When it comes to appliances inside of your home, your toilet probably ranks among the most important. Unfortunately, toilets aren’t often made to be invincible accommodations that are without problems. As a result of their porcelain mortality, issues with toilets tend to be commonly reported by homeowners and renters alike. Though most toilet issues are far from dire, there are four specific troubles with your toilet that you will NOT want to ignore.
Common Toilet Problems You Must Fix!
When you first start imagining toilet problems, what comes to mind? Your first thought is probably of terror, at least when imagining your toilet overflowing. Fortunately, and unfortunately, this isn’t the only major issue that you’ll run into that needs to be addressed. Some other major toilet issues, as you’ll soon find out, are far more serious and significantly harder to spot. With that being said, keep on reading to discover the four common toilet problems that you cannot ignore.
1) Running Toilet – First and foremost, a running toilet is probably the most common toilet-related issue that you’ll find. A running toilet is basically when you hear the sound of the toilet trying to constantly fill. This means that your toilet doesn’t have access to a tight seal where the flapper is installed. A running toilet is more than a loud annoyance, it is also a critical resource waster. A running toilet will end up wasting countless gallons of water until the issue has been resolved. As your toilet keeps running, your utility bills will spike and you’ll also be hurting the environment. That’s no good, right? Fortunately, you can easily fix a running toilet by installing a new fill valve and seal combination. Just make sure that you take the time to get the seal right, or else you’ll run into the same issue again.
2) Foul Smells – Believe it or not, foul smells coming from your bathroom aren’t always going to be normal! When your toilet is loose in its place, you might need more than just a quick toilet repair job, you might need some serious help! Foul odors tend to get trapped underneath loose toilets that are not sturdy. Foul odors can also signify that there are issues going on underneath your home. You could be dealing with a faulty sewer pipe or even a broken vent in the foundation of your home. This problem, when ignored, can cause serious issues along with the obvious environmental fallout. If you are noticing foul odors in or around your bathroom, without a natural cause, you are going to want to call on a professional plumber to assist you. As it turns out, this is one problem you can’t flush away on your own.
3) Rocking Toilet – Every time that you sit on your toilet, does it move beneath you? We aren’t talking about your toilet shifting entirely, we are talking about a slight rocking motion that can be noticeable when touching the toilet. If your toilet rocks when it is being used, you are dealing with a problem that needs to be repaired. This rocking motion is likely due to a problem with the caulk around the base of your toilet. A rocking toilet, when left to its own devices, can lead to serious repair expenses because the toilet can break free from its wax seal. You might also need to replace your toilet flange during this process. Most people can handle doing DIY repairs for a rocking toilet, but if you aren’t sure what to do, call on a licensed plumber for professional help.
4) Sluggish Toilet Action – Do you notice that your toilet has become increasingly slow when you are trying to flush it? A toilet that slowly flushes isn’t normal, so don’t leave the issue alone with the hope that it will go away. Instead, you are going to want to be proactive. Sluggish toilet flushes could indicate that there are mineral deposits clogging your toilet. If you are noticing slow drainage action in other areas of your home, you might be dealing with an entirely obstructed line. In either situation, you are going to want to call on a plumber with a pipe camera in order to address the issue.
No matter what toilet problems you are dealing with, you can’t simply ignore them while hoping that they go away. Instead, use our information to decide whether or not you need to call a licensed plumber to help you out.
