Little Repairs An Old Toilet Might Need

Homeowners are often quick to replace their old toilets. There can be good reasons to do this. Maybe your old toilet is not a water-efficient model, and you want to conserve water with a new toilet. Or, perhaps the paint is chipping off the old toilet, and you want a nicer-looking one when you remodel. But outside of these situations, you may want to instead consider keeping your old toilet. A plumber can make one or more of the following repairs, which can improve and preserve its function.

Replacing the Flapper

The flapper is a part in the toilet tank that sits over the main pipe that allows water to drain from the tank into the bowl. The flapper is meant to lift to allow water into the bowl, then close to keep additional water from entering the bowl. Flappers are made from rubber or plastic, so they tend to deteriorate faster than the rest of the toilet. When they do deteriorate, they often stop sealing properly and instead allow some water to seep from the tank into the bowl. You might notice that your old toilet turns on and fills even when it has not been flushed. This is because the flapper is failing.

A plumber can easily remove the old flapper and replace it with a new, properly sealing one. This will quiet your old toilet down and make it more water-efficient.

Lubricating the Valve and Flush Mechanism

One issue with old toilets is that the valve can become clogged with mineral deposits, making it hard to turn the toilet off. You want to be able to turn the toilet fill valve off in case of an emergency, such as if there's a leak. A plumber can use a specialized penetrating lubricant to cut through the mineral deposits so the valve can be opened and closed again.

Your flush mechanism may also be a little sticky or wonky for similar reasons. So, while your plumber is lubricating the valve, you can ask them to also lubricate the flusher. This will ensure your toilet tank drains completely each time you flush, and it will probably keep you from having to hold down the flusher or pump it multiple times.

Old toilets do sometimes need to be replaced when they wear out. But if yours just needs a new flapper or some lubrication, those are easy fixes for a plumbing contractor to make. 

For more information about plumbing repairs, contact a local plumbing company.