The average American flushes the toilet 5 times a day. For a family of 4 on an average day, that means 20 flushes. In a week, that’s nearly 150 flushes.
Our toilets go through a lot. Besides plenty of flushes, they also face clogs, frozen pipes, and mechanical trouble. Unlike other household repairs, stopping a leak or overflow or getting rid of a clog isn’t a problem that you can simply ignore. But trying to DIY your repair can lead to even more problems.
Wondering whether or not it’s time to call for help? Keep reading to learn 5 sometimes stinky issues that call for help from the best toilet repair Las Vegas has to offer.
1. Your Tank is Slow to Refill
A toilet tank that’s slow to refill is hardly a stinky problem, but it will quickly get annoying. If you’ve noticed that your toilet bowl is slow to fill or you can hear your tank refilling and it seems to take much longer than normal, remove the tank lid and take a look inside. If you can hear water trickling or see water leaking through the flapper, it’s time to call your plumber.
In some cases, you may be able to adjust your toilet’s flapper to fix the problem. But if a small leak in the seal is to blame or the flapper valve needs to be replaced, you’ll want to trust a plumber to get your toilet back up and running — otherwise, you could wind up with an even more costly repair, or a toilet that’s out of commission.
2. Flushing Your Toilet Turns Your Shower Water Ice Cold
This issue on its own might not be a stinky problem. But if it has your family avoiding the shower, it could certainly turn into one.
Flushing your toilet should never affect the temperature of the water in your sinks, shower, or tub. But in older homes, water pipes are often not designed to handle the demand of both a flushing toilet and a shower.
The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to update your home’s entire plumbing system in order to solve this problem. A plumber can help you to reduce how fast your toilet uses water. That way, less water is diverted from your shower when someone flushes, eliminating the cold shock that every bather dreads. Installing a low-flow toilet can also help with this, and reduce your water usage.
3. You Notice Water Around the Base of Your Toilet
A leak in your ceiling or on other floors of your home is easy to spot; after all, water in a place where it shouldn’t be is usually cause for alarm. But water on the floor of your bathroom is pretty common. You might overlook water on the floor near your toilet, thinking that it’s a splash from your shower or sink.
Overlook the water for too long, and you could wind up with a stinky, soggy mold and mildew problem.
Water around your toilet’s base usually means that the wax seal at the unit’s base has become worn or damaged. The first thing you’ll want to do is check to make sure that you really have a leak. Dry the water with a towel, and avoid anything that could splash water around the area. Wait a few hours and check to see if the water has returned. If it has, it’s time to call for the best toilet repair Las Vegas has to offer.
Your plumber will need to replace the old and damaged ring with a brand new wax ring.
4. Your Toilet is Overflowing
You might not notice a small leak at the base of your toilet. But it’s tough to ignore a toilet that’s overflowing everywhere. There are a number of reasons why a toilet might overflow. In cold weather, frozen pipes leave the water with nowhere to go but back out your toilet. Flushing too many times, especially when something is clogging your toilet, can also cause it to overflow.
When your toilet begins overflowing, turn off the water supply to the toilet by turning the valve located near the base of the bowl. If the water continues overflowing, remove your toilet’s tank cover. Lift the float cup up higher to stop the water from running. Scoop excess water out of the tank, and give the toilet time to drain and return to normal.
If a clog or frozen pipes are to blame, use a plunger to remove the clog or wait for the pipes to thaw. Use your toilet again. If it overflows, a mechanical issue or a clog further down the line is likely to blame. You’ll need a plumber’s help to diagnose and fix the problem.
5. You’re Experiencing a Stubborn Clog
Clogs are perhaps the most common toilet issue you’ll experience. In most cases, a plunger and a little elbow grease will help you solve this issue. But what happens when a stubborn clog just won’t let loose?
Think twice before you turn to chemicals or drain snakes to solve the problem. Both are tricky to use, and can actually cause more damage to your pipes. Instead, call a plumber to get your stubborn clog loose and your toilet back in working order again.
Fixing These and Other Problems with the Best Toilet Repair Las Vegas Has to Offer
Whether they’re stinky or not, toilet troubles can get messy, annoying, and disruptive. While there are plenty of common issues that you can fix on your own, others are less easy to handle. Try to fix a stubborn clog with harsh chemicals, and you could wind up with damaged pipes. Ignoring a leak around the base of your toilet could leave you with mold, mildew, and water damage on your floors.
Before you try to DIY a complicated toilet repair, give us a call. The best toilet repair Las Vegas has to offer can help you tackle toilet trouble of all shapes and sizes.
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