As Toilets Grow In Complexity, It’s Best To Leave Their Issues To A Plumber | Florence, SC

The toilets our plumbers encounter at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Florence vary widely. There are gravity-fed models with the tank high on the wall and a pipe leading way down to the bowl. We also service modern water-saving ones which build up air pressure using the water line, then surprise you with a loud whoosh as they push water down for the flush. There are plenty of other designs created over the years, and today’s toilet market includes high-tech models with enough gadgets to make them exhibits at the recent Consumer Electronic Show! What this means is, there are very few situations where a jiggle of the handle or a push of the plunger does more than get you along to the next clog or backup a few days later, or even a few hours later. Calling our plumber gets you an expert who knows the inner workings of toilets and can do a proper repair. If your toilet is rocking on a loose mount or subfloor, or has other issues that need attention, you definitely need a Florence, SC, plumber’s expertise to get it right.

From Five Gallons to Under Two

Older toilet models use a volume of water equivalent to filling one of those home improvement store buckets for each flush. Five gallons! Considering modern toilets are using either 1.6 or even 1.28 gallons per flush, we’ve come a long way. If it works correctly, which it sometimes doesn’t. Rather than buying an antique model on the black market, which some people do, why not just have your plumber make sure yours is flushing right? There’s more to a flush than you might imagine, and often clearing the twisting trap molded into the base or cleaning the jets around the rim of the bowl can help a lot. By the way, the 1.28 figure is from some dual-flush models, which can go as low as 0.8 for the “number one” setting. Our plumbers can be very helpful at providing advice on all sorts of water-saving appliance and fixture choices, by the way, so you get ones that work well for you.

Why Do Some Toilets Sound Like Rockets Blasting Off?

Pressure-assist toilets are quite modern but are particularly good at helping waste get down the pipes of older homes. They became available around 1984 when water shortages were increasingly a concern in some areas of the country. The design is pretty clever, using the filling of the tank with water to also compress a diaphragm containing air. Upon flushing, the air pushes the water out, resulting in the somewhat startling noise and a fairly effective flush! Since we use blasts of even higher-pressure water as one of our drain cleaning methods, this flush mechanism sounds like a basic clog-buster to us. They’re also less complex inside, so there’s less confusion about which of the many replacement parts kits is required to make repairs, and in fact repairs are needed less often. Speaking of parts kits, our plumbers have very well-stocked vehicles, making most repairs a one-stop, quick-fix situation.

A Lot Goes On Inside the Porcelain Toilet Base

Sometimes behind the bowl of your toilet, you can see the outline of a twisting passage, which is the trap that lets water flow down, but keeps sewer gas from rising. Sewer gas not only smells awful, but it’s also dangerous, so this is an important part of your toilet even though it obviously has the potential to clog. If you smell sewer gas in your home, give us a call right away, the problem can be more widespread than a toilet, especially if your home’s plumbing vent is blocked. A blocked plumbing vent can also make it seem like you have persistent clog problems, especially in the upper floor of your Florence, SC, home. Anyway, the presence of that curling trap passage in the base of your toilet means plungers only get you basic results. Our plumbers can clear all the way through without damaging the porcelain material. We can also clean any of the jets in the rim of the bowl that might not be blasting as effectively as they should, for maximum flushing effect.

Does Low Flow Mean Double Flush to Clean It?

Many people, when a toilet drain is slow, just use multiple flushes to accomplish the job, but that defeats the purpose of water-saving toilets and raises your water bill. A quick visit from our plumber to restore the proper flushing function of your toilet is an excellent alternative. It can even head off a major cleanup when the slow flush turns into an overflow or backup. Wastewater spills require not only mopping but sanitizing and even subfloor replacement. Better just to fix it.

Wobbly Seating: Repairing the Toilet Flange and Mount

The subfloor, rough-in mounting, and flange are essential parts of your toilet that you won’t notice unless they’re damaged. Then, you’ll get leaks, rocking toilet seats, and increasing amounts of damage to your bathroom floor. Our experts can restore this essential foundation of your toilet, and keep it comfortable and leak-free.

Selecting a New Toilet without Multiple Trips Carrying Delicate Porcelain

Picking a new toilet is more complex than you’d imagine. Not every home has the same rough-in dimensions on the mounting area. Normal seat height is actually not everyone’s favorite, and men and women often differ on whether an oval or round bowl is right. We can help you pick the perfect commode!

Your Toilet Expert and All-Around Excellent Plumbing Company

At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Florence we’re glad to come and take care of your toilet problems, so don’t be shy when you have concerns. Our experts can also make sure that your new toilet is just right for your family, and install it professionally. Call today and schedule a plumber visit, or call with any emergencies at your Florence, SC, home at any time.

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