Toilet Parts Your Plumber Might Need To Replace Over The Years
Toilets are pretty durable. After all, most are made from porcelain or ceramic, both of which are very strong materials. Unfortunately, some of the small parts in the back of a toilet are not quite as durable as the toilet itself. The good news is that most plumbers can replace these small toilet parts as needed. Here are a few key toilet parts that you may need to have a plumber replace over the years.
The Flapper
The flapper is a round piece of rubber or plastic that fits over the main fill pipe in the back of your toilet. It sits on two little hinges. The flapper hinges up to allow water to go from the toilet tank into the bowl. Then it hinges down to close off the pipe.
Over the years, flappers sometimes become weak. They then start cracking or developing little holes in the edges. When this happens, water will start seeping through or around the flapper when it is in the closed position. This causes your toilet to run when you have not recently flushed it. It's doing so in order to refill the tank after water has leaked from the tank to the bowl.
A broken flapper won't really keep your toilet from flushing, but it does waste a lot of water. A plumber can remove the damaged flapper and put a new one in place. That should stop the leak and prevent future water wastage.
The Chain
Another part that tends to break or suffer damage is the chain that connects the flapper to the flushing lever. The chain may rust and break, or it may simply get stretched out and become loose over the years. When this happens, you may have to push the flush lever down extra far to get the toilet to flush, or you may need to hold the flusher down for an extended time.
A plumber can remove the existing chain and replace it with a properly sized, new chain, or they may be able to remove a link or two from your current chain in order to shorten it. Both approaches are quick and affordable.
Even if your toilet lasts a long time, it might need one or both of the above repairs at some point. Both repairs are easy to make, and any plumber should be able to make them for you. So don't hesitate to call a plumber if your toilet is acting up. Reach out to plumbing services near you to learn more.
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