3 Common Toilet Problems You Shouldn't Ignore

If you're like most homeowners, as long as the toilet still works, you ignore its problems. Like in other aspects of life, it is usually a better idea to address issues head-on, before they turn into bigger problems. Below, we will be detailing some common toilet problems and the reasons you need to deal with these issues.

The Toilet Is Noisy

When your toilet makes noise when it's not in use, it's also wasting water and running up your water bill. Most of the time, a noisy toilet is leaking. If you don't see any signs of a leak outside of your toilet, it's probably leaking inside from the tank to the bowl. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a toilet leak can waste as much as 22 gallons of water a day, which may not seem like much. Yet, if you ignore the leak, that toilet will waste over 8,000 gallons of water in a year.

The Toilet Rocks

Simply tightening the bolts is never the solution when your toilet rocks. (Actually, making the bolts too tight can crack the toilet.) Since the toilet's movement can cause damage, it needs to be removed to inspect the area underneath it. Frequently, a rocking toilet wears down the wax seal. The resulting leak can rot the subfloor. A rocking toilet may also have a cracked flange. Your plumber can repair the damage, find out what caused the rocking, and properly reinstall the toilet.

The Toilet Is Really Old

Older toilets waste water. Government regulations require toilets made after 1994 to use 1.6 gallons per flush or less. If your toilet is over 25 years old, it probably uses between 3.5 to 5 gallons per flush. The Environmental Protection Agency says the average household could save 13,000 gallons of water annually by replacing an older toilet with an efficient one that meets the agency's WaterSense standards. 

If any of these common toilet problems are in your home, a professional plumber can resolve these issues quickly. At The Polite Plumber, we have served the area’s plumbing needs since 1948. Give us a call today to learn about how we can provide you with solutions!

What to Do When the Dishwasher Won't Drain

Your bathtub or sink aren't the only drains that could manifest clogs over regular use. If you have a dishwasher, you can expect to open it one day and find that the water never drained away after the cycle.

Your dishwasher comes equipped with a filter to catch some of the larger food particles to prevent clogs. Sometimes when the water is backed up, all you need to do is remove the filter and clean it off for the water to drain away. Unfortunately, clogs can form deeper in the system and are not so easy to handle.

Clogs can form in the drain pump itself, the flexible hose that connects to your sink drain or garbage disposal, or in the sink drain itself. A lot can be ruled out by disconnecting the flexible hose underneath your sink to see if the water drains out. If you are able to drain the water away, then the clog is happening past the hose in the kitchen sink or the garbage disposal. If the water does not drain, or drains very slowly, then the clog is happening in either the filter, drain pump, or the hose itself attached to your dishwasher.

Unfortunately, unclogging any of these items can get difficult quickly. If the water does not drain out due to a clog in the dishwasher, it will need to be bailed out and sopped up with a towel so you can investigate further. While you can easily inspect the filter and even disconnect the hose to check for clogs, any clogs in the occasionally difficult to reach drain pump, sink, or garbage disposal should be left to a professional hand so they can be removed correctly.

It is important that you don't turn to chemical drain cleaners. They are very hard on your dishwasher and can lead to contamination. Your kitchen sink drain can stand up to them a little better, but they still wear on your plumbing. Give yourself peace of mind by leaving it up to one of our trained professionals. Contact our team today.