Tureks Plumbing Services Blog: Archive for April, 2018

Why Is My Toilet Leaking At The Base?

Wednesday, April 25th, 2018

If there is water around the base of your toilet, this means that there is a leak around the base of the fixture. Once you notice a leak, deal with it immediately. Do not wait for your bathroom to become a swimming pool – have it fixed!

Why is My Toilet Leaking at the Base? 

For people asking, “Why is my toilet leaking at the base?” an Appleton plumber shares three possible reasons, along with some things homeowners can do before calling in the experts:

  1. Loose T-Bolts

T-bolts are the plastic caps you see around the base of your toilet. They help hold the toilet firmly in place. If these bolts become broken or loose, the seal of the toilet can break, thus causing leaks.

All you have to do is to reposition the toilet so it becomes leveled and centered. After that, tighten the bolts and replace the cap. But if the bolts continue to spin freely, this means they are broken. In this case, replacing the T-bolts is your only option.

Flush the toilet once the bolts are secure. If water still leaks at the base, check the wax seal underneath the toilet.

  1. Damaged Wax Ring

If your toilet is still leaking at the base even after you have tightened or replaced the bolt, the wax ring may be the culprit.

The wax ring seals the toilet to the floor to prevent the seepage of dirty water. Over time, this seal can disintegrate or become useless when the T-bolts become loose. Replacing a wax seal is a more tedious task so you might need an extra set of hands. But for best results, it is recommended that you contact a reputable plumber in Appleton, Wisconsin.

When replacing the seal, turn off the water that comes into the toilet. Also, flush the toilet drain and make use of rags to absorb any water that remains. The water line from the tank must be unscrewed. Before lifting the toilet, do not forget to undo the T-bolts. Remove the old wax ring from the toilet and the floor with a scraper. Also, clean the area with disinfectant. Once the toilet and floor are dry, install the new wax ring. Put the toilet back in place and tighten the T-bolts.

  1. Cracked Toilet Bowl

Although this is rare, your toilet leaking may be caused by a crack in the toilet bowl. If you can pinpoint the crack, use a sealant to repair it. Make sure to turn off the water supply, drain the bowl, and dry the area before doing so. But if the leak continues, you need to replace the toilet bowl.

Dealing with toilet leaks is not as easy as it seems. If you need any help, Turek’s Plumbing highly recommends hiring their plumbing professionals to do the job for you.

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5 Handy Plumbing Tips For Renters

Monday, April 23rd, 2018

If you are renting your home, you can’t always rely on your landlord or property manager to show up with a plumber immediately whenever you have a plumbing problem. Your landlord or property manager will need some time to look for or call a plumber. Also, if you’re not new to leasing a home, you’ll know that property owners or managers always have a lot of things on their hands and as such, won’t always act on your complaint quickly.

Knowing some basic but useful tips will help you have an easier and less stressful time dealing with certain plumbing problems. If you’re living in a rented property or preparing to move to one, below are some handy plumbing tips for renters you need to keep in mind:

Know where the shutoff valves are located.

Nearly all plumbing fixtures have a shutoff valve. These small valves are used to control the flow of water to a plumbing fixture such as the faucet, toilet, shower, or tub. The shutoff valve may appear as a handle on the wall near the floor under the toilet or sink. The valves of bathtubs and showers are often found in a nearby access panel.

Knowing where these shutoff valves are is important if you have a leaking pipe or faucet. If you have this problem, you can avoid wasting water and further damage to your rental property.

In case you can’t find the shutoff valve for a specific fixture, use the main shutoff valve for the home. Ask your landlord or property manager where in case of a plumbing emergency.

Protect and take care of all drains.

To protect your sink, shower and bathtub drains, use strainers. A strainer will catch food, hair, and other debris that can cause buildup and clog the pipes. Never pour or throw moisturizer, lotion, shaving cream, cooking or meat fat, oils, grease, rice or pasta and other fibrous materials down the drain. These items will expand and bloat or tangle up and cause drain blockage.

Use the toilet responsibly.

Don’t use your toilet as another garbage disposal system for soiled diapers, used tampons, and other items. Some toilets and plumbing systems are simply more susceptible to problems. Avoid placing anything except for toilet paper and natural waste in your toilet system.

Always keep your sinks clean.

Keep them clear and prevent backing up by pouring some Drano or a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda every 2-3 months down the drain. These items will help dissolve buildups in the drains and keep them running properly.

Buy a plunger.

A clogged toilet is one of the most stressful plumbing problems you can have. It is an issue you can easily fix without calling your landlord or property manager if you have a plunger. According to a trusted Appleton plumber, the best toilet plunger to get is the kind with an extended cup that sits inside the bottom of the bowl since this is easier to use.

For more difficult and complicated plumbing problems, you will have to wait for your landlord or property manager. Do not attempt to fix them yourself. You may end up aggravating the issue and causing more problems that may be more time-consuming and costly to repair. If you have questions or concerns please contact Tureks Plumbing Services. 

