Toilet Repair and Replacement | Chicago & Suburbs
Common Toilet Problems
Whether clogged, running, leaking, or otherwise lacking, a problem with your toilet can be more than annoying. It can be inconvenient, costly, and at times, maddening.
Luckily, The Scottish Plumber is here to provide some guidance. Whether you want to try to fix the problem yourself or need an expert for your toilet repair or installation, we can help.
Clogged Toilet
If the object clogging your toilet is in or near the toilet itself, a simple plunging can do the trick. However, if plunging does not solve the problem, or the problem keeps recurring, the blockage may be further down the line, and may in fact be a clogged sewer.
If this is the case, call us. Our technicians have the expertise and tools necessary to take care of any clogged drain.
Your old toilet may not have enough flushing power to push waste out and into the sewer. An excellent solution in this case is to install a pressure assisted toilet. See more info below.
Running Toilet
A running toilet (leaking from the tank into the toilet bowl), though often barely noticeable, can waste as much as several thousand gallons of water each year. Here’s a quick way to test yours:
- Remove the tank lid. Don’t worry – the water in the tank is not contaminated.
- Drop some food coloring or a dye tablet into the tank.
- Wait one hour and look in the bowl. If the water is colored, your toilet is running.
In many cases, adjusting or replacing the rubber flapper inside of the tank will take care of this problem.
Gravity Flush vs Power Flush Toilets
Most toilets flush by gravity. The toilet is high, the sewer is low, and everything just goes downhill. Unfortunately, not all drainage systems were created equal. Some were never installed with the proper pitch, while others have deteriorated over time.
A great option to ensure proper flushing is to install a power flush (pressure-assisted toilet,) such as the Gerber Ultra Flush.
These toilets use compressed air to give the flushing mechanism an extra kick and ensure that whatever you’re flushing goes on to its final destination and doesn’t result in a clogged drain.
High Efficiency Toilets & Dual-Flush Toilets
Before 1994, all toilets in the US used 3.4 gallons of water per flush. Beginning in 1994, all new toilets were required to use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush. Initially this caused all kinds of flushing problems.
Since then, however, improvements in toilet technology, such as the pressure-assisted flush, or the glazed trap, have helped homeowners forget all about the water guzzling monsters of bathrooms past.
The latest products of water conservation efforts are High Efficiency toilets and Dual-Flush toilets. High Efficiency toilets use only 1.3 gallons of water per flush, while Dual Flush toilets use less water to flush liquids, and more to flush solids. Both are great options for your pocketbook and your environment.
If you need help, give us a call. Or you can ask one of our toilet experts a question by clicking here.