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Toilet Tips for Connecticut Homeowners
As a homeowner, you know the bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the house. Your homes value is greatly factored by the quality and style of your bathrooms.
The toilet is one of the main fixtures in the bathroom and is used on a daily basis. A quality toilet that meets your needs is an asset that provides benefits for many years. When building a new bathroom or replacing an old toilet there are a few things to consider regarding the aesthetics and utility the toilet will provide you.
Being a homeowner, it's also important to familiarize yourself with the problems that can arise with your toilet and know when to hire a licensed plumber to fix some of the more difficult issues that can occur.
Types of Toilets
Elongated toilets have an oblong shaped toilet bowl which extends about two inches further than the standard sixteen and a half inch round bowl. People buy elongated toilets because they find that the extra room in the front creates added comfort when seated. The extra room also makes it easier to keep clean and potentially lessens the danger of clogs occurring.
Dual flush toilets have two different buttons or levers that flush different levels of water. This creates the advantage of being able to reduce the amount of water used when flushing small amounts of waste. This has the benefit of saving you money while also being environmentally friendly.
The disadvantage of these toilets is that they can be more expensive than the standard models initially, but this is countered by saving you money on your water bill in the long-run.
Bidets are fixtures which produce a jet of water you can use to clean yourself with. They can be used without, or in conjunction with, toilet paper. The conventional bidet is installed as a separate unit in the bathroom beside the toilet. One variation on the bidet includes the bidet shower, which is a handheld version with a nozzle which shoots a jet of water. Newer versions are often installed which are called add-on bidets. These add-ons are attached to the toilet in one unit in various styles and configurations.
Variations on the standard toilet. There are a number of different styles in standard toilets which serve an aesthetic purpose rather than one of utility. Some of these include wall faced, wall hung, back to wall and close coupled toilets. Some of these toilets are easier to clean around and others are more expensive luxury options.
Types of Toilet Problems
A backed up toilet happens when the pipes connected to the toilet become clogged. This can occur when too much toilet paper is flushed, or an object was flushed which shouldn't have been. Even tree roots may enter the piping in the ground searching for water, causing the toilet to become clogged.
A wax ring leak occurs when the wax seal in the flange where the toilet is connected to the floor is worn or otherwise damaged. When this happens water will seep out from the base of the toilet. Repair requires the removal of the toilet from the floor and a new wax ring installed after removal of the old one and thorough cleaning of the area.
Supply line leaks happen when the connections on the back of the toilet are worn. The most likely places leaks can occur are at the nut that connects the supply line to the shut off valve, at the nut that connects the line to the fill valve, the connection where the valve is attached to the water line and the washer inside the valve itself. Repair might include tightening the nuts, replacing the washer or replacement of the lines themselves.
Tank leaks can occur when one or more of the mechanisms inside or connected to the tank is damaged or loose or when the tank itself is damaged and leaking water, requiring replacement of the tank itself.
Flapper Leaks happen when the water escapes from the tank into the bowl without flushing. The flapper is the device at the bottom of the tank which prevents the water from escaping. If it has hardened from its usually pliable state or isn't seated correctly at the bottom of the tank after flushing, a leak occurs which causes the toilet to periodically run until the water inside the tank fills back up. Replacement of the part is often the best option.
The Importance of a Professional Plumber
It may be possible to fix minor problems with your toilet that can be repaired by the simple tightening of a nut or bolt. But a toilet repair attempt by a person not knowledgeable about the mechanics of the toilet and the plumbing it's connected to may result in additional damage.
Our professional plumbers can quickly diagnose the issues you're having with your toilet. Our technicians have the proper tools to fix the problem in an efficient manner. People have a tendency to hesitate before calling a plumber for minor issues. However, it may just be time for a new toilet or a more permanent fix than just a plunger can solve.
While it's true that bringing in a professional involves a cost, it's not usually as much as many people believe. Contacting a plumber to fix a toilet or install a new toilet in your bathroom can be cheaper than attempting to troubleshoot the problems yourself and potentially causing additional necessary repairs.
Owning a home comes with many responsibilities. Among these is the proper upkeep of the facilities and installations in the house. The plumbing is a vital part of maintaining the livability of your home and the toilet is an important aspect of this.
Knowing what you're looking for in a new toilet and being able to identify and address the problems that occur over time by hiring our professional plumbers can save you a lot of trouble in the long-run. At Advance Plumbing and Heating, we have been helping Central Connecticut homeowners for over 60 years.
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