Every homeowner or renter has a problem sooner or later with their toilets. For some reason, toilet problems scare the heck out of people when they fail. Modern toilets haven't changed very much since they were invented. Most toilet problems can be repaired quite easily by any man or woman as a DIY project. There is no need to call a plumber for most of these home toilet problems. Listed below are the most common toilet problems and how you can fix common toilet problems yourself.

The water in the bowl starts to rise and threaten to overflow. If you suspect that the toilet is clogged, don't flush it. If the pipe is clogged, adding additional water will just cause the bowl to overflow. To fix it, quickly remove the top of the toilet tank. Inside at the bottom of the tank is where the flapper is located. If you act quickly enough when the water is rising, you can stop the flow into the toilet bowl by pushing down on the flapper valve. The flapper will seal the hole that allows the water to go into the toilet bowl.
If the toilet bowl is full and you know that something is stuck, plunge it with a toilet plunger. Many times, just a few strokes with a toilet plunger will force the clog through the pipes and the toilet will be working again.
If your toilet keeps running and the water doesn't shut off, it could be time to replace the flapper valve in the bottom of the tank. You can go to a local home store plumbing department and find a flapper replacement kit. You simply shut off the water supply to the toilet. The water supply valve is usually just under the toilet tank about 8 inches from the floor. Turn the water supply off and flush the toilet to empty the tank. There may be a little water left in the toilet tank which can be removed with a sponge or a rag. Install the new flapper. Turn on the water supply and flush the toilet a few times to check for proper operation.
You may have to replace the water supply valve inside the tank if it doesn’t shut off when the tank is full. There is a valve kit that can be purchased to replace the water supply valve. The water supply has to be shut off and you must use a sponge or rag to mop up the remainder of the water inside the tank. Put in the new valve per instructions, attach the water supply to the valve, and turn on the water.
Never throw away a perfectly good toilet. The newer toilets use a gallon and a half of water for flushing. The older toilets use approximately 3 1/2 gallons of water. The newer toilets have their flushing problems due to lack of water to force the bowl contents down the drain. If you live in an area that doesn't charge by how much water you use try to keep your old toilet. Most problems with older toilets are experienced with the newer toilets. Older toilets can be repaired by replacing the flapper valve or filler valve.

Toilet problems can be easily fixed by most DIY homeowners. All you need to know is a little bit about how the toilet works. Replacement parts are cheap and readily available at your local hardware or home supply store.

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