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Water
Closet Repairs:
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Leak
From Bottom of the Toilet:
Caused by blockage in drain line and when toilet is
flushed, water is backing from the bottom of the toilet, and also the wax gasket
between toilet bowl and flange deteriorated, that’s why, instead of
overflowing from the top of the bowl, water is leaking from the bottom. Toilet has to be moved out,
snake has to be sent to drain line, and blockage has to be cleared, then
with new wax gasket toilet has to be reinstalled.
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Leak
Between Tank and Bowl:
There
may be two reasons for the leak, either rubber gasket between tank and
bowl deteriorated or, the bolts connecting tank to bowl loose. Shake the
tank with two hand, if it is wobbling bolts are loose. Tighten the bolts
from bottom of the tank. You need small adjustable wrench and long flat
head screwdriver. With one hand and flat head screwdriver hold the bolt
head, and from bottom of the tank tighten the nut. Sometimes the rubber
washers between bolt and tank (inside the tank) deteriorated, then you have to
change tank to bowl kit. That means gasket between tank and bowl, bolts,
bolt rubber washers. If you can not disconnect the bolts you have to cut
them with a reciprocating saw or small hand saw.
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Tank
Overflow:
Water
level mechanism is not working and over flow tube blocked. This is very
rare situation. Mostly overflow is caused by small tube connected to
overflow pipe disconnected. Put back in the overflow tube and reconnect it
to tube. Every brand has different and simple connection design.
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Leak
from Toilet Supply Tube:
Retighten
the supply tube connections. Be careful when you tightening toilet
connection side. You may turn the inside of the tank water level mechanism
(ballcock). Open the tank cover, hold the ballcock from top (so sexy).
Also tighten the nut, connecting ballcock to toilet.
If
tightening doesn’t work, replace the supply tube. Shut off the valve
under toilet (called stop valve or angle stop). Flush the toilet, so water
in toilet tank will be drained, also keep a small cup nearby to get the
extra water when you disconnect the supply tube. Another important
recommendation, shut off the whole house from main shut off, because these
stop valves never completely closes. Change the supply tube.
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Leaking
Flapper:
Flapper
is the rubber, round piece, centrally located in the toilet tank. This is
the most important and most simple looking part in toilet. Because deteriorated
flapper may cost you a lot of money. When it starts leaking you
don’t see any water around. It leaks to drain; sometimes it doesn’t do
any noise. And you feel the problem when you get the water bill. Sometimes
the difference in water bill is small and you don’t see the difference.
But in one year it may cost you a thousand-dollar. So when you are in
bathroom if you hear any dripping water or hissing noise (backfilling
ballcock), or any noise from toilet, replace the flapper. It is cheap and
saves you a lot of money. But don’t buy the cheapest flapper; buy the
best one (I recommend Korky Flapper. It should be around 4 -5 dollars.
Don’t buy $1 flapper please. That little difference may cost you couple
of hundred dollars.) Also if you get big water bill, check the toilets.
Probably you have bad toilet flapper.
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Water
Level Mechanism (Ballcock) Not Working Properly:
When
you open the toilet tank cover if you see the water level too high and
overflowing from top of overflow pipe to inside of the toilet, try
adjusting water level by bending the arm of ballcock or by level
adjustment screws on top like in some models. If it is Fluid Master
ballcock you can adjust the level by squeezing the steel piece on vertical
wire arm at the side, pulling the ball down. If adjusting water level is
not possible, it means ballcock washers worn and it is time to change the
ballcock.
Shut
off the valve under toilet (called stop valve or angle stop). Flush the
toilet, so water in toilet tank will be drained, also keep a small cup
nearby to get the extra water when you disconnect the supply tube. Another
important recommendation, shut off the whole house from main shut off,
because these stop valves never completely closes. Get the extra water in
tank with a sponge. Then replace the ballcock by reading the installation
directions comes with the box. Always replace supply tube also. If you use
old supply tube, it leaks.
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Wobbling
Toilet:
Try
tightening the bolts that connects toilet to floor (actually to flange at
the bottom of the toilet).
If
it is impossible to tighten the bolts it means that the flange under the
toilet bowl is broken. In this case loosen the bolts. Sometimes, not
sometimes, mostly, it is impossible to loosen the bolts. Then get a
reciprocal saw or little key saw cut the bolts.
Shut
off the valve under toilet (called stop valve or angle stop). Flush the
toilet, so water in toilet tank will be drained, also keep a small cup
nearby to get the extra water when you disconnect the supply tube. Another
important recommendation, shut off the whole house from main shut off,
because these stop valves never completely closes. Get the extra water in
tank with a sponge.
