Despite regular maintenance, clogged toilets can prop up any time, especially at the most inappropriate occasions. Undeniably, toilet clogs are horrible. No one would enjoy looking at the overflowing clogged toilet early in the morning.
But with little information, you can equip yourself for handling the most common toilet clog problems. Here are a few toilet problems that you can tackle all by yourself.
Ghost flushes
Signs: Sometimes water may be slowly leaking from the fill tank into the toilet bowl, without anyone even realizing it. This is sometimes referred to as ghost or phantom flush. The fill tank may be flushing and refilling all the time, causing huge wastage of water. If you are vigilant enough, you may notice the constant dripping sound and a thin trickle of water in the water bowl. That’s your cue!
Cause: Ghost flushes are usually caused by a poorly functioning fill valve in the tank.
Solution: You need to access the parts of the fill tank and tighten the flapper to hold the valve shut firmly. If you notice that the valve seat or gasket is broken, you will need to replace the particular part.
Toilet bowl doesn’t level up
Signs: The toilet bowl is supposed to retain water at a certain level. This is usually maintained by a steady air pressure in the plumbing pipes, and with a regular supply from the fill tank. But sometimes, the water level in the toilet bowl may become noticeably low. This is a definite cause of concern.
Causes: There may be several reasons for the low level in the toilet bowl. A common cause may be some fault with the water fill tank. Issues with the sewer vent line that opens at the roof of your house.
Solutions: First, you should check the fill tank if the fill tube and fill valve are functioning properly. The fill tube is a plastic tube inside the fill tank which allows refill to the tank. The fill tube might have become disconnected or worn off. Similarly, the valve may have gone out of alignment.
If all is well with the fill tank, then there is a high chance that the problem is coming from a blocked plumbing vent. You can use a drain snake to clean the vent and restore air pressure in the plumbing vent.
Leaking toilet
Signs: There can be unexplained puddles of water which can go unnoticed for days. It is important to pay special attention to the base of the toilet. You may notice the water leaking from there. If the leak has been persisting for days, there may already be some stains on the bathroom floor
Cause: This may be due to cracks in the toilet or due to the sealant at the toilet’s base having worn out.
Solution: You can try to fix the problem by applying some plumbing putty at the base, or using filler compounds to fill in the cracks. Both items are easily available at any hardware store. But remember, these are only temporary solutions. Eventually, you might have to replace the toilet and for that you should find a professional who provides toilet repair services.
Clogged Toilet
Signs: No one ever wants to face a situation where the toilet refuses to flush off completely. But in case you land up in this situation, you should know that it’s a clogged toilet drain that is not allowing the contents to flush through. In the worst case, the toiled may also overflow altogether.
Cause: The obvious reason for a clogged toilet is flushing of items unsuitable for the flush. This includes paper towels, diapers, sanitary pads, wipes and a whole bunch of household stuff.
Solution: It is possible to unclog the toilet using a plunger because most often, the blockage is not very far down the drain. You must, however, take due care to avoid coming in contact with the overflowing waste.
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