I think I can speak for most of the population when I say we like our uninterrupted toilet time, often called commode time. There once was a poll taken from 2500 people. The poll revealed that most people spent an average of 1 hour and 42 minutes weekly in the bathroom. It also showed that going to the toilet took up most of that time, which breaks down to 2208 hours or 92 days over a lifetime. Another study revealed men spent 1 hour and 45 minutes a week on the commode while women did their duty in just 85 minutes. That shows that our toilets play a big role in our quality of life, so we better take care of our toilets.
Keep Your commode From Running And Make The Necessary Fixes
Nothing is more irritating than a running toilet; it’s the most common cause of a high water bill. A continuously running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water daily. The most common cause of a toilet running is a worn-out toilet flapper. You’ll know it’s the flapper when it no longer holds a tight seal and water leaks into the bowl. All hardware stores and home centers have all the parts you’ll need to stop your commode from running, and it will never cost more than a few bucks.
You can also confirm your toilet is leaking by adding a couple of drops of food coloring to the tank and wait for fifteen minutes, then check your bowl. If the coloring has seeped into the toilet bowl, then you have a leaking toilet. Again, there is no need to call a plumber for this job.
- Remove the lid of your tank.
- Turn off the water at the shut-off valve (angle stop) behind the toilet.
- Flush the commode and remove the chain from the flapper. Then remove the flapper.
- Take it to your local home center and ask the associate to match it.
- Then, replace it with the new flapper.
You don’t even need to be a do-it-yourselfer to replace a toilet flapper–––it’s that easy.
A word of caution: If your commode has not been shut off for several years, chances are your shut-off valve may be locked in place. Forcing it closed could lead to a leaky valve creating a whole new set of problems. In addition, you may need to call your plumber if it is locked in place. Therefore, your shut-off valves should get replaced every eight to ten years as part of your home maintenance.
Replace That ugly Cracked Toilet Seat
Most of us are procrastinators, so the wobbly or cracked toilet seat is the last thing to get replaced. Most of the later model toilet seats are screwed into place using plastic nuts, but the older toilets used a metal nut and bolt for fastening the seat. While it’s easy to replace, the nut can be difficult to remove if corroded. Furthermore, if your commode seat is secured with a metal nut and bolt, you may have an old model commode that uses too much water. If your old commode dates back to 1992 or before then, your toilet is using too much water and needs replacing. Think about replacing it with a new one that uses 1.6 or 1.28 gallons per flush.
Is Your Toilet Rocking?
A rocking toilet is something you may experience in an old home. For example, the subfloor may have become warped, or it may not have been installed correctly. Whatever the case, any movement can damage the wax seal. First, check for moisture around your toilet; if you see any signs of moisture, your need to reinstall or replace your commode. However, if everything seems okay, one way to correct the problem is to remove the old caulking around the commode, cut plastic shims and, fit them under your commode, then tighten the nuts until they are snug. Lastly, add new caulking around the toilet.
Better yet, have your toilet reinstalled by a plumbing professional. In most cases, once your wax ring has broken its seal, you’re better off reinstalling it using a new wax ring. Wax rings could last 25 or 30 years. But you can break the seal if they didn’t install the commode correctly from the beginning.
Replace Your Old Toilet And Start Saving Water And Money
It feels like our toilets can last forever. Some experts say that toilets can last for more than 50 years if you keep replacing the parts. However, that doesn’t mean we should actually keep them that long. As mentioned, if the commode was built before 1992, then replace it because it uses too much water. Most parts on your toilet you can easily replace. Even a novice do-it-yourselfer can replace most parts of a commode. The best thing about fixing your toilet is the parts are cheap. For example, you can buy a complete toilet repair kit for under twenty-five dollars.
Consider a New Toilet
Have you considered getting a new toilet? If your current model is flushing more than 3.5 or more gallons of water, then you’re wasting a significant amount of water. You can save as much as 13,000 gallons of water a year by switching to a WaterSense labeled toilet. The WaterSense program is part of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For a product to earn the label, it must be independently certified to meet rigorous criteria for both performance and efficiency. A new commode certified with the WaterSense label would start at around $200, which is an excellent investment.
Need To Replace Or Repair Your Toilet? Big B’s Has You Covered
When you’re ready to replace or repair your toilet, Big B’s Plumbing has you covered. We’ve been replacing and repairing toilets in Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake, Murrieta, Menifee, Temecula, and Northern San Diego for over a decade. We provide legendary service and have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. You can also see over 1000 five-star reviews on Yelp! Google My Business and Facebook.