Tureks Plumbing Services Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Tureks Plumbing Kitchen’

How to Adjust a Toilet Fill Valve

Wednesday, February 24th, 2021

how to adjust a toilet fill valve - tureks plumbing services

At Tureks Plumbing Services, we make it our duty to educate our customers so that they can fix as many plumbing defects in their homes as they can before they have to call a plumbing professional. It is for the same reason that our experts share the different ways in which you can adjust the toilet filling valve if you see that the toilet tank is not being refilled after you’ve flushed, or that the water is still flowing out of the tank because the filling valve has failed to stop further inflows. In the article below, our Fox Valley plumbers share five ways to adjust the toilet fill valve.

What Is a Toilet Fill Valve?

Your toilet has two valves that work each time you use the toilet. The first valve is the flush valve, which allows water to move from the toilet tank to the toilet bowl when you flush. This flush valve closes once all the water has drained from the toilet tank.

The second valve is the toilet fill valve or ballcock. This valve is responsible for controlling the movement of water into the toilet tank. The valve opens when the tank is empty and then closes once the tank has filled to the predetermined level. As already mentioned, this valve may malfunction and either prevent water from flowing into the tank, or the valve fails to stop water from getting into the tank even when the tank is full. Our friends at McQuillan Bros, a plumbing company in Minneapolis, MN, explain that the specific steps that you take to adjust the fill valve will depend on the type of valve that is in your toilet tank.

How to Adjust Your Toilet’s Fill Valve

Adjusting a Piston/Plunger Ballcock

This type of fill valve depends on a ball attached to a float rod (made from brass) to control water flow into the toilet tank. As the ball moves up or down, the rod shifts and activates a plunger inside the ballcock assembly. That plumber can either let water through (if the ball moves downwards), or it can block the flow of water into the tank (if the ball moves upwards).

Adjusting this ballcock is, therefore, a simple task that entails gently bending the brass rod downwards or upwards, depending on your needs. For example, you can bend the rod upwards if the tank wasn’t filling up completely after you flush the toilet. Tureks Plumbing Services cautions that you shouldn’t raise the rod so high that the maximum level of water will exceed the top of the overflow tube. Conversely, you can bend the brass rod downwards if you notice that water was filling the tank to the point of overflowing.

Adjusting Brass Diaphragm Ballcocks

This type of ballcock resembles the plunger valve, except that there is no plunger stem in the brass diaphragm ballcock. The valve body is round and houses a diaphragm seal. Afloat rod moves this mechanism up and down to control water movement. As was the case for the piston valve, you also bend the float rod downwards or upwards in order to adjust the level at which water fills the tank.

Our plumbing company in Appleton, WI, also suggests that you may need to use penetrating oil to free the button of the diaphragm cup if mineral deposits or sediment have locked it in the closed position. Manually push the button down and up multiple times until it can move freely.

Adjusting Plastic Diaphragm Ballcocks

Recent models of plastic diaphragm ballcocks come with an adjustment screw that you can use to alter the fill level of the toilet tank. Turn this screw clockwise if you want to lower the fill level. Conversely, turn the adjustment screw counterclockwise when you want the fill level to be higher.

Adjusting Fill Valves That Have Float Cups

Most toilet assemblies now come equipped with a fill valve that has a float cup, so if yours is a newer house, then it is most likely to have this type of fill valve. The flow of water in such a system is regulated by a cylindrical plastic float. This float moves down or up along the shaft of the fill valve.

A metallic spring keeps the float cup attached to a small float rod. Tureks Plumbing Services advises that you can simply press both sides of this spring and then move the float cup downwards or upwards in order to adjust the fill level of that toilet tank.

Some models of this type of fill valve come with screws that you can adjust to raise or lower the fill level. Check for such a screw and manipulate it to change the level at which the tank fills.

Adjusting Pressure-Activated Fill Valves

Truly floatless fill valves depend on pressure differences to regulate the flow of water into the toilet tank. In this case, the fill valve sits inside the water in the tank. Sensors in the valve detect the pressure differences and cause the valve to move up or down. Check the top of the fill valve and locate the adjustment screw found there. Turn this screw clockwise to raise the fill level or turn it counterclockwise if you want to lower the fill level.

As you can see, the task of adjusting the fill valve is easy once you identify the type of valve in your toilet tank. Contact a plumber in Appleton, WI, for help if you aren’t able to correct the water flow anomaly in your toilet tank despite implementing the tips above. Tureks Plumbing Services offers 24/7 emergency plumbing services in Appleton, WI, so reach out any time you need our services.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in March 2019 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Should I Hire a Contractor for a Small Kitchen Renovation?