 

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The 5 Most Common Plumbing Problems

Thursday, April 19th, 2018

As your home gets older, you may find yourself calling the plumber more often. This is because, over time, your pipes and other parts will be affected by the usual wear and tear and will become brittle or blocked. As a result, different kinds of plumbing issues will arise every now and then.

Knowing how to detect and fix simple plumbing problems can save you money, time, and unnecessary stress. Below are some of the most common plumbing problems you may encounter and tips on how to deal with them.

Leaking faucets

As faucets get older, their washers wear out as well. You can extend the life of your faucet’s washers by not turning the faucet on and off with too much force. Dripping faucets can also be repaired temporarily by replacing the joint yourself.

Leaky pipes

This typical plumbing problem can cause huge and expensive damage to floors, walls, and belongings. Leaks in pipes usually occur at joints. If this is the issue, you can easily fix this with commercial joint fillers and fitting compounds which you can buy at a hardware store. You can also prevent small leaks from worsening by checking your pipes regularly. Be on the lookout for rust or white lime deposits since they can indicate the beginnings of a leak.

Clogged or slow drains

If the water or anything that goes into your sink, toilet, or tub won’t go out, it is highly likely that you are dealing with either a partial or a complete clog. To get the drain flowing quickly again, remove the waste materials or debris immediately. There are different plumbing tools you can use for this task.

You can also use some chemical products or lubricants which will break up the waste material. This will allow the stuck material and water to flow through with ease.

No hot water coming from faucets or shower

This plumbing problem is caused by an issue with your water heater. If this problem keeps happening, before calling a  Tureks Plumbing Services, make sure you check the following first:

  • If you have an electric water heater, check the thermostat first. Your device may have a malfunctioning heating element which you can also replace since you can buy this part at most hardware stores. Check if the device is leaking water and has an undersized or weak fuse or breaker since they can cause your heater to malfunction as well.
  • If you have a gas water heater, make sure that the gas is on and the gas valve is not in the closed position. Make sure the pilot light is on as well. Adjust the setting to ensure that the temperature is set high enough to give you adequate amounts of hot water.

Low water pressure

Low water pressure is a common plumbing problem in older homes but it can also happen in newer homes, too. Low water pressure can be caused by a leaking or corroded pipe, old shower heads, blocked faucets or pipes, and other plumbing issues. You can keep this problem in check by having pressure regulators installed.

If you’re not sure you can deal with your plumbing issue, don’t hesitate to call the professionals immediately. Plumbers, such as the team of Turek’s Plumbing, will be able to correctly assess your problem and fix it quickly.

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Ways to Save on Your Home Remodel – Top Tips for Homeowners

Tuesday, April 17th, 2018

Whether you are planning a partial remodel (kitchen/bathroom) or a full makeover for your whole home, it should not be a hit-or-miss affair.

Sure, a home makeover entails ample amounts of patience, effort, and money. But at the end of the day, you should achieve your established goal, be it to increase the beauty and functionality of your house or to increase property value while keeping your finances in good order.

Does that sound like a tall order? Here are some ways to save on your home remodel.

Don’t go in blind

The easiest way to get bankrupt with a home remodel is to proceed sans a definite plan.

If you are keen on giving your home a makeover without breaking the bank, the first thing that you need to do is to establish a hierarchy of the work that you want done.

And as you conduct further research and talk to suppliers and contractors like Tureks Plumbing Kitchen and Bath Remodel, you’ll have a fair idea of which works you can proceed with and which ones you can momentarily shelve.

Work with what you currently have

A remodel does not necessarily mean that you should splurge on removing the old in favor of the new.

One of the easiest ways to tame your makeover budget is to identify specific items in the room/your home that you can still use and which ones beg for a replacement.

For example, instead of getting new cabinets, a new splash of paint and replacements of handles and knobs can translate to immense savings as well as a new lease on life for your assets.

Know what your options are

Do you really need a granite countertop for your kitchen? Or would you be content with a lower cost option like laminate?

Our friends at Gilmore Heating and Air, an HVAC company that offers air conditioning services in Placerville, suggests that you evaluate your wants and needs. Sometimes, swapping your material of choice can lead to substantial savings without compromising form and function.

Do your research, consult with the experts, and keep an open mind.

Figure out the things that you can do by yourself

One of the key drivers of remodeling costs is labor. Quite simply, the fewer number of hours your contractor needs to put in for the project, the lower your makeover expenses will be.

Check out the list of the tasks that need to be done. You might find some that you (and your family and friends) can do.

It can be as simple as painting the kitchen walls, or depending on your DIY skills, something more complex.

Choose your partner well

The success (or failure) of your home remodeling project hinges greatly on your choice of contractor.

As such, do not take this choice lightly.

Instead of going for the first contractor that responds to your inquiry, start off with a shortlist of about three contractors who work in your area and get quotes from each.

For one, this will give you a better picture of what to expect in terms of cost. Second, this enables you to get each prospective contractor and allow you to gauge whether you are comfortable working with each one on your shortlist.

Important considerations to factor in when choosing a contractor include reputation, organization, attention to details and punctuality.

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