Toilets are the most important plumbing fixtures in your home, and frequent problems with your toilet can quickly become a severe nuisance. Understanding the common causes of toilet trouble will help you address issues as they arise and keep things running smoothly. This guide will explain two of the most common toilet problems.
1. Toilet Clogging Frequently
Occasional toilet clogs are to be expected, but there's clearly an underlying issue if one or more of your toilets need to be plunged several times per week. If the problem is confined to one toilet, make sure the water supply line on that toilet is completely open. Alternatively, the toilet may have paper, sludge, or a foreign object lodged in the toilet trap. Plunging doesn't always remove toilet trap clogs completely, so you may need a plumber to tackle the clog with an auger.
Frequent clogs in every toilet in your home point to problems with your sewage disposal system. Sewer line blockages can clog multiple toilets at once. You may also notice bubbling in your shower drain when you flush. If your plumbing is connected to a septic tank rather than a municipal sewer, it may be time for the tank to be pumped. Toilet clogs due to a full septic tank may also cause symptoms like standing water in your yard or odor from your drains.
2. Toilet Running Constantly
Toilet tanks contain floats that rise with the water level so that the fill valve can close when the tank is full. If the float is set too high, the tank will continue to fill past its limit, and water will run into the bowl continuously through the overflow tube. You can adjust the float by loosening or tightening the float arm screw until the water stops running.
Flapper leaks are another common culprit behind continuously running toilets. The rubber flapper covers the water inlet for the toilet bowl and opens to allow the toilet to flush. If the flapper in your toilet appears cracked or worn, shut off the toilet water supply and detach the flapper from its chain. Take the flapper with you to find an identical one at a local plumbing supply store.
Understanding the most common toilet problems will help you keep the basic necessity of running toilets in your home. Remember these tips and be careful what you flush so you can avoid toilet clogs and wasted water. For more information, contact a local plumbing service near you.
