Marcin from ExpressRooter, the official contractor for Mike Holmes, is here to address some of the common questions that many homeowners ask. 3 Plumbing Jobs to Leave to the Pros A question that home owners often ask is, what plumbing jobs should…
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Marcin from ExpressRooter, the official contractor for Mike Holmes, is here to address some of the common questions that many homeowners ask. Must Have Tools for Every Homeowner’s Toolbox A question that homeowners often ask is, what type of tools…
Marcin from ExpressRooter, the official contractor for Mike Holmes, is here to address some of the common questions that many homeowners ask. How to Clear a Clogged Toilet A question that home owners often ask is, my toilet is not…
If your toilet tank is leaking, not only will your toilet not flush properly, you will also be wasting water. Luckily, fixing a leaking toilet tank can be done yourself, and you may not have to rely on a plumbing service specialist. What you will have to do is replace the rubber gaskets present around the tank bolts, as well as the spud washer. This washer can corrode due to hard water and high mineral content, resulting in annoying leaks.
If you have a leaking toilet tank, here is what you have to do to fix it:
Items Required to Fix the Leak
Like so many of modern life’s conveniences, we tend to take our plumbing entirely for granted… until it goes wrong.
If the toilet suddenly backs up, or a tap continues to leak, or a sink won’t drain, there are several relatively simple self-fixes you can try. In this easy-to-digest overview, we’ll look at those three common plumbing problems, give advice on how to deal with them, and refer you to other blog posts that deal with plumbing questions in greater detail.
Immediately stop flushing the toilet. Dumping more water into the bowl isn’t extremely likely to result in a miraculous clearance; rather, you’ll just make matters worse by flooding the floor with overflowing water. In fact, turn off the valve which serves the toilet, then wait for the trapped water to seep away.
Put on a pair of sturdy rubber gloves, reach in and try to remove any obvious blockages. If that doesn’t work, add a little dish soap to a half-bucket of hot (not boiling) water, then pour the mixture into the toilet from a couple of feet above the top of the bowl. If the pressure and agitation caused by the falling water doesn’t work, the detergent may loosen the blockage.
Use a heavy-duty rubber plunger, or attempt to push out the obstruction with a plumbing snake (a flexible coil of wire on a spool). You can buy a manual version, or rent one that works on an electric drill.
This and other plumbing questions are more fully explored here.
Plumbing projects can be very simple fixes in some instances. For example, a dripping faucet or a clogged drain pipe are less delicate projects and are ideal for the homeowner to handle on their own. These types of plumbing problems are relatively easy to fix and are within the scope of the abilities of the average homeowner with modest mechanical abilities. However, there are more serious problems that require the skills and expertise of a professional plumber to make proper repairs that will not lead to further complications or damage. Some plumbing projects that require the intervention of a professional include:
