Toilet internals and seals
Fill valve, flapper and flush assembly are checked as a set, and a rocking or seeping toilet is lifted to inspect the wax seal and flange rather than caulked over.
Toilet and Faucet Repair
A toilet that runs all night, a tub spout that drips, or a shut-off valve that weeps every time it is turned. Independent plumbers repair the small things that waste water constantly, and replace the parts that hard water has finished off.
- Plumbing Referral Service
- Independent Pros
- Availability Varies
Signs That Need Attention
- A toilet refilling by itself between uses
- A steady drip from a faucet or tub spout that no amount of turning stops
- Water around the base of a toilet, or a toilet that rocks
- An angle stop under a sink that drips once it has been closed and reopened
- Weak flow from one faucet while the rest of the house is fine
- Handles that have become stiff, gritty or hard to shut off
Hard water is the common thread. Mineral from the Edwards region builds up on cartridges, seats and aerators, which is why an Austin faucet often starts dripping long before the fixture looks old. The same deposit is what seizes an angle stop that has not been turned in years, so the first move on a leak should not be forcing a stuck valve.
What the Service Includes
These are small repairs with a large effect on a water bill, and they are worth doing properly.
Faucet cartridges and valves
Cartridges, seats and aerators are inspected and matched to the fixture. Scale in an aerator explains a lot of complaints about pressure at one tap.
Shut-off valves that work
Angle stops that are seized or weeping get replaced while the plumber is there. A stop you can actually close is what saves the floor during the next leak.
Your Repair Options
Whether a fixture is repaired or replaced usually comes down to parts. Common brands have cartridges and kits readily available; an unusual or discontinued fixture may not, and then replacement is the practical route. Take a photo of the fixture and any brand marking before you call, as it saves a trip.
In a rental, a condo or anywhere on a shared stack, check who is allowed to authorize the work and whether the building has its own isolation valve. Austin has a lot of housing like this, and a plumber cannot start on a unit without the right permission.
A toilet that drains slowly on its own is a drain issue, covered under drain cleaning. If the meter keeps moving after the toilet is fixed, move on to leak detection. You can also read how a service call works or call for service.
Toilet and Faucet Questions
Is a running toilet worth calling about?
It is one of the largest quiet water wasters in a house, and the repair is usually a small one. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and check the bowl after half an hour: color in the bowl means the flapper is passing water. Tell Austin Emergency Plumbing Pros what you saw when you call.
What affects the cost of a faucet repair?
Mostly the parts. A common cartridge is inexpensive and quick; an obsolete fixture may need replacing instead, which brings the fixture itself into the price. Ask the provider to explain the work and options at the property before anything is opened up.
The shut-off valve under my sink will not turn. What should I do?
Leave it. Forcing a seized angle stop is how a small drip becomes an open line you cannot close. Use the main shutoff at the meter box if you need the water off, and have the stop replaced during the visit. See burst pipe repair if a valve has already given way.
Get the drip or the running toilet fixed
Call and say which fixture it is and roughly how old it is.