There are many appliances and fixtures in your home that you rely on for your everyday comfort, and one of the most important is the toilet. If you’re having issues with one of your toilets, life in your home can quickly become unpleasant. While we at Anytime Plumbing & Solutions are on hand to help with any serious problems, there are many minor toilet issues that you may be able to fix yourself. In this article, we’ll go over three common toilet issues and what to do about them.
1. Phantom Flush- One common toilet issue is what plumbers call a “phantom flush,” which means that your toilet is running intermittently, or cutting off and on by itself. You may hear your toilet spontaneously refilling itself, even though no one flushed it. To take care of this problem, drain the tank and bowl, check and clean the flapper seat, and replace the flapper if necessary.
2. Weak Flush- Weak flush refers to a toilet issue in which the bowl empties slowly and is usually caused by blockages in the holes under the rim. You can usually fix this problem by poking a piece of curved wire (a coat hanger works well) into the holes to clear out any debris. A small mirror will make it easier to see under the rim to locate these holes.
3. Clogs- The most common of all toilet issues is clogs. In many cases, you can clear these out yourself with a plunger. A force-cup plunger is more effective than the traditional kind for larger clogs, but the principle is the same: insert the bulb, pump forcefully, check to see if the drain is clean, and repeat if necessary. If you have a clog that’s proving resistant to these methods, you can call our team at Anytime Plumbing & Solutions for professional backup.