How to Repair Toilet Plumbing
Toilet problems are often one household problem for which we are not hesitant to call a professional, but toilet repairs are easy. Toilets have very few parts and when one fails it is easy to track down the issue and put it right. Before starting, look inside the toilet tank for the manufacturer date. Consider replacing the entire toilet if it was made before 1997, says the Ask the Builder website. These low-flow toilets are not built to today's standards and will never work properly. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Unclog toilet plumbing by removing objects such as a towel or toy that may be stuck inside the toilet pipes using a straightened metal clothes hanger. Removal is better than flushing it further down. Use a toilet plunger with a flange to force water down into the clogged toilet once the objects are removed.
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Snake a toilet auger into the toilet if it is still clogged. A toilet auger has a wire tip that breaks apart large clogs. Snake the auger slowly until you reach the clog.
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Inspect the toilet flapper inside the toilet tank if the toilet is flushing on its own. Look for the valve at the bottom of the tank. It is a plastic, humped device that blocks the drain hole. Turn off the water to the toilet by turning the water control valve at the bottom or back of the toilet. Flush the water out of the toilet tank by pulling up on the flapper. Inspect the toilet flapper for breaks or leaks. It should be clean and smooth to the touch. Remove the flapper and replace if not.
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Check the tank float if the toilet continues running after being flushed. Remove the cover to the toilet tank. Raise or lower the tank float, which is a rubber ball, by bending the arm that it sits on. Adjust it until the water stops just below the overflow tube in the middle of the tank.
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References
- Photo Credit Toilet bowl and bidet in a toilet image by terex from Fotolia.com
