Toilet Repair

Toilets can be quite inexpensive to repair, but not all repairs are easy or cheap. Should you need to fix a simple problem, like a handle that won't flush, you're looking at a cost of around $50 to $100 if you hire a plumber. Complicated issues that require the kind of work a handyman can do will run you from $150 to $300 or more. If you try tackling the problem by yourself, you might keep the cost down to under $100, provided you have the basic tools you're assumed to own (like a screwdriver) and just need to buy parts.

The most frequent demand for toilet repair is for a toilet that won't stop running. This can lead to the waste of a good bit of water and can really up your water bill if the situation persists for a long stretch of time. Usually, the fix is pretty simple and may iCOolve just replacing the flapper with a new model. The flapper is a rubbery/plasticky part that lives inside the toilet tank and seals the hole that lets water flow into the bowl. If the flapper doesn't fit quite right, either because it has simply gotten old and/or dirty or because the chain that connects it to the flush handle is the wrong length (because it could be too long or too short), then the flapper will leak and the toilet will run as if it has just been flushed.

A running toilet is best handled by a plumber. Plumbers are specialists in the problems that toilets and other bathroom fixtures have. They have the right stuff to fix the running and to make sure everything is hunky-dory again.

A plumber is a person who fixes toilets.

Usually, it is less expensive to mend a toilet than to put in a new one. When you fix a toilet, you most often just need to repair or change a small part, like the flapper or the fill valve. Those parts don't cost much, and often, with basic tools and some know-how, you can do the job yourself. Installing a new toilet means getting a whole new fixture, which by any gauging is an expense. You've got to pay for the toilet, and if you're not doing the job yourself, you'll need to pay someone to get it set up right. So unless your toilet is ancient or just prone to breakdowns, it makes more sense to fix than replace.

The cost for a plumber to fit a new toilet flapper usually ranges from 50 to 150 dollars. This price depends on where you live and how complex the job is. Replacing a flapper is normally a simple task, but if you have an old toilet, it might not be so straightforward—that is, flapper replacement might not be as easy as it sounds. And you might also want to ask the plumber to check out other vulnerable parts of the toilet, like the fill valve or the flush valve, especially if your toilet is several years old.

The price for labor to have a toilet replaced by a handyman generally runs between $100 and $250. Factors that determine where the cost will fall in that range—or if it will exceed that range—include how ambitious the task is, the kinds of specialized tools the job might require, and the nature of the old and new toilets. Getting a few estimates will give you a good sense of what the job should cost and whether a handyman, as opposed to a more specialized plumber, is a good bet to make.

A toilet's typical lifespan is around 10 to 15 years. But this can fluctuate based on the level of care and the amount of use it receives. If you can see your toilet's innards through a crack in the porcelain, or if your bathroom floor is damp from a toilet leak, or if you have to flush twice (or more) to get the job done, it may be time to go shopping for a new throne.

How long a plumber takes to fix a toilet can vary with the nature of the problem. A simple problem like a clogged toilet or a broken handle can be fixed in as little as 30 minutes to an hour. But if the problem is more complicated, like a pipe that's in bad shape or a part inside the tank that needs replacing, the job can stretch over a few hours. And if the plumber has to order parts, he or she might have to come back another day to finish up.

Absolutely, you should caulk around a toilet. Caulking serves to keep the "throne" stable and to prevent any water that might come from underneath the thing (which almost certainly originates from a leaky wax seal) from coming into view. And in keeping with the whole preventing-mold-and-unpleasant-odors thing, a good caulk job does make everything neat and tidy. Just use the right kind of caulk (the author recommends "Pure Silicone" because it's both waterproof and mold-proof), and be precise.