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| Main problems that your toilet can encounter |
| Clogs |
| Is there a more helpless feeling than when a toilet won't flush? Water rises in the bowl and begins spilling onto the floor as panic sets in. If a toilet requires plunging on a regular basis, there is probably an obstruction in the trap or further down the drainpipe. It may even be a symptom of a bigger problem farther down the sewer line. We at Mr Drain Plumbing are the experts at dealing with clogged toilets. |
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| Running toilets |
| If you hear water running in your toilet tank for extended periods after a flush, then your toilet is leaking. It is dumping water down the overflow tube and wasting up to 200 gallons of water daily. The problem may be a corroded overflow pipe or flush valve assembly. Sometimes the culprit is a worn out flapper valve. Stop jiggling the handle and call Rescue Plumbing. Chances are you'll save enough money on your next few water bills to cover the cost of the plumbing repair. |
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| How old and inefficient is your toilet? |
| If your toilet was manufactured before 1994, it is probably costing you a fortune in water. Most older toilets used 3.5 gallons per flush (gpf). Newer low-flow toilets use only 1.6 gallons per flush and the newest low-flow designs provide the same amount of flushing power as old 3.5 gallon models. Only A Mr Drain Plumber of can install an efficient new toilet that will conserve water and save you money month after month. |
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| There are many new environmentally-friendly toilet designs that go even further to save water. Some designs have a dual flushing system which uses only 0.9 gallons to flush liquid waste but all 1.6 gallons to flush solid waste. You are welcome to purchase a toilet from the store of your choice then seek our plumbing services to have it installed. Or we can provide you with options before delivering and installing the toilet you want. |
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| Here is a brief description how a toilet works. |
The simple but ingenious mechanics of the toilet have changed very little since the earliest "water closet" was invented in the 19th century.The toilet, though not one of the more glamorous of home fixtures, is designed to do a very specific job--to carry away waste and prevent sewer gases from entering the house. And unless something goes wrong with a toilet, it handles its job adroitly.
As shown in the illustrations at right and below, a toilet has two main parts, both made from vitreous china: a tank and a bowl. Some toilets are cast as a single piece while others are made in two separate parts that are joined together.
The tank, which houses all of the working parts, is where various types of toilets differ the most. Several different kinds of mechanisms may be used to accomplish a toilet's basic operation.
Following is a description of how the most common mechanism works: |
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- When a toilet is ready for use, both tank and bowl are partly filled with water. Passages between the bowl and the closet bend form a trap that remains filled with water at all times, blocking the rise of sewer gases.
- When you flush the trip lever, it lifts a rubber stopper--called a tank ball, flush valve seat ball, or the newer, more effective, flapper or flapper ball--from the flush valve, letting the water in the tank flow into the bowl.
- The pressure of the cascading water forces the bowl's water and waste down the waste pipe. The water flowing into the bowl also cleans the bowl. The bowl's water is replenished by water entering from the tank through a supply tube that connects to the home's cold water supply piping.
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The flush valve and the flapper together are called--not surprisingly--the flapper valve. A flush valve is 2 1/2 inches in diameter, as is the ball-shaped part of the flapper. The flapper hinges onto the vertical overflow pipe that's next to the valve, and a small chain connects the flapper to the trip lever.
The advantage of a flapper over the earlier stoppers is that it doesn't have as many parts to foul or get hung up, so it's less likely to let the tank "run" or leak into the bowl.
As the tank of a conventional toilet empties, a float ball drops, activating the ball cock (simply a water valve), which releases water into the tank. Some new ball cocks operate on water pressure--they don't have a float ball.
The water is delivered to the ball cock through the previously mentioned supply tube, which is connected to a valve at the wall or floor. This valve goes by various names, including stop valve, supply valve, and shutoff valve. When turned clockwise, this valve shuts off the flow of water to the tank. To prevent overflow and flooding, the top of the overflow tube is open and acts as a drain if the tank's water level rises too high. |
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In today's water-conserving toilets, a minimum-flush mechanism seals the flush valve seat when the tank is still partially full, keeping full pressure on the flush but using less water. A pressurized cylinder inside the toilet tank cuts water usage by putting a small amount of flush water under pressure--either from compressed air or from the house supply line's water pressure. A pressure-activated ball cock is activated by a drop in the tank's to the tank, eliminates the need for a float. |
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| The conventional float-ball, lift-wire, and tank-ball mechanism has been the standard flushing device for many years. The cut-away view above shows the relationship of the tank to the bowl and how the toilet's base forms a trap to block sewer gases. The flush handle raises the trip lever, raising the flush valve or seat ball from the flush valve seat, letting water rush into the bowl. |
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| The illustration at left shows a typical flapper combined with a pressure-activated ball-cock valve. The illustration at right shows the older style of float ball with a standard ball cock. When the float ball drops, the ball cock opens, filling the tank until the ball floats back into its upper position. The overflow tube sends excess tank water to the bowl. The refill tube replenishes water in the tank through the overflow tube. |
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| Mr Drain Plumbing Goes Green with energy efficient toilets. |
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Energy efficient toilets bring eco-friendly living into the bathroom. There are more ways to save energy beyond electricity and gas. Energy conservation may also be extended to water use.
Currently, the average household toilet flushes three gallons of water. Energy efficient toilets, on the other hand, generally flush 1.6 gallons. Some can even go as low as 1.28 gallons per flush. Installing energy efficient toilets can be a fairly simple for Mr Drain Plumbers task to accomplish. Of course, it is important to research the process first in addition to reading the instructions of the specific model. |
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- The installation can also be an excellent time to clean and repair any floor or wall problem spots in the area.
- Call us today to schedule an appointment and an expert from Mr Drain Plumbing of will explain you the benefits of Green Energy efficient toilets.
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