Toilet Repair Guide from Anthony PHC in Kansas City
At Anthony PHC, we’ve created this guide to toilet repair in Kansas City to ensure you are always prepared for what your toilet might do next…
The humble toilet is one of the most important appliances in your home, so it’s imperative that you take care of it when it’s in need of repair. No one wants to deal with public restroom lines out the door just because half the toilets are out of order. No one wants to have to escort visitors to their personal bathroom because the guest one is clogged either.
Our Credentials
Our plumbers average over 15 years of professional experience, so you can be sure that we’ll be able to diagnose and fix your toilet issue. We’ve been helping Kansas City-area residents with their plumbing problems since 1951. People have chosen us time and time again because of our trustworthy technicians and dedication to finding a solution that matches your budget.
We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee to ensure you’re happy with the quality of plumbing repair work or installation. We’re also upfront about our pricing to ensure there are no surprises along the way. All of our plumbing repairs come with a two-year guarantee, and we offer financing options for tankless water heater, water heater, sump pumps, etc.
Instead of just telling you how great we are though, we want to walk you through different toilet problems that may plague you home. Plus, what we’ll do to diagnose the problem and make sure your fixture receives the proper treatment.
How Toilets Work
The flushing process isn’t all that complicated, but it can be a nightmare when something goes wrong. We’ll walk you through the flushing process to give you a better understanding of the working parts that make flushing possible. After you flush your toilet…
- The chain lifts the flapper valve
- Water from the tank rushes through the flush valve opening and enters the toilet bowl
- Waste water in the toilet bowl is pushed through the trap and into the main drain
- After the tank has cleared, the flapper valves closes and the fill valve refills the tank
If any one of these parts isn’t working properly, you could experience a clogged toilet, toilet that requires multiple flushes, leaks, running, and more. We’ll go into more detail about each of these possible issues and how toilet repair in Kansas City can help.
Reasons for Repair
Running Toilet
If you notice your toilet won’t stop running, the fill valve may be to blame. Running occurs when the fill valve (which allows water into the tank) isn’t closing completely. If your toilet is only running occasionally, it’s probably that the valve is only opening in short spurts.
We’ll come in and diagnose the problem; It may be that the valve is failing to stop incoming water because there are broken toilet parts. In that case, our toilet repair in Kansas City specialists will replace the parts to get your toilet performing in tip-top shape.
Leaks
Leaks could also be the reason for your toilet running. Leaks normally occur in the tank via the tank bolts or toilet flush valve. To fix the problem, we remove the tank from the bowl and replace the parts that are causing the problem (tank bolts, rubber washers, gaskets on toilet flush valve). We can also take care of the problem if there are leaks around the fill valve. If leaks are due to cracks in the tank, a new toilet will be necessary.
Valves
There are two main parts of a toilet: (1) the toilet flush valve and (2) the fill valve. The toilet flush valve allows water to enter the bowl during the flush, and the fill valve allows water to refill the tank post-flush. If your toilet is running, one of these valves is normally to blame.
You’ll be able to identify the culprit by checking the overflow tube. If water is overflowing into the tube, the fill valve is to blame. However, if the water doesn’t rise above the top of the tube, the flush valve has a leak and water is trickling into the bowl. When there’s a consistent flow of water, the fill valve isn’t able to close properly. As part of our toilet repair in Kansas City, we can take care of this issue.
Multiple Flushes Needed
If you have an older toilet that takes two or three flushes to clear and clean the bowl, it’s probably because of the water conservation requirements set forth by Congress in 1994. Toilets were limited to using no more than 1.6 gallons per flush, and the new, water-saving models that manufacturers released weren’t optimized properly for the change.
This, unfortunately, caused several homes to be plagued with toilets that required multiple flushes and were prone to clogging. Our solution is to install a brand new toilet that can handle the lower water usage. Research toilet performing tests before purchasing a new toilet to make sure the model in question doesn’t also have an issue with flushing.
Another reason for weak flushes could be hard water deposits in the syphon jet hole or issues with the angled bowl rim swirl holes. This is more common in toilets from before 1994. You can use a muriatic acid wash to strengthen your flush as long as you don’t have a septic tank. Simply mix one part acid with 10 parts water and pour half of your solution down the overflow tube in the toilet tank using a funnel.
Run a fan to fight the fumes and avoid getting the solution on yourself, your clothes or the carpet. Give the solution 30 minutes to work, then pour in the remainder. After another 30 minutes, flush your toilet. Voila! For those with septic systems, you will need to disassemble your toilet and complete the process outside.
Toilet Leaks
If there’s a small pool of water collecting around the base of your toilet or you notice the floors are damp, call in a professional. If you leave it alone, you could cause serious damage to your bathroom floor and the underlying framing. We can easily repair the damaged seal between the toilet horn and drain line. We’ll also check to make sure the connections are all in order, such as the tank bolts, fill valve, mounting nut and supply tube coupling nut. If all the connections are in order, new washers may be necessary.
If none of these things seem to be the problem, it could just be condensation. In that case, enhanced ventilation will do the trick! If the leaking only occurs during or after a flush, we can come in and replace the wax ring as part of our toilet repair in Kansas City.
Toilet Refuses to Flush
If you have a toilet that likes to embarrass you by refusing to flush, you’re not alone. This problem is more common than you would think, and there are some surefire steps we can take to ensure your toilet works perfectly. For one, we’ll check out the flush handle, flush level/lift arm, flapper valve and connections to see if they’re causing the problem.
If that’s not it, we’ll see if the handle it too loose or tight to function properly. If the lift arm is bent or broken, we’ll see what we can do to bend it back into place or install a new one if needed. If you’re experiencing only partial flushing, we’ll check out the slack in the lift chain, tank water level, and flapper to make sure it’s installed properly. This all comes as part of our toilet repair in Kansas City.
Toilet Won’t Shut Up
Much like a running toilet, a noisy toilet can last indefinitely until you call out a plumber. If you want to try troubleshooting on your own, you can make sure the water supply line is turned completely open. Â If needed, you can also replace the fill valve diaphragm seal or the fill valve itself. For more information, you can check out our blog post on common plumbing issues.
Toilet Bowl has Low Water
When there’s a lower than usual amount of water refilling your toilet after you flush, it could be that water is being siphoned away from the bowl due to a partial clog. We’ll check for a clog by emptying the bowl of water and using a flashlight and mirror to see the colon of the toilet. Sometimes, a crack in the interior colon or piping of the bowl can lower the amount of water in the tank. Unfortunately, a new bowl is the only solution.
Random Flushing
If your toilet tank fills with water as though it was just flushed even though you NEVER touched the handle, you have a toilet ghost on your hands! Not really though—most likely, the tank is just leaking water.
You can use a food coloring dye test to check; Simply add food dye to the tank once the water has stopped running, wait 5-10 minutes, then check to see if the bowl water is colored. If it is, that means the flapper isn’t sealing correctly and you’ll need a new one. We can help with that as part of our toilet repair in Kansas City services!