Signs your toilet needs a plumber
- The toilet runs or refills on its own
- Weak or incomplete flushes
- Water on the floor around the base
- The bowl rocks or feels loose
- Clogs that keep coming back
- A crack in the bowl or tank
Repairs
A running toilet comes down to a worn flapper, a fill valve set too high or a failing flush valve. Water at the base means the wax seal or flange has failed, and the plumber pulls the toilet to replace the seal and check the flange before water reaches the subfloor.
Replacing a toilet
A cracked bowl or tank calls for a new toilet. Older toilets can use as much as 6 gallons per flush. Federal standards cap new toilets at 1.6 gallons, and WaterSense labeled models use 1.28 gallons or less.
An installation covers removing the old toilet, checking the flange, setting the new bowl on a fresh seal and connecting a new supply line.
Common questions
Why does my toilet keep running?
A worn flapper lets water seep into the bowl, so the tank keeps refilling. A fill valve set too high sends water down the overflow tube. Both are small repairs.
Is water around the base a big deal?
It can be. A failed wax seal lets water seep under the flooring, where it can rot the subfloor. Book a repair before the damage spreads.
How much water does a new toilet save?
The EPA says replacing old toilets with WaterSense labeled models can cut toilet water use by 20 to 60 percent, nearly 13,000 gallons a year for an average family.
