- 833-603-1840
- info@jprplumbingnewton.com
- Mon - Fri: 9:00 - 21:00
Great Neck, NY
In a house with several bathrooms, a toilet in a guest room can run nonstop for weeks before anyone notices, while the one everybody uses is the one most likely to clog at the worst moment. JPR Plumbing repairs overflowing, leaking, and constantly running toilets in Great Neck homes.
What to know
Toilet problems usually come from the tank, the drain, or the seal at the floor. Worn tank parts cause running and refilling. Blockages in the trap or drain cause clogs and overflows. A failed seal or a crack lets water escape around the base. Each of those has its own set of repairs.
A toilet that runs quietly may not seem urgent, but it can waste a large amount of water over time. A toilet that leaks at the base can soak the subfloor before any damage shows. Both are worth fixing before they turn into bigger repairs, especially on an upper floor where a leak can reach a ceiling below.
If the bowl is rising: close the shut-off valve behind the toilet by turning it clockwise and stop flushing. If you can, lift the tank lid and press the flapper down to stop more water from entering the bowl. Use gloves for any cleanup.
Water climbing toward the rim after a flush means a blockage in the toilet or the drain.
A tank that keeps refilling usually has a worn flapper or fill valve.
A puddle around the base can come from the seal, the supply line, or a crack.
Rubber flappers harden over time and stop sealing the tank.
Wipes, paper towels, and other items can lodge in the trap.
A toilet that moves can break the seal at the floor and start leaking.
A toilet auger reaches the trap, and drain tools are used if the clog is further down.
New flappers, fill valves, or supply lines stop running and leaks.
The toilet is lifted, a new seal is fitted, and it is secured to the floor.
When to call
Call right away if a toilet is overflowing, if water is leaking onto the floor or through a ceiling, or if no toilet in the house can be used. A running toilet can usually be scheduled but should not be left for long. The repair depends on whether the problem is in the tank, the seal, or the drain, and whether the toilet has to be removed. If you are replacing an older toilet anyway, it is worth asking about water-efficient models.
Great Neck homes
Homes with several bathrooms make it easy to overlook a toilet that is rarely used. Checking each one every so often for running, rocking, or dampness at the base catches most problems while they are still small. Toilets on upper floors deserve extra attention, because a slow leak there can reach finished ceilings, light fixtures, and walls on the floor below.
The EPA’s Fix a Leak Week page suggests adding food coloring to the tank. If color shows in the bowl after about 10 minutes without flushing, the toilet is leaking.
A leak at the base of an upstairs toilet can show up as a ceiling stain below. If you see one, shut off that toilet and have it checked.
Each toilet should have its own shut-off valve. Turn each one gently once in a while so it works when you need it. A valve that is stiff or drips when turned can be replaced on a routine visit.
If the toilet is clear but water still backs up into a tub or floor drain, clearing the drain the toilet feeds into is usually the next step. For other plumbing help in the house, see the work we do for homeowners in Great Neck.
If your home is in one of the peninsula’s villages, such as Kensington, Kings Point, Great Neck Estates, Saddle Rock, Great Neck Plaza, Russell Gardens, Thomaston, or Lake Success, we can help.
Questions
Turn the valve behind the toilet clockwise until it stops. Lifting the tank lid and holding the flapper down also keeps more water out of the bowl.
If the tank is slowly losing water into the bowl, the fill valve keeps switching on to replace it. A worn flapper is the usual cause.
Yes. A failed seal on an upstairs toilet can let water reach the ceiling below without much showing on the bathroom floor.
Yes. A valve behind each toilet lets you stop the water to that fixture without shutting off the house.
Usually. Most problems involve tank parts or the seal. A cracked tank or bowl is the main reason to replace it.
Reach us at (833) 603-1840, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., or send a request online. Tell us which bathroom the toilet is in and what it is doing.
