We Provide Clogged Toilet Repair in Seattle, WA

Signs You Need Clogged Toilet Repair

A clogged toilet can interrupt your entire day and cause a lot of hassle and inconvenience. If you have a clogged toilet in combination with another clogged drain in your home, you may have a bigger problem, like a sewer system backup, sewer line clog, or broken sewer pipe. In many cases, you may be able to clear a clogged toilet yourself without calling a plumber. You can also take steps to prevent clogged toilets from happening in the first place. If you try the methods below without luck, call us at Puget Sound Plumbing and Heating for fast, affordable clogged toilet repair in Seattle, WA.

How to Prevent Clogged Toilets

Knowing how to prevent clogged toilets in your home can save you from costly plumbing repairs and the inconvenience of a toilet that doesn’t work. Follow these tips to prevent a clogged toilet:

• Only flush waste and toilet paper down the toilet. Don’t flush baby wipes, tampons, cardboard, makeup removing wipes, paper towels, cigarettes, or other debris.
• Install a water softener if you have hard water.
• Be mindful of how much toilet paper you flush at one time.
• Don’t plant trees or shrubs near your main sewer line.
• Don’t place items on top of or on shelves over the toilet, as they might fall in and be accidentally flushed.
• Don’t let children play in or around the toilet; they may try to flush their toys.
• Close your toilet lid if you have a cat, so the cat can’t knock items into the toilet.
• Call a plumber immediately if you notice a change in your toilet’s water level or a weak flush or slow drain.
• Don’t use chemical drain cleaners in your toilet.
• Clean your toilet regularly.
• Schedule twice-yearly plumbing inspections.

Simple Clogged Toilet Repair You Can Do Yourself

Before calling a plumber, you can try to repair a clogged toilet using a plunger. If you’re wondering how to plunge a toilet correctly, follow these steps:

• Use a toilet plunger or accordion plunger.
• Ensure there is enough water in the toilet to cover the whole head of the plunger. Never use chemical drain cleaners on a toilet.
• Place the plunger over the toilet bowl hole, and plunge up and down rapidly while keeping the plunger below the water level.
• You should plunge for much longer than you think! It may take dozens of plunges and more than one cycle of plunging to clear a clog.
• Remove the plunger periodically to see if the water goes down, or flush the toilet to see if you’ve cleared the clog.
• Use a store-bought plumbing snake or drain auger if plunging doesn’t work. Feed the end of the cable or snake as far into the toilet as possible, then turn it counterclockwise and push downwards. This may loosen the obstruction or allow you to pull it out of the toilet.

If none of these clogged toilet repairs work, you should call a professional for clogged toilet service.

Fixing a Toilet That Won’t Stop Running

Another common toilet problem is a toilet that won’t stop running. This is usually caused by a broken, loose, or detached toilet fill valve. If you hear water running and draining from your toilet constantly, follow these steps to try to repair it:

• Carefully remove the toilet tank lid and place it on the floor out of your way.
• If the float arm seems too high, bend it downward until the float reaches the right water level and the water turns off.
• Check the toilet flapper to see if it is out of place or isn’t closing all the way. If it is broken, worn out, or won’t seal, replace the flapper with a new one. If pressing the flapper down over the hole stops the water flowing, that is your problem.

How to Fix a Toilet Handle That’s Stuck or Loose

If your toilet handle is too loose or stuck, you may not be able to flush your toilet by using the handle. Try these tips to repair or replace a toilet handle:

• Carefully remove the toilet tank lid and place it on the floor out of your way.
• Find the nut inside the toilet tank that is holding the toilet handle in place. If the nut is too loose, the handle will be loose. You can tighten the nut with a wrench. If the handle is stuck, you can try loosening the nut.
• Check the chain attached to the lift arm if it isn’t the nut. If there is too much slack, your toilet handle will feel loose. Adjust the length of the chain by moving the hook to a link higher up on the chain.
• If the handle is cracked or broken, you can remove it by detaching the lift chain, removing the nut, and slipping the arm and handle out.
• Attach the nut and lift chain to install a new handle through the hole.

What to Do When Your Toilet’s Water Level Is Low

If you have low or no water in your toilet, there could be a number of different reasons. Check the toilet water supply line for leaks if your main water supply is working and you have water service to your other plumbing fixtures. Next, check for these common problems that can affect the toilet’s water level:

• Check the toilet tank fill tube to see if it is damaged or out of position.
• Make sure the fill tube is flowing into the overflow tube.
• Adjust the float to the line inside your toilet tank that indicates its fill level.Inspect the inlet holes under the lip of the toilet bowl to see if they’re clogged.
• Look for a crack or leak from the toilet bowl.
• Replace the fill valve.

Fixing a Leaking Toilet

You may have a leaking toilet if you notice standing water around your toilet bowl, hear a dripping noise, or see signs of water damage on the floor or wall near your toilet. Check these elements to find out if one needs to be repaired or replaced:

• Check the water supply valve for leaks.
• Open the lid on the back of the toilet and see if the flapper or valve is broken or leaking.
• Check the area where the tank meets the bowl for leaking water.
• Check the toilet base to see if the ring that seals the toilet flange is broken, missing, or cracked.

If you don’t have the time, skill, or tools to remove your toilet to fix a leak or replace the tank, bowl, or toilet flange, you should call a plumber for toilet repairs.

Need Clogged Toilet Service in Seattle, WA?

If you need toilet repairs or clogged toilet service in Seattle, WA, call us today at Puget Sound Plumbing and Heating. Our experienced team can quickly determine the cause of your toilet problem and provide fast, dependable toilet repairs. We work efficiently so that there’s minimal disruption to your household routine. We are also honest about pricing and will never recommend a product or service you don’t need. Just call us today or contact us online to schedule toilet repairs.