Fixing Toilet Troubles at Your West Allis Duplex

There are many different things that can go wrong with a toilet. Here are a few of the quick-fix solutions.

Clogged Pipes – Whatever you do, do not try to flush a toilet you suspect may be clogged, unless you want the contents of the clogged toilet to overflow onto your floor. Enough said. Instead, check the inside of the tank to see if the water level is rising to the mark on the inside of the tank. If it isn’t, try bending the metal rod holding the float to compensate. If there is anything that doesn’t belong inside the tank, which has been placed there to limit the amount of water, remove it. Next, lift the flapper valve just enough to see if it’s letting water go down. Check that the flapper valve stays open until only an inch or two of water remains inside the tank. When plunging a clogged toilet, make sure the flange on the plunger is pulled out, and there is enough water in the toilet to cover the plunger. Plunge vigorously and spread old towels on the floor to guard against splashing. If that doesn’t work, you can also try a “closet auger” – a specialized tool with a bendy shaft that can reach around the first bend of the toilet pipes to dislodge anything there. At that point, if the toilet still isn’t flushing, there is only one thing to do – call Milwaukee Handyman. We will let you know if your toilet can be repaired or if it needs to be replaced, and we will do it at a lower overall cost than any other Milwaukee plumber or handyman service.

Trickling Toilet - A constantly trickling toilet can waste more water than any other leak in your house. The main culprits are usually a stuck fill valve that can’t close, or a hardened flapper that won’t seal. Replacement kits for these parts are inexpensive and available at most hardware stores.
Before starting, shut off the water supply to the toilet, flush the toilet to empty the tank, and sponge out any remaining water. Remove the old fill valve (and float) by unscrewing the locknut underneath the tank and replace it with the new fill valve. You can modify the amount of water used in each flush by adjusting the fill valve.

Replacing a Toilet Seat – When removing a toilet seat, you want to be careful to avoid damaging the porcelain bowl. With most newer toilet seats, you simply lift the bolt covers and unscrew the bolts to remove the seat. Older seats sometimes have metal bolts molded directly into the hinge assembly which can rust in place. If the bolts are stuck, spray them with penetrating oil, then heat them with a hair dryer. As a last resort, you can cut the bolts with a hacksaw. When tightening the bolt on the new seat, do it first with your fingers, and then use a tool to tighten it a little tighter. Don’t overdo it, or you could crack the toilet bowl. Retighten the bolts slightly after 2-3 days.

If you ever have trouble with any plumbing repair job, make Milwaukee Handyman your first call. Our plumbers will come to your home to give you a free estimate, and we will fix it right the first time. Milwaukee Handyman is without a doubt the best value on plumbing in Milwaukee!