Is your toilet running? Weird gurgling noise arising from your toilet bowl? From water leakage to unusual noises, toilets can do all sorts of frustrating things.
Thankfully, with a little troubleshooting, there are numerous toilet issues you can solve yourself. Here, the specialists at Interstate Heating & Air Conditioning will go over some of the most frequent toilet problems, what they mean and whether it’s a plumbing issue you can fix yourself—or, if it is better to call in an expert.
1. Why Is My Toilet Running?
If your toilet won't stop running, it is something you should repair because it's in all likelihood also costing you money on your water bill.
A common cause of a running toilet is something incorrect with the overflow tube. Located in the tank in the back of your toilet, an overflow tube allows extra water to drain from the tank into your toilet bowl so the water level in your tank won't get too high and overflow the top of the tank. At times, the problem is that the plastic tube connecting your fill valve to your overflow tube is detached. If that’s the scenario, you can reach into the tank and reattach them. It also could be your toilet is running simply because the overflow tube is isn't tall enough for the water level and needs to be replaced by one that is the correct height.
Another reason for a toilet to run could be the flapper--which functions as a plug in the bottom of your tank—is damaged and no longer forms the tight seal required to hold water in the tank. This causes water to leak out the bottom of your tank into your toilet bowl.
Sometimes a running toilet is caused by something amiss with your toilet float, which is a floating device that determines the water level in your tank. It does this by shutting off your fill valve when the water level raises the float to a preset height. If your float is set too high, this lets the water level to rise too high, and the extra water will go in your overflow tube and down into your toilet bowl.
2. Why Is My Toilet Bubbling?
A gurgling toilet is commonly caused by a partial obstruction in your toilet, drain lines, mainline or something blocking your sewage vent. If the reason for the noise is a clog in your toilet, you can try to fix this by using a plunger or drain snake to remove the clog. If this doesn’t work, you can check where your sewage vent exits your home to make sure it is not blocked by debris that would block air flow.
If you've confirmed the problem isn't a clog in the toilet or a vent obstruction, it would be a good idea to phone a professional such an expert from Interstate Heating & Air Conditioning to evaluate the problem. As the experienced plumber in Omaha, Interstate Heating & Air Conditioning will check to see if the sound is due to a blockage in one of the drain lines directing toilet water out of your home or the mainline that carries waste water away from your home to the municipal water system.
4. Why Won't My Toilet Flush?
If your toilet is hard to flush, there’s a good chance the problem lies the chain, flapper or the handle. That’s because there’s a chain inside your toilet tank that is attached to the back side of the handle. The other end of the chain is linked to the flapper, which acts as a plug in the bottom of your toilet tank.
The best way to find out why your toilet is hard to flush is to remove the lid, peer inside the tank and investigate.
Here’s how the process should work anytime you flush a toilet: you push down the handle, which pulls up the chain, then the chain pulls the flapper up and that permits the water to flow out of your tank and into your toilet bowl.
Sometimes a toilet won’t flush because the chain is snagged on something in the tank, which keeps the chain from lifting up the flapper to let out the water. Or, the chain is too long or gets disconnected from either the handle or the flapper. If this happens, release the caught chain or reach in and shorten it to the appropriate length.
At times flappers can get stuck as they age or become worn out. Or, there might be something awry with the handle.
5. Why Is My Toilet Leaking?
A leaking toilet can be a costly situation, potentially leading to water damage in and around your bathroom. Often, a leaky toilet is due to a cracked supply line or a crack in the toilet tank. If your toilet tank is overflowing, it is often because there is a malfunction in the toilet float.
Cracked gaskets around the connections on the underside of the tank also can let water to leak out of the toilet, as can a weakened toilet flange or wax ring at the base of the toilet where it sits on the floor. Most of these issues are best fixed by a certified plumber.
6. Why Won't My Toilet Fill With Water?
A toilet that isn't filling with water frequently indicates a problem with the fill valve, which is the valve that lets water into your toilet tank. If the tube is damaged or is blocked by rust, sediment or mineral buildup, it may not be allowing water into the tank.
Another typical cause for your toilet not filling with water is something amiss with the float, which is a device that prompts the fill valve to stop letting water into the tank when the water has risen to the correct level. The fill valve performs this function when the water level lifts the float to a predetermined height. It might be that the float/float assembly needs adjustment so that the water rises to the appropriate level. Or, solving the problem of a toilet not filling with water may require adjusting or changing the fill valve.