How to Prevent Slow Water Leaks From Your Toilet Tank

When you prevent slow water leaks from your toilet, you can potentially save hundreds of gallons of water a day. A leak between the tank and bowl that keeps a toilet running continuously wastes about two gallons of water a minute. However, even silent toilet leaks are big wasters. While a leak may be caused by a hairline crack in your tank—generally, this means a new toilet is in your immediate future—in the overwhelming majority of cases, the problem is a defective fill valve or a worn tank flapper.  Contact a professional plumber and let him know what kind of problems you're experiencing. After ruling out a cracked tank, here’s how he’ll replace tank valves to prevent slow water leaks from your toilet:

• After the water supply is shut off, your plumber will flush the toilet to empty your tank. He’ll then use a sponge to soak up residual water from the tank.

• Underneath the tank, your plumber will disconnect the water supply line from the fill valve, and then remove the jamb nut securing the valve. Pulling the water supply line downward out of the fill valve, he can then remove the valve from the tank.

• With the replacement fill valve correctly positioned inside the tank, your plumber will install a new gasket at the bottom of the valve before hand-tightening the jamb nut to secure it in place. Your plumber will then reconnect your water supply line.

• The rubber flapper valve inside the tank is operated by a chain extending from the flush lever. Your plumber will remove the valve from its mounting tab on the overflow tube, and then unhook the chain from the flush lever. Afterwards, he'll install the new flapper valve on the mounting tabs before attaching the chain to the flush lever.

• After water is restored at the shut-off valve, your plumber will observe the tank refilling and check for leaks. He’ll then test the flushing action and adjust the new fill valve, if necessary, to ensure that your tank fills to the proper level.

You can schedule professional service to prevent slow water leaks from your toilet by contacting Air Assurance in the Tulsa metropolitan area today.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Africa-Studio/Shutterstock”

Sewer Problems? Check Out the Top 3 Reasons

Sewer Problems? Check Out the Top 3 Reasons

Water leaks and backed up water are among the most common sewer problems in Oklahoma homes. If you try to use your tub, toilet or sink and find that water isn’t draining the way you expect it to, one of these top three reasons could be the cause.

Drain blockage

This is the most common cause for all sewer problems. A blocked drain is most likely the reason behind backed up water if the issue affects an individual drain. Your options include clearing the blockage yourself or seeking the help of a professional plumber.

Help prevent drain blockage in the future by doing the following:

• Only flush human waste and toilet paper (even tissues and paper towels can clog the toilet)

• Never pour grease down the drain

• Place strainers in tub drains and sinks without garbage disposals

Cracked or collapsed lines

Old pipes have a tendency to crack or even completely collapse. Sewer problems generating from this cause require professional help. While images of digging equipment in your yard may come to mind, look into no-dig technology to fix the problem.

Tree roots

Finicky toilets that clog for no reason or sinks that always drain slowly could be caused by tree roots. Over time, roots can wreak havoc on a sewer system by growing around pipes and crushing them. They can even grow through pipes and cause clogging and backed up water.

Only trust a professional plumber to take care of tree root problems. Ask for a thorough investigation of the sewer problems, which may include video inspection, so you can make an informed decision regarding what types of repairs are necessary.

Be sure the professionals you hire understand that it’s only appropriate to remove roots in late winter/early spring before the trees bud. After all, haphazard cuts could damage or kill the trees on your property.

To learn more about identifying and solving sewer problems, please contact Air Assurance in Broken Arrow today. We opened our doors in 1985, and today we’re proud to serve the Tulsa metropolitan area with our team of more than 60 qualified members.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  Image courtesy of Shutterstock