Repairing Your Toilet
Water is a natural resource and here in Texas, we realize how important that water is during the hot summers. So, when a faucet, pipes, or toilet needs repair, we get it done fast. Leaking faucets and busted pipes are self-explanatory as to what needs to be repaired, but what is toilet repair?
Toilet repair is usually inside the tank, but other toilet repair options may be under the toilet, where it connects to the sewer line under the house. The toilet repair inside the tank is fairly easy, even for a homeowner that has never done any type of DIY repair. The big box home improvement stores have classes that will show you How to do toilet repair. Additionally, the store staff in the plumbing department are a helpful resource too.
Will A Running Toilet Increase Water Bill?
Yes! A high water bill during the summer can be blamed on the need to water the lawn, the kids out of school and home, and the kid’s outdoor water activities. The rest of the year, however, a common reason for a high water bill is because the toilet constantly running.
A running toilet wastes as much as two hundred gallons in one day! That’s 10,000 gallons a week, keep doing the math and you’ll see why your water bill has jumped up recently. If you’re not sure whether a toilet is the cause of your water bill rising, keep reading to learn how to do a DIY toilet assessment and toilet repair.
How Do you Fix a Toilet That Keeps Running?
Don’t let minor household plumbing intimidate you, it is easier than you think, and once you’ve made a few minor repairs, like a toilet repair to stop the running water, you’ll feel confident to move on to bigger projects.
- Check the flush valve, aka flapper that is at the bottom of the tank by flushing the toilet with the tank lid off and watch the flapper. If it isn’t going back into position and sealing properly, there’s your water leak and now you know what toilet repair needs to be done.
- With the tank lid off, flush the toilet, and if the tank fills up with water up to the point where it is going into the overflow tube. This toilet repair will require the fill valve, aka ballcock, to be adjusted or replaced.
How Do I Replace a Toilet Flapper?
- Turn the water off going to the toilet. There should be a valve under the tank on the back side of the bowl. If there isn’t, you’ll need to turn the water off at the main.
- Next, you need to drain the tank of water. Do this by flushing the toilet. With the water off, it won’t refill.
- Now, unhook the current flapper and use it as a sample of what the new one needs to be.
- New parts like flappers usually come with basic instructions. If not, you can ask the staff at the hardware or home improvement store. You can also find several videos online that show how to do this minor toilet repair.
- Once you have the new flapper chain connected to the flush arm, leaving a little bit of slack, turn the water on and test your work.
To adjust this valve, you can bend the floater arm until the water stops filling. When it is at half to one inch under the overflow pipe opening, it should quit running. If not, the following steps are easy to follow and complete this toilet repair:
- Turn the water off going to the toilet. There should be a valve under the tank on the back side of the bowl. If there isn’t, you’ll need to turn the water off at the main.
- After you have disconnected the water supply line, unscrew the locknut on the fill valve and lift the old one out.
- Place the new fill valve in the tank following the manufacturer’s directions, then turn the locknut tight, then a half a turn more.
- If the fill valve is at maximum height and the overflow pipe higher, using a hacksaw, shorten the overflow pipe so that it is one inch under the fill valve mark.
- Attach the fill tube on one end to the fill valve nipple and the other end to the enclosed angle adapter. If kinked, shorten the tube.
- Snip the angle adapter on the overflow pipe then attach the flapper chain to the level.
- Last, turn the water back on and test the toilet by flushing and the toilet repair is complete if all goes well.
Is a Hissing Toilet Bad? and Why is my Toilet Hissing?
Toilets make all types of noises like gurgling, hissing, or screeching. These are all caused by air or water movement. Hissing is usually related to the fill valve or flapper valve. Either way, either valve isn’t closing properly and is probably leaking. A hissing toilet is annoying, but it isn’t a dangerous concern. That is a pretty common issue for older toilets. Even somebody with novice plumbing skills and a few tools can do this toilet repair following the steps we provided above. A hissing toilet is usually the fill valve or flapper valve. These two parts are the more common ones to wear out and replacing them as a toilet repair vs toilet replacement is less expensive.
Drying Up This Leaky Topic
Regardless of whatever is causing your toilet to leak water, it isn’t something you should ignore. That water is just going to waste, causing your water bill to rise, and depleting a natural resource that we all benefit from. If you’re not confident that you can do your own toilet repair, call a professional plumber for plumbing services.
Call 214-918-6109 today for your toilet repair in Mesquite, TX.
