Three Easy Steps to Repair a Leaky Wax Seal on Your Toilet

Symptom: There is water on the floor around the base of my toilet or water leaks from under the base of my toilet when I flush.

Usually this happens when the wax ring looses it's seal. Replacing the wax ring under the toilet bowl should repair this problem.

The first step in making this repair is to turn off the water source and remove all the water from your toilet tank and bowl. A good maintenance tip is to have a stop valve installed before the water supply line to the toilet tank. This is very common in most residences. If there is no stop valve the water will have to be turned off outside to make this repair. Many times an inline shut off valve will be installed where the water enters the home. The water can be turned off here, or at the street where the water meter is installed. A good maintenance procedure is to install a shut off valve right outside the house where the water enters from the street. It is also very convenient for making other plumbing repairs.

Next, once all the water is out of the toilet tank and bowl and the water is turned off, disconnect the water supply line to the toilet tank. Next Remove the nuts from the bolts that hold the toilet bowl to the floor so you can lift the bowl off the floor and away from the toilet flange(top of the sewer pipe). Inspect the flange for deterioration or damage. Cast iron pipe flanges rust over time and may need to be repaired or replaced. There are several options for repairing a cast iron flange. Putting a new steel ring over the top of the cast iron flange, chipping off the rusted flange and replacing with a new cast iron flange, or inserting a PVC (plastic) flange with an expansion joint are some of the options for repairing a damaged or deteriorated cast iron flange. Repair techniques for PVC flanges include using a "half moon" metal part, or a PVC spacer. All these parts can be purchased at your local home improvement store.

The last step, once you have inspected and/or repaired the toilet flange is to install the wax ring that you purchased at the local home improvement store. The wax ring is applied to the bottom of the toilet bowl. Set the bolts in the toilet flange and carefully set the toilet bowl over the bolts onto the wax ring. Install the nuts onto the bolts being careful not to over tighten. Reattach the water supply line and open the valve. Check for leaks. Once the tank is full, do a test flush to be sure you have a good seal at the flange. Your repair is complete!

Tools needed: channel lock pliers, adjustable wrench, hammer.

How to Use a Chemical Toilet

Have you ever thought that it might be useful to own a chemical toilet? Plenty of people do buy these products every year and yet it's clear that there's a real lack of information available about them online. I'm not quite sure why this should be the case, but this article aims to provide some useful information.

There are a number of manufacturers making chemical portable toilets at the moment. You may well have heard of some of the better known companies, such as Thetford. There will also be some manufacturers who will doubtless be unknown to you at present. Fortunately, most chemical toilets work in a very similar manner.

They are designed for situations where there are no other alternative toilet arrangements available, or where such alternatives are simply not of a high enough standard. So let's take a closer look at how they work.

Most chemical toilets are divided into two sections. The upper section usually includes the toilet seat and a tank that is used to hold fresh water. Just as is the case with a home toilet, there is likely to be a flushing mechanism. This enables the freshwater to clean the toilet bowl after use.

The aim of this is to keep the toilet clean, ensuring that you have to carry out the minimum of maintenance. It is best to add suitable chemicals to the freshwater tank, as they will assist with cleaning and also offer a more attractive odour.

The bottom half of the toilet will usually include a waste tank. As the name suggests, this is where the waste products will be stored after you flush the toilet. Once again, you would usually add the appropriate chemicals to this lower tank in order to ensure that waste materials break down quickly.

More expensive chemical toilets will also tend to have a level indicator on the bottom tank. This will tell you when the tank is becoming full. At this point, you can empty the waste tank at a suitable location within the caravan site or camp site.

This is easily done, since most chemical toilets are designed in such a way as to ensure that they can be separated into two parts quickly.

As you can see, using a chemical toilet is fairly simple. This guide should give you an overview of the basics.

Some portable toilets will also offer additional functionality, but most people manage with more basic models.

Functional and Stylish Bathroom Mirrors

For sure you will feel excited whenever you plan to relocate to your own home. You will surely feel great knowing that you will start to live within your new home.

Of course as a homeowner you want only the best things for you home. You usually feel excited in decorating and putting all the important things to your home.

Normally homeowners start fixing their living room, then their kitchen and then their bedroom. But you should not forget including your bathroom. Every room in your home is important that is why you have to make sure that it is complete furnished with all the necessary accessories. One of the best accessories that you should not forget when furnishing your bathroom is the bathroom mirror. It is one of the most important accessories in the bathroom. There are lots of people who start their day by facing the mirror and end up facing the mirror again.

Actually bathroom mirror is not just an accessory, it is known as functional and stylish accessories for your bathroom. It is functional because you usually consult it whenever you want to check out your image. Women usually use it whenever they out their make-up, fixing their hair, primping their face and checking out their clothes. This is also the same with those men out there. They usually use it when shaving, and checking their wardrobes. With the important function of the mirror, there is no doubt that it is a must for your bathroom.

