Over 40% of the water used in a typical household goes down the toilet. If you have a leaky reservoir, it could end up costing you hundreds of dollars a year. Of course, leaks aren't the only thing that can go wrong with a toilet. Here are some other common problems our Beverly Hills plumbing contractors handle, along with ways that you can many times fix them yourself.
When a toilet clogs, it can result in the contents of the bowl overflowing onto the floor of the bathroom. If you notice the toilet starting to overflow, you can remove the top of the reservoir and replace the ball cock to stop it from allowing water from the reservoir into the bowl. Once the flow has stopped, try plunging the clog with a bell-shaped plunger. If, after several quick thrusts, the clog remains you may need to try an auger (also known as a snake). Slip the head of the auger into the bowl and thread it through the drain until it stops. Rotate it clockwise to get it to the clog. Thrust at the clog and try to dislodge it. If it feels like you have caught on something, pull the auger out. Try plunging again, and repeat auger method, as needed. Once you have broken through the clog, plunge the toilet again. If this doesn't work, you'll need to contact a professional.
If your toilet is constantly running, the flapper or ball mechanism that stops the reservoir is either broken or misaligned. In most cases, it is best to replace the entire flapper system. In some cases, the flush valve itself is corroded and needs to be scoured with a copper or steel wire brush. The other cause of running water may be a misaligned float. If the float doesn't pop up and stop water from entering the reservoir, it will continue to spill over into the bowl. Bending the float bar down can cause the float to realign and stop the water before it reaches the overflow level.
A sweating toilet is the result of warm moist air being exposed to the cold porcelain of the toilet reservoir. The best way to prevent this is to install insulation on the inside of the reservoir tank so that the porcelain doesn't get as cold when the reservoir fills.
If you've tried these fixes and are still having problems, call in our Beverly Hills plumbing contractors to get your plumbing problems in check.