Is the Toilet In the Guest Bathroom Ready for Holiday Visitors?
One of the great joys of the holiday season is spending more quality time with the family. Of course, for any homeowner who happens to be hosting the year’s festivities, the influx of relatives, children, grandchildren, and grown children can be a real handful. The living room may start to look like a convention center, and the kitchen may start to look like a tornado just came through.
But no one area of a home is subject to more chaos than the bathroom, especially if several people share it. Formulating a system that gives everyone an equal turn may be challenging enough in itself. But a toilet handling so much extra volume is almost destined to develop a clog or other issue - which can put a real damper on the festivities.
How To Tell When a Toilet Needs Replacing
An older toilet or one with a history of minor issues is naturally more susceptible to serious problems in the face of an increased workload. If there are any visible cracks or other indicators of a leak, such as rust or water stains, or pooling moisture around the base, the toilet needs replacement. If the toilet runs constantly or regularly fails to flush properly, an internal component is likely damaged, and the whole fixture may need replacing.
A toilet that wobbles or moves around may need to be replaced, especially if the problem persists after tightening the mount bolts - the lateral movement may have caused water to leak into the floor or wall and compromise or erode the anchor points. In this case, the damage can extend beyond just the toilet itself and require a professional to assess and repair.
Tips for Avoiding a Clogged Toilet (With Guests Using It)
The most common cause of a clog is too much material being flushed at one time, particularly toilet paper. A good way to avoid this, beyond using as little paper as possible, is to flush twice - one for the waste and another for the toilet paper. It’s also important to make sure every visitor knows not to flush sanitary napkins, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, or anything but toilet paper.
It doesn’t hurt to minimize the risk of items falling into the toilet bowl by keeping surfaces around the toilet (i.e., the tank lid) clear of loose objects. Of course, the best way to prevent this is to keep the lid closed whenever the toilet is not in use. One creative way to get everyone on the same page is to make a polite and entertaining list of bathroom ground rules and post it where it can be clearly seen.
How Professionals Handle Clogged Toilets
A clogged toilet can be fixed with a solid plunger and a careful application of force in many cases. However, some clogs require a professional touch. If a child’s toy has found itself lodged in the S-shaped curve at the back of the toilet basin, a plunger won’t do it, and the toilet may even need to be pulled up and taken apart, which is a complicated task.
If a stubborn blockage has occurred twenty feet down the drainage pipe, or tree roots are interfering with an underground pipe, a plumber may need to use a “snake” (a long, flexible, metal coil) or other special pipe-clearing tools or chemicals. Any homeowners who attempt to tackle these kinds of repairs themselves are asking for trouble. Especially if the house is filled with extended family and friends, a speedy and safe resolution is well worth the cost of hiring a reliable expert.
About A & W Plumbing and Heating, Inc.
A & W Plumbing and Heating, Inc. has served Murphysboro, Illinois with pride for 15 years and counting. They are a family-owned and operated local business, emphasizing community involvement and maintaining superb customer relationships. They offer 24/7 emergency response, financing and membership plans, upfront pricing, and a total satisfaction guarantee.