When it comes from being stylish, it can be a source of decor for your bathroom. Bathroom usually comes in different style, designs, shapes, sizes and colors. If you want to have an appealing bathroom, make sure that you are hanging the right mirror. In choosing the right mirror, it is important that you have to check if it will blend well with the overall look of your bathroom. Check if the design and style of the bathroom mirror will conform to the rest of the accessories inside the bathroom. There are also mirrors that come with frame or those frameless. What is important is that you know what you want and prefer in order to have the right mirror.

Now there are lots of bathroom mirror that you can buy out in the market. It will be better if you are going to conduct window shopping before you actually purchase the mirror that you will encounter. In order to make an easy search of the mirror, you can do it through the internet. Now there are lots of websites that you can visit in order to check the different designs and style of bathroom mirrors.

What's Wrong With My Toilet

Four of the most common symptoms when troubleshooting and diagnosing your toilet for maintenance and repair.

Symptom #1 There is water on the floor around the base of my toilet or water leaks from under the base of my toilet when I flush. Usually this happens when the wax ring looses it's seal. This is caused by lack of use (wax ring dries up)or, more commonly the toilet moves causing a break in the seal. The toilet moves usually because the flange on the sewer pipe breaks and the bolt no longer holds the toilet in place or the porcelain cracks where the bolt holds the tank to the floor. Repairs can be made by the homeowner.

Symptom #2: Water is leaking from between my tank and bowl. The tank and bowl are held together by bolts (usually two) and there are rubber seals on the bolts and between the tank and bowl. Local water conditions and bowl cleaners that are put into the toilet tank can cause these items to deteriorate. Unless there is a crack in the tank, replacing these items will repair this problem.

Symptom #3: The toilet tank is filling with water even when I'm not using it. There is a part in your toilet tank called the flapper. It is attached to the flush valve. It is usually a soft rubber which over time can deteriorate due to age, water conditions or adding bowl cleaners to the tank. Replacing the flapper will repair this problem. Most flappers are universal.

Symptom #4: The water will not shut off even after the tank is full. Repair or replace the fill valve. This is the valve that lets water into your tank from the water supply line. There are several types. The two most common fill valves are the horizontal floating ball that is attached to an arm which in turn opens or closes the fill valve , and the vertical floating ball which rides up and down the fill valve shaft closing or opening the fill valve. In many cases, replacing the seals in the fill valve will repair this problem. However, most people opt to replace the fill valve totally.

Her Fix-it Guide to Toilet Repair

Imagine your home without toilets. Yes, the thought itself is enough to make you cringe. The toilet is often the most used, or should we say the most 'misused' fixture in the home. The importance of the toilet can only be felt at the exact point in time when something goes wrong with it. Toilets generally are a fairly easy DIY project that can be successfully completed by anyone. With just a bit of work and the tips you will find in this article, you should be able to quickly fix your toilet.

The first step in fixing a toilet is to determine the problem with the toilet. Your toilet could either be a slow moving toilet, or it could be clogged, or it could even be a running toilet. A slow moving toilet implies that you have to flush the toilet quite a number of times and the water drains away quite slowly. Slow moving toilets are often the result of clogged sewage drain pipes, and are at risk of suddenly clogging completely and overflowing. No one likes to clean up the mess an overflowing toilet creates. A running toilet is one where once you flush it, the water does not want to stop flowing into the toilet bowl. A running toilet can use up a large amount of water over a fairly short period, so it is important to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Make no difference which problem you have, you can fix it yourself. If you happen to have a clogged or slow moving toilet, then the first thing you should do is turn off water supply to the toilet. You can do this can be by turning the knob on the shut off valve to the right until the water supply stops. The valve is normally placed a few inches above the floor on the left when facing the toilet.

Now determine which the problem you have. To do this, pour a bucket of water quickly into the bowl. If it flushes slowly, the toilet has developed a clog. Clear the clog affecting your toilet by first using a plunger. If this removes the clog, then you can turn the water back on to the toilet, if it does not clear the clog, then you should try using a plumber's snake. This tool will allow you to clear most any clog.

Once you have the clog taken care of, then you should clear the mineral deposits that tend to develop in the small holes under the rim of the toilet. This will help your toilet flush much more effectively. These holes can be cleared with a stiff bristled brush, or you can use the bent end of a coat hanger to poke the holes clear. You might also want to make use of a small mirror to see the holes that are being cleared.

If your toilet is letting water into the bowl at all times, then you have a running toilet. First off, remove the toilet tank lid and sit aside out of your way. Some people like to place it in the bathtub. Next check the ball cock, which is the valve that the float is attached to. If water is coming out of the valve, you may need to replace it.

If that doesn't seem to be the problem, then press down on the flap at the bottom of the toilet tank to see if the water stops running into the bowl. Over time, these flaps tend to warp out of shape and cause the tank to leak into the bowl. If this solves the problem, then replace the tank flap.

