- 833-603-1840
- info@jprplumbingnewton.com
- Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 21:00
Elmont, NY
Few household problems feel as urgent as a toilet that is about to overflow, and in a house with only one or two bathrooms, a broken toilet affects everyone. JPR Plumbing repairs overflowing, leaking, and constantly running toilets in Elmont homes, and checks whether the problem is in the toilet itself or the drain behind it.
Toilet problems fall into a few groups. Some involve the water supply, such as a fill valve that will not shut off or a supply line that leaks. Others involve the drain, such as a clog that causes the bowl to rise. A third group involves seals and cracks, which let water escape onto the floor.
A toilet that overflows once after something was flushed by mistake may need only a clearing. One that keeps backing up, or rises when other fixtures drain, often points to a blockage further down the line.
If the bowl is rising: lift the tank lid and press the flapper down to stop more water from entering the bowl, then close the shut-off valve behind the toilet by turning it clockwise. Do not keep flushing. Wipe up spills promptly, and wear gloves if the water is not clean.
Toilet trouble
The first row shows common toilet emergencies, the second covers what usually causes them, and the third explains how a plumber can help.
Water climbing toward the rim after a flush means the toilet or the drain beyond it is blocked.
A puddle at the base can come from a failed wax seal, a loose supply line, or a crack in the tank or bowl.
A tank that never stops refilling wastes water and can push up your water bill.
Wipes, paper towels, and hygiene products often cause clogs in the toilet or the line behind it.
Flappers and fill valves wear out with age and stop sealing or shutting off properly.
A toilet that moves when you sit on it can break the seal at the floor and start leaking.
A plumber clears the toilet or the drain line with tools suited to where the blockage is.
Flappers, fill valves, supply lines, and seals can be replaced to stop leaks and running.
If the seal has failed, the toilet is lifted, a new seal is fitted, and it is secured to the floor.
Elmont homes
In many Elmont houses, the basement floor drain or a ground-floor toilet is the lowest point in the plumbing, so a toilet that backs up there can be a sign of a wider drain problem rather than a toilet fault.
The EPA’s residential toilets page says toilets account for nearly 30 percent of an average home’s indoor water use, and most toilet leaks come from old or worn flappers.
Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank and wait without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, the flapper is letting water through.
Each toilet should have a small valve on the wall or floor behind it. Turn it gently once in a while so it moves when you need it.
Call if the bowl keeps rising, if water is leaking onto the floor, if the toilet is your only one and cannot be used, or if more than one drain is backing up. A running toilet is worth fixing soon but can usually be scheduled. The repair depends on whether the issue is in the tank, the seal, or the drain, and on whether the toilet needs to be removed.
Related services
When the toilet is clear but water still rises in the tub or floor drain, opening a blocked drain line is usually the next step. You can also read about other plumbing repairs around the house for Elmont homeowners.
We also work with households in North Valley Stream, Franklin Square, Floral Park, and South Floral Park.
Call (833) 603-1840, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., or request a visit online. Say whether the toilet is overflowing, leaking at the base, or running.
Questions
Close the shut-off valve behind the toilet. If you can reach it quickly, pressing the flapper down inside the tank also stops more water from entering the bowl.
Usually the flapper is not sealing or the fill valve is not shutting off. Both are common, inexpensive parts to replace.
It should be looked at soon. A leaking seal can soak the subfloor over time, even if only a little water shows.
Frequent clogs can come from an older low-flow design, from items that should not be flushed, or from a partial blockage in the drain line beyond the toilet.
Usually, yes. Checking whether other fixtures are affected, and clearing the toilet first, typically shows whether the blockage is in the toilet itself or further down the line.
Want to read up before you call? We explain toilets that run after every flush, and we also cover a weak or sluggish flush.
