Have Your Toilets Repaired By a Professional New Jersey Plumber
In a home, there are some things that just have to work reliably. You need your oven for cooking, the smoke alarm for safety, and without the lights, you may as well go to bed when the sun goes down. However, of all the fixtures in a home, there is one that MUST work reliably every time: the toilet. Unfortunately, there are quite a few things that can go wrong with a toilet.
Leaving aside the mess and inconvenience caused when a toilet fails spectacularly, even routine problems can be a headache. Clogs, leaks, and broken seats are a pain. Not only that, an inefficient, leaky, or always
running toilet can waste water and cause higher utility bills. Here are a few of the common problems that can affect a toilet and how to deal with them:
Tip: Whenever you work on a toilet, take a few minutes to don a pair of rubber or latex gloves and sanitize the base of the toilet with a disinfectant.
Leaks: There are several places where a toilet can spring a leak. Sometimes the leak will be obvious, but other times, you’ll have to inspect your fixture carefully to determine the source of the pool of water on your bathroom floor. Here is a couple of the easier fixes:
- Supply Line: This is usually a flexible hose which runs from a valve in the wall or floor and leads to the bottom of the tank. Find the water supply valve, shut off the water, and then drain the tank by flushing the toilet. Unscrew the line from both the valve and the tank. To install the replacement, attach the new hose and hand tighten the locknuts at both ends.
- Fill Valve: If the leak is at the fill valve itself, you’ll need to replace the fill valve and its gasket. Again, turn off the water supply and flush the toilet, then use a couple of wrenches to remove the fill valve and gasket. After you install the new parts, turn the water supply back on and make sure there are no leaks. If necessary, tighten it a little bit more, maybe a quarter-turn or so.
Other leaks will require more work. If the tank itself is leaking, either it or the spud nut will have to be replaced. To be done safely, the job requires two people to avoid injury when moving the heavy porcelain reservoir. Of course, the most difficult and time-consuming repair is replacing the wax ring where the toilet meets the drainage pipe. We recommend hiring a highly-qualified team of technicians from Plumbers 911 for best results.
Clogs: Most clogs are fairly easy to fix. A few minutes with a plunger will do the job most of the time. However, there are some things to remember when unclogging a toilet:
- Never use a coat hanger or other improvised object to remove a clog. You will most likely scratch the bowl.
- Never use chemical drain cleaners in a toilet.If you have to use an auger to clear the blockage, use a closet auger. They are specially designed for use with toilets.When using a plunger, make sure there is at least some water in the bowl. It will help create a vacuum which will cause enough pressure to release most clogs.
Broken or Loose Toilet Seats: This is a fairly simple repair. Toilet seats are attached to the bowl with two locknuts under the lip of the bowl. Simply unscrew the locknuts and install the new seat. Consider using some inexpensive bushings or a seat stabilizer to keep the seat from sliding around.
Saving Water with a New Toilet
New Jersey has been lucky compared to other parts of the country when it comes to its water supply.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection estimates that over the past forty years, the average annual rainfall has been about 3 inches higher than the long-term average. However, water is still not an unlimited resource.
There are a few simple ways to reduce your water use and save money.
- Water your lawn less frequently. A well-maintained lawn can survive even if it’s only watered a couple of nights a week.
- Take shorter showers.
- Repair leaking pipes and plumbing fixtures.
- Replace old and inefficient toilets with new, more efficient models.
Let’s focus on the last two items. If you replace a malfunctioning toilet that always runs with a
WaterSense efficient toilet, you can save up to $550 a year. The WaterSense program is an initiative by the Environmental Protection Agency to identify fixtures and appliances that are best for water conservation. Call us to find a local plumber who will do a great job at a reasonable price.
Why Choose Plumbers 911 for Quick Toilet Repairs?
Plumbers 911 is a nationwide referral service which connects you to professional and trustworthy local plumbing technicians. We are not a franchise operation; we’re a network of locally-owned businesses who are committed to giving you the best possible service. When you choose us for your plumbing needs, you can be sure of the following:
Professional, timely service: Since our technicians are local, they will arrive on time and ready to work. They will also know the building codes and construction standards of your community. In addition, as local businesses, our members know that their reputations are on the line, ensuring that their services meet the highest standards.
Highly-trained and well-equipped staff: Our techs are all licensed professionals who have received over 100,000 hours of training. In addition, they are committed to mastering their craft by training on the newest equipment and techniques to do the best possible job.
Technicians you can trust: Your safety is important to us. That is why all of our workers agree to an initial background check and periodic drug testing.
The choice is clear. Call Plumbers 911 today for your toilet repairs and installation. It’s the best way to make sure that you will get the best service at the best price, by competent local plumbing technicians. Of all the plumbing fixtures in your home, the toilet is the one that has to work well, every single time. And we’ll make it happen.
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