While you may have taken your toilet for granted, it is actually the most important fixture in your home. Toilets perform the important function of automatically carrying waste water out of your home, freeing you from the thankless burden of emptying the family chamber pot at midnight. A toilet that isn't performing properly demands immediate attention in order to prevent water damage, waste, and odor.
Fixing your toilet need not be a "For Plumbers Only" job if you know how the components of a toilet system work. With a few common hand tools and materials you should be able to repair you toilet quickly and then take pride in your accomplishment of having mastered the throne in your home. Here's how to fix your toilet.
Toilet Components
Most standard toilets found in millions of homes consist of two parts: the toilet bowl and the flush tank. These are made from ceramic pottery material following a design that dates back to an English watchmaker's design for a water closet that dates back to 1775. Naturally, it has been significantly improved upon since then, but the basic concept of using an "S" trap to hold water remains unchanged.
How a toilet works
Toilets work their magic by holding its contents in one half of the "S" shaped trap until it is forced out by gravity and a "flush" on incoming water from a tank holding more water above it. Today's tanks are designed to flush efficiently with only 1.6 gallons of water, compared to the 7-gallon tanks of just a few years ago.
Water in the flush tank is held in check by a rubber flapper valve which is attached to a handle by a chain or some similar mechanism. Pushing down on the flush handle raises the flapper valve, allowing the tank's contents to rapidly drain into the toilet bowl below. The bowl's contents are forced through the "S" trap into the waste water disposal system below. The amount of water held by the tank is controlled by a float-and-valve assembly, sometimes called a "ball-cock".
As the water drains out of the flush tank, the float lowers and opens a valve to the water supply line thereby refilling the tank. When the tank's flapper valve falls back into place, thereby stopping the flow of water from the tank into the bowl, water begins to refill the tank. Once the water level has risen to the proper level the float closes the water supply valve. Now the toilet is primed for the next time it is called into service.
Sources of Toilet Trouble
There are only two places that toilet trouble can arise. The first is a clog in the toilet's S-trap or somewhere in the waste water disposal line. Clogs are fairly easy to remove or dislodge using a toilet auger, a plumber's snake, or even a straightened out coat hanger. Problems only rise to the level of needing plumbing services only if the clog is caused by something rigid, like a pencil or a toothbrush. Since you can't see it or extract the cause of the clog using an auger or some other tool, the toilet may have to be removed and its base and connecting pipes examined. This sort of toilet trouble is best left to a plumber unless you are proficient in removing and replacing toilets.
The second source of toilet trouble is the mechanism that controls the water level in the flush tank. This device has the only moving parts and is prone to wear and deterioration over time. The flapper valve may become worn, the brass valve stem may become clogged or corroded, or the float and its attaching rod may become misaligned or even broken. The simple solution here is to replace the troublesome component or components with new. These components are available at most hardware and plumbing supply stores.
Toilet Tank Troubleshooting and Repair
1. If the flush valve (ball cock) doesn't close properly and shut off the supply of water when the tank is full, the float rod that attaches to the float ball may not be lifting the rod high enough. Try gently bending the rod to increase the ball's position. The water level in the tank should not be more than 3/4 inch below the top of the overflow tube.
If the float ball has water in it, replace it with a new one. However, if the water continues to flow after the water has reached the proper level, the flush valve may have sediment or mineral deposits preventing it from closing properly. You can replace the assembly or just the washer and the valve seat. In most cases, it is just as inexpensive to replace the entire assembly with modern flush control devices that are available in most discount stores. Be sure to turn off the water supply before removing the flush valve assembly. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when replacing the flush valve assembly.
2. If water is constantly running into the bowl, the flapper valve may be worn or the drain hole may have a build up of sediment or minerals. Turn off the water supply, drain the tank and scrub the valve seat with suitable cleaning pad or sandpaper. Replace the flush valve (some tanks have a "flapper ball" or a "stopper ball") if necessary. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Toilets and toilet tanks are prone to leak at two points. Water supply line connections leak if they are not seated properly or tightened down enough. This is a simple check and fix, however, it is possible to over-tighten a plastic connector unless you are careful to only hand-tighten it as specified. Next, toilet leaks at the base are likely to be caused by an improperly seated or a poorly sealed toilet. To correct this problem, first try tightening the bolts that secure the toilet to the floor. Be careful not to over-tighten the bolts, as you may crack the ceramic bowl. If that doesn't fix the leak, you probably have a bad seal.
Toilet seals are made from beeswax and fit around a collar on the base of the toilet. You may want to leave this job for a plumber, as it is possible to replace a seal with a new one and still not fix the leak if the seal isn't seated properly. In either case replacing the wax seal and securing the toilet bowl to the floor properly will cure your leak problem.
With only a few moving parts and sources of problems, toilets should be trouble-free devices. Hopefully, this article has provided you with enough information for you to fix your toilet quickly and easily when you need to do so.