Get
a help to move the toilet (watch your back). Broken flange can be fixed
with a spanner flange. Spanner flange is a piece of curved metal with a
hole on it to pass the toilet bolt through it. Mount the spanner flange
under the broken section, put new wax gasket, put two new toilet bolts
vertical on flange, raise the toilet together with another person, and
insert the toilet, aligned the holes on toilet and vertical bolts on
flange. This is a tricky process; you may use your hands to align toilet
bolt holes and bolts.
Sometimes
toilet flange is completely destroyed and you might not fix it with a
spanner flange. But now there is a practical solution for that too. It is
kind of repair flange and you can install it with an alien wrench. It is
not approved by plumbing codes but it is used by do it yourself people.
Sometimes
the only reason that toilet wobbles because of uneven floor. Then we use
shims. Shim can be a plastic piece, a piece of wood or piece of tile. But
after inserting a shim under the toilet, grout all around and wait one day
before using the toilet.
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Overflowing
Toilet Bowl:
There
is something in bowl or drain line blocked up. We send special curved
snake to bowl. If that doesn’t work problem either in drain line or you
need a new toilet bowl. Move the toilet out send a bigger snake to drain
line, reinstall the toilet back, flush again. If it still not working
properly, replace the toilet bowl.
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Water
Closet Types:
One
Piece Toilet: tank and bowl is consisting of one whole piece. They work
quieter, don’t get clogged as often as other toilets. But they are more
expensive (about 4 times more). Upper class houses and luxury bathrooms
have one piece toilets.
Two
piece round front toilets: Most common used residential toilets, and also
most economic toilets.
Two
Piece Elongated Toilets: They can be used residential and commercial. They
are longer and used commonly for average and upper middle class houses.
When used in commercial bathrooms seat has to be open front seat.
Wall
Hung Toilets: Used in commercial bathrooms. Because cleaning under the
toilet easy and they don’t clog very easy, but installation and price of
toilet is pretty expensive.
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Lavatories:
Sometimes called bathroom sinks. Most commons
types:
Steel
Enameled: mostly they are 19” round or oval. Counter top of vanity
cabinet has to be cut and these lavatories have to be installed.
Cast
Iron: They can be round or oval. It is made up of cast iron covered with
porcelain. Price is much higher than steel enameled.
Porcelain
or china lavatories: They look like cast iron lavatories.
Cultured
Marble: they mostly come as counter top and lavatory one piece, but can be
found as only lavatory too.
Pedestal
Lavatory: They can be different sizes. Has to be connected to wall with a
bracket and to the floor with anchor and screw.
Wall
Hung Lavatory: Used mostly commercial bathrooms and overly economic
residential bathrooms.
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Lavatory
Problems:
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Chipped
and Rusted Steel Enameled Lavatory:
Lavatory
has to be replaced with same size lavatory, but also faucet has to be
replaced too, because installing old faucet to new lavatory doesn’t save
you any money when you consider labor to dismount old faucet.
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Leak Under Lavatory:
There may be couple of reasons.
Corroded
or loose metal trap: replace the trap with a new master trap set.
Leaking Faucet Supply Tubes: to be able to replace
supply tubes you need special sink wrench.
Leaking faucet Body: we mostly replace the faucet.
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Vanity Cabinets:
Height of Vanity cabinets is mostly standard. If
you are not ordering a custom made vanity, cabinet depth is usually 21”,
19”, or rarely 16”. Lengths are 16”, 24”, 31”, and 48”. You
can find cultured marble counter top for these sizes.
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Shower Pan:
Shower pan is a rubber or vinyl material and
installed under the tile and about 2” thick concrete (we call it mud).
Shower pan is mounted to shower drain, and nailed to the sidewalls of
shower, so it prevents leaking from sides. Shower pan installation
needs a professional plumbing work; otherwise later on damage may be very
high. Give us a call. We help you.
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Drain Field:
When there is no city sewer system, for drainage,
septic tank and drain field system is installed. After septic tank, water
is distributed to area with a special piping system and this system is
called drain field. Most of the drainage is water. This water has to be
sent to area; otherwise septic tank fills very quickly. Under normal
circumstances, septic tank never overflows, always sends water to drain
field. But cleaning of septic tank once every two years by a pump truck is
recommended. This maintenance increases the life of drain field. After
some years (20-25 years), drain field starts slowing. Then it has to be
replaced. For a new drain field, plan, permit, and inspection needed, so
hire a plumbing contractor and give us a call.
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