While having the best toilets can translate to convenience, economy and efficiency, they might be insufficient if they become problematic. So, if you have a great toilet that seems to fail working the way it is supposed to be, you don’t have to worry. You can call Plumber Sydney or you fix common toilet issues yourself.
Before anything else, let’s discuss the workings of a toilet. And to understand it better, start removing the lid from the water tank before flushing it a couple of times. By pushing the handle, a chain will start lifting the stopper, tank ball or flapper. The water in the tank will start flowing through the flush valve opening into the toilet bowl. Then, it will force wastewater into the main drain.
The tank will be emptied next, as the flapper valve will close and the water will run through the ballcock or fill valve to refill water into the tank. Once the tank is full, there is a float mechanism to find on the ballcock that will turn the water flow off.
First problem is Water Trickling into the Bowl
You may periodically hear your toilet begin to spontaneously refill, as though someone had flushed it. A toilet that cuts on and off by itself, or runs intermittently, has a problem that plumbers call a phantom flush. The cause is a very slow leak from the tank into the bowl. This problem is almost certainly caused by a bad flapper or flapper seat. The solution is to drain the tank and bowl, check and clean the flapper seat, and replace the flapper if it’s worn or damaged.
Second, The toilet isn’t flushing
You can check the flush handle that you have to adjust because it can be too tight or too loose. But remember, flush handles are reverse-threaded. In this case, you have to turn the nut counterclockwise to tighten and clockwise to loosen it.
On the other hand, you can check the flush lever before lifting the arm and adjusting if needed. If you have to replace the lift or handle arm assembly, you should take it to the hardware to buy the correct one. You should also check the lift chain to see if it is attached to the flapper and the lift arm correctly. Adjust or untangle it if necessary. Also, you should ensure that the flapper is sealing the flush valve opening, and replace it if warped or damaged.
Third, Toilet Keeps Running After Flush
You do your business, press the handle, and the toilet starts to constantly run without stopping. This problem is caused when the flapper valve in your toilet tank doesn’t seal properly. Check inside your tank to make sure that nothing is preventing the valve from closing properly. Then, remove any mineral buildup that might be on the valve seat.
A third checkpoint is to make sure the pull chain is the right length and is not holding the valve slightly open. Repairing a leaky toilet tank flush valve can be tricky.
Fixing common issues of the best toilets does not have to be complicated. You can DIY these things and restore your toilet’s normal function. But if the issue persists, you can always get a helping hand from someone with the knowledge and the skills to solve the specific problem.
