilet paper are stronger than those in the water itself.
If you are dealing with a difficult clog, call The Eco Plumbers for drain cleaning in Columbus, OH.
My Toilet Flushes Twice
When this happens there is too much water in the tank and by the time the toilet “thinks” the flush has ended, more water is coming. You can adjust how much water is stored in your tank by raising or lowering your tank level.
The Tank Fills Slowly
The shut off valve in the tank might be damaged or closed partway. Occasionally, this is done intentionally during installation to control water flow.
Weird Noises During The Flush
One way to determine whether the ventilation pipe for the toilet is clogged is listening to the sounds made by the flush. If it sounds loud and constricted, like it is creating suction, the vent pipe might be blocked. Depending on the piping in your house, you may hear the same suction noises coming from the bathroom sink. Sometimes the clog is near the surface and easy to remove the blockage.
The Flush is Weak
This is a common, frustrating problem. There are a few reasons that your toilet has begun flushing with less gusto.
1) Many toilets manufactured from 1994 until late 1997 were defective models that were installed everywhere in the country. You can find the date of your model pressed on the inside of your tank. Toilets made during these years were the first generation of the 1.6 gallon toilets, and they will break over time. These models are nearly impossible to fix, so you will need a new toilet.
2) Toilets older than 1994 are more susceptible to the minerals and metals in hard water. Hard water will cause problems in the jets, bowl rim, and even the tank. The buildup will be visible across the holes. The minerals can be scrubbed away or removed chemically with muriatic acid. Simply mix the acid with water in a 1:10 ratio, then slowly pour the liquid into the overflow tube. Be careful to take all the necessary precautions when working with hydrochloric acid, it is a strong acid.
3) Newer toilets may have weak valves or something wrong with the equipment inside the tank. Replacement parts can be purchased at a hardware store. Most are typically very cheap.
If you need any assistance with your plumbing concerns, don’t hesitate to call The Eco Plumbers. We are the professionals you can count on!