Wednesday, February 17th, 2021

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should I hire a contractor for a small kitchen renovation?

Should I Hire a Contractor for a Small Kitchen Renovation 2021?

Many of us have taken on new and exciting DIY projects during the pandemic. If you have DIY-ed before, you know it’s not as easy as the TV shows make it out to be. Many Fox Valley homeowners are wondering if they can swing small projects like bathroom remodels or small kitchen renovations. So, the big question is, do you contact a home remodeling contractor or DIY? In the article below, we explore the pros and cons of hiring a professional. 

Save vs. Splurge on Kitchen Renovation?

“Should I hire a contractor for a small renovation?” seems like a legitimate question. That concern is especially relevant since the typical cost of a remodel starts at $12,567, according to recent data from HomeAdvisor. Meanwhile, the average cost of a minor remodel for a kitchen is at $25,340, Forbes reports.

These are figures you’re not likely to ignore. So it might make sense to think you could do the project on your own to cut down on cost.

While there are merits to that decision, there are also disadvantages to it. For starters, can you save money if you decide to become your own contractor?

You may save money because you don’t have to pay a professional fee. You may also cut back on expenses by learning some of the work, so you don’t have to hire a carpenter, painter, or tiler. There are video tutorials on just about any home improvement project.

But what happens when your amateur work creates problems in the future?

Quality Work Goes Beyond the Surface

Online video tutorials might give you a clue as to how you can move bathroom fixtures or repave the driveway. Only a licensed plumber or kitchen remodeler has the training and experience to handle such complicated jobs. Fox Valley plumber would know if fixtures need to stay where they are because of the pipe placement. Meanwhile, an asphalt paving service would apply the right mix on your driveway, preventing issues like premature potholes.

Professionals like Tureks Plumbing not only know how to do any remodeling job, but they also ensure to make it as appealing as possible. After all, the whole point of renovation is to enhance the beauty of your property. If a DIY job ruins a kitchen renovation or an exterior improvement, you could lose more money when your home’s resale value dives.

It’s an Investment

You may only need a small renovation, and you may think that your DIY approach would save you thousands of dollars. Our friends at Headwaters Construction Inc., a renovation company in Northern California, agrees that problems with improper installation, wrong materials, or lack of preparation could force you to spend more to repair future issues. 

Before you decide to be your own contractor for a small remodeling project, think about the following:

  • Your safety in doing DIY work on your home
  • Your patience in completing a project
  • Your schedule in making sure you finish the remodel in time

A kitchen remodel can enhance the beauty and the value of your home. But you need to do it right to ensure favorable results. Contact Tureks Plumbing Services for the best kitchen remodeling services in Appleton, WI. We can also help with bathroom remodeling and plumbing repairs. Give us a call today to learn more! 

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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What Is That Loud Noise After I Flush?

Monday, July 16th, 2018

What Is That Loud Noise After I Flush?

As you flush your toilet, you are caught unawares by the unusually loud sound you hear.

Do you have a small animal trapped somewhere in the bathroom? Is there some structural damage within the walls of the bathroom? Surprised, you flush the toilet again, confirming that the loud sound did indeed come from inside the bathroom. 

“What is that loud noise after I flush?” you ask yourself. The simple answer: A water hammer.

A Water Hammer

A water hammer occurs when water traveling at a fast speed suddenly stops. In this case, the closing of the toilet valve causes the water to stop its movement and crash against the valve. In turn, this causes the pipes to vibrate against your bathroom walls.

Imagine the water inside your toilet pipes as a long line of cars traveling a highway. And then one of the cars makes an abrupt stop without giving the other trailing cars an opportunity to swerve or put on the brakes at a comfortable distance. The result of that is a massive pile-up.

That, in essence, is what happens when a water hammer occurs.

But why do water hammers occur in the first place?

Water hammers are more likely to happen in homes that were built in the sixties. The pipes used in the toilets of these homes are equipped with a T-shaped fitting designed to create an air chamber. The purpose of this air chamber is to act as a shock absorber, preventing water hammers from occurring.

However, this air chamber can be filled with water, rendering it useless in performing the task it was designed for. Fixing this problem is as simple as turning off the main water valve and then draining off the water from all the pipes in your home.

But, if your home was built after the sixties, you shouldn’t hear water hammers in your homes. This is because of the different developments made during these subsequent years to prevent this problem. If your home was built after the sixties and you hear water hammers every time you flush your toilet, it is best to call in a professional plumber to determine the underlying cause. Left unchecked, water hammers can lead to bigger problems which may be more difficult and more costly to fix. Such problems include water leaks in the walls of your home. 

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