Whichever needs replacing, be certain to shut off the water supply to the toilet before you begin your repair.

Residential Plumbing - Finding the Toilet That is Best For You

After years of "making do," you've finally decided to remodel your bathroom. You've selected the colors, the sink, the tub, the floor, the tiles, the mirror, and even the towel racks. But what about the toilet? Never had you imagined that there would be so many choices and decisions to make: the size, the shape of the bowl, the flushing mechanism, just to name a few.

Here are some basic considerations to keep in mind when conducting your search, even before you find a plumber for the job:

1. Size. Toilets come in different lengths, widths and heights, and your main consideration should be to ensure that the size of the toilet and the space available for it allow for a comfortable fit. In addition, it is necessary to mount most toilets 12-14 inches from the wall. These measurements must be accounted for.

2. Shape of the bowl. Bowls can be purchased in either a round or elongated (oval) style. Elongated bowls are generally about two inches longer than round bowls, allowing for maximum comfort. Round bowls are smaller and thus, are better suited for smaller spaces. In addition the many varieties of toilet seats on the market today generally are made to fit round bowls, so with a round bowl it may be easier to match the decor in your bathroom.

3. Flushing mechanism. With regard to flushing, in the U.S. today, two standard flush systems are generally available: (i) the "gravity-flush system," in which the pressure of the water in the tank, together with the weight of the water in the bowl, forces water and waste through the trapway, where a siphoning action completes the flush, and (ii) the "pressure-assisted flush system, " in which a cylinder of compressed air in the tank forces water into the bowl. The "pressure-assisted flush system" provides for a stronger flush and less chance of clogging, but is generally more expensive and noisier than a "gravity-flush system, and may require expensive maintenance. You may also want to consider a "dual flush toilet," which offers a low volume (half) flush for liquid waste and a full volume flush for solid waste. While this type of toilet is more expensive, and the instillation a bit more complicated, the cost savings (and benefit to the environment) are enormous.

4. Trapway. The trapway is the snakelike plumbing through which waste and water flows. Larger and glazed trapways allow for more efficient flushing and decrease the incidence of clogging.

5. Pieces. A two-piece toilet is one in which the water tank is bolted on top of a separate bowl, and is generally somewhat more affordable. Talk to an experienced plumber about your options here. A one-piece toilet is one in which the tank and bowl are integrated without a seam, and tends to be more expensive, but is generally more stylish, smaller and easier to clean.

6. Attachment. Determining how the toilet shall be attached (whether bolted to the floor or mounted to the wall) simply depends on the plumbing in your bathroom. If you have a wall-discharge drain line (the pipe that takes waste and water from your toilet to the septic tank or sewer line) you will need a wall-mounted toilet. A floor-discharge drain line, requires a floor-bolted toilet.

Designing Your Dream Master Bath

If you're having a custom home built, or perhaps just remodeling your current home, one of the most exciting designs you could take upon yourself is that of your master bath. Thought of as a private getaway for most couples, or overworked moms at the very least, the master bath is often a place where a higher budget is given when it comes to design and decorating. It's one of the few places you can shut the door and get away from the kids, and one of the few places you can completely relax in silence.

If you are looking for some tips and ideas for your own master bath redesign, you should consider the following. Planning isn't always as easy as it seems, especially when you discover what things costs, but following a few guidelines will help you get the most for your money.

Formality - The kind of master bath you want may depend upon how formal or informal your home is. A country bath is quite different from a Victorian or modern style bathroom. The formality of your design will determine whether you use stone flooring, a fancy selection of hardware, even your color scheme.

Cost/Budget - It goes without saying that your budget will highly influence the choices you make in your design. Get the most for your money by compromising on what is least important to you. Decide first what you cannot live without, whether it's a double sinks, heated floors, granite countertops, a whirlpool tub or a shower big enough for the entire family.

Bathing Preferences - Everyone is unique, and so are our personal habits when it comes to bathing. Some of us prefer showers, while others must have a bath available - and a luxurious one at that. Most master bathrooms have both a shower and a bath, but even then, there are many options to choose from. Double massaging shower heads, a whirlpool bath, old fashioned claw foot tub... the choices are almost endless.

Privacy Needs - Depending on where on the floor plan your master bath is located, you may need to take privacy into consideration. Many people like to leave bathroom windows unveiled to let natural light in, but with houses built so close together these days, that's almost impossible. However, with the use of glass blocks or other building tricks, you can still get privacy without completely blocking out all the light and beauty of the outdoors.

Space Considerations - Planning your new bath will be tricky if you are short on space, so it's important to sketch out a little diagram of what you'd like to be included before you start ordering materials. If space is no option, your decisions will be what to fill it with. Consider a large walk-in closet, a seated vanity in between double sinks, or his and her toilets. When space is not an issue, you can truly create the master bath of your dreams.