Understanding Toilet Operation

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Gaining basic knowledge of how your toilet works will give you some control in the event that it stops working properly. In many cases, you can take steps to troubleshoot your toilet on your own, before calling a professional. The typical issues that arise sometimes don't require professional help. Once you have a better understanding of how toilets function, you may be able to save on repair bills by fixing it yourself. Keep in mind that you should leave serious toilet problems to a licensed plumber as you may do more damage if you don't know what you're doing.

Operation

Toilets allow water to flow into the bowl, creating a reaction that basically pulls water and waste out of the bowl. This happens quickly in order to flush the contents properly. When everything is working properly, you push the handle, the water releases from the tank, flows into the bowl, and sucks the water and waste out and into the sewer system. This sounds like a simple process, but a number of things can go wrong. For example the tank may not fill all the way, causing an incomplete flush, or you may push the handle and nothing happens at all. In some instances, the tank, or bowl may over-fill, causing spillage. 

Plumbing

Your toilet is connected to your house through a plumbing line that goes to a centralized sewer. In rural areas, a non-centralized septic system is used to collect waste water. The city, or town is responsible for a centralized sewer, whereas homeowners are responsible for a septic system. To protect your household from fumes and odors, toilets have an S-shaped trap that goes through the base of the toilet. The shape of the trap is designed so that water blocks the air to keep it from getting in from the sewer line. This is an important aspect of your plumbing because sewer gases are hazardous. 

Tank & Flappers

The tank acts as a storage compartment, holding the water until the toilet is flushed. A decreasing water level triggers the valve to refill the tank. Once the water gets to the proper level, the fill valve shuts off. The flapper and the valve are responsible for releasing water into the bowl. When you engage push the handle, the flapper lifts up, allowing the water to quickly leave the tank. It's easy to see how a malfunction in any of a toilet's components can cause your toilet not to work properly. 

FOr assistance, talk to a professional like Arnold  &  Sons_Plumbing Sewer &  Drain Services.

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