Toilet Repairs in Northwest Oregon & Portland

Your toilet is one of those essential, can’t-live-without items that makes your home comfortable. But, like anything else, toilets are going to need repairs sooner or later. The handle, fill valve, float ball, tank stopper, and flapper are just a few of the components that often wear down after years of regular use and exposure to water and the chemicals in the water. When the parts of your toilet no longer function like they should, it’s going to need your attention.

Toilet paper and other materials can build up in your toilet or plumbing system and cause your toilet to clog and overflow. When that happens, it can be extremely messy and unpleasant to clean up. Flushing paper towels, wet wipes, diapers, sanitary napkins, and excess hair from a brush are all common culprits behind toilet blockages. Homes with hard water may have mineral deposits that build up. These will eventually make the water supply pipes and the toilet drain narrow, which may make the toilet slow to fill and difficult for solid waste to flush away. If the blockage is in the pipe below or immediately adjacent to the toilet, it may be cleared using a plunger or toilet auger. Chemical drain cleaners are not necessarily a good solution since they can damage pipes and cause them to deteriorate. It’s best to consult with Wolfer’s for a drain-clearing estimate. Frequent recurring toilet clogs are symptomatic of a serious underlying problem.

Like a leaky faucet, the sound of a running toilet can drive you crazy, A running toilet or a toilet that won’t flush can be a symptom of a variety of problems. Water may be leaking through a poorly fitting or damaged flapper. The float apparatus fails to seal the flush valve between the tank and bowl. Water could be leaking into the overflow tube. A defective toilet fill valve, float arm, tank stopper or inlet valve might also be the problem. The chain connecting the flush lever to the flapper might be broken or loose. Maybe the water valve was accidentally turned off or it’s too low. If you are particularly handy, you might try to replace these parts with a kit from the hardware store. After you’ve looked at all the internal parts (or you’re not the D-I-Y type), and your toilet is still running, you need to call a Wolfer’s plumber. A running toilet is not a problem to ignore. You could be wasting hundreds of gallons of water a day and raising your water bill.

A toilet bowl that empties slowly known as a “slow” or “weak flush,” is often the result of the jet holes under the rim of the bowl becoming clogged with minerals such as calcium, lime, or rust-buildup. Over time, these mineral deposits restrict and block water from flowing into the toilet bowl properly, causing a weak flush. The problem may be easily fixed by using a wire or coat hanger to gently poke each flush hole to clear out any debris and allow the water to drain freely.

Another water and money-waster is a leaky toilet. If the leak is at the base, the wax ring (seal) between the bottom of the toilet and the waste pipe is damaged. This allows water to seep out under the toilet and across the floor. The toilet base may no longer be firmly attached to the floor and may even wobble when someone sits on it. Another leak you may encounter is a very slow leak from the tank into the bowl. You may periodically hear a flushing sound coming from the tank when the toilet hasn’t been flushed. This problem is usually caused by a bad flapper or flapper seat. The solution is to clean the flapper seat and replace it if it’s damaged or worn.

When Professional Plumbing Help is Needed

If you haven’t solved the toilet problem or if you simply don’t want to do the repairs yourself, it’s time to get professional plumbing assistance from Wolfer’s. Especially If you have standing wastewater in your toilet, or worse, wastewater backed up into your shower or sink. It’s a health hazard. It is also indicative of a serious toilet problem. Some issues are too involved, complicated or messy to tackle alone. 

An important part of owning a home is having a complete home service contractor with the right skills and experience for the job you need completed. For over a century, Wolfer’s Home Services has been the contractor of choice for quality-minded customers. We offer complete HVAC and indoor air quality services as well as complete plumbing services designed specifically for your home or business. Besides the fact that we have earned a reputation for being the best in the business, there are many more reasons to choose Wolfer’s for all your home service needs. Contact us today to work with a company that’s dedicated to ensuring your complete satisfaction.