Discovered a $15 toilet fix that beat a $200 plumber quote

My toilet was running nonstop for two weeks in my Austin rental and I kept putting off calling a plumber because of the cost. Figured out it was just the flapper seal getting crusty from hard water, so I scrubbed it with vinegar and a toothbrush instead of replacing anything. Has anyone else fixed a noisy toilet with just stuff from the kitchen cabinet?

3 comments

3 Comments

anthony_fox906d ago

Tbh I used to just call a plumber for anything toilet related without even looking first. Figured it was one of those things you don't mess with unless you know what you're doing. But after seeing this, I guess a lot of those little issues are just mineral buildup and not some big mechanical failure. Might actually pop the lid off next time before I reach for my wallet.

jennifer_west6d agoMost Upvoted

Hold up... have you actually watched a plumber fix a toilet? They're not just unscrewing stuff and drano-ing their way through life. That float valve thingy in there is a delicate little piece of plastic that'll snap clean off if you look at it wrong. I broke mine last year trying to be handy, then had to wait three hours for a guy to come out anyway and pay double because it was an emergency call. Plus those wax rings under the toilet... one wrong wiggle and you're dealing with sewage seeping through your bathroom floorboards. Some things just aren't worth the "I can fix it" YouTube video gamble.

fisher.diana6d ago

Wait you snapped a float valve just looking at it wrong? That's insane, I've yanked on those things pretty hard and never had one break.