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Is Your Toilet Not Flushing?

Perhaps one of the worse things that can happen in your house is your toilet not flushing. Oftentimes, it will leave you in an awkward place where you try to determine what the root cause is.  

Keep in mind that there are a couple of reasons why your toilet isn’t flushing. Fortunately, a professional plumbing contractor can fix most of these reasons. If you know how to figure out what the root cause is, you might be able to fix the problem without hiring a plumber.  

Today, we’re going to share with you some of the possible causes of a toilet that isn’t flushing. If you can’t find any of these things, you might have to search Google for a “plumber near me”. 

Dirty Toilet Jets 

Do you see small holes throughout the underside of your toilet bowl’s rim? Well, those are called toilet jets. When you flush your toilet, the water will come out of those holes. If these holes are clogged with dirt or lime, the water can’t exit properly. This will affect the ability of your toilet to flush at complete power.  

If this is the case, you can get a tiny wire toothbrush or small nail to get rid of any accumulation or clog. You can also use a combination of vinegar, bleach, and water. Once you get rid of all the clog, your toilet should be working properly.  

Broken Overflow Tube 

The job of the overflow tube is to empty the water directly into the bowl when you flush the toilet. However, these tubes can easily crack due to the constant pressure from the water of your toilet. If this happens, the water would rush into the tube rather than the bowl.  

If this is the problem, you’ll have to completely replace the tube. Unfortunately, it is a difficult task. Thus, you might have to hire a professional plumber for help. 

The Flapper is not Closing 

For those who don’t know, the job of the flapper is to keep the water in the tank. It’s a tiny rubber valve that produces a seal at the bottom of the toilet. Water can’t stay at a high level without this seal. Thus, it will not flush at all. If your flapper is not closing, the cause may be the chain that is attached to it. Other causes include the handle and the flapper itself.  

If you want to replace the flapper, you can purchase one from your local hardware shop. They’re cheap since they’re only made of rubber. After you replace the flapper, check to see if your toilet flushes again.  

Clogged Toilet 

Perhaps this is the most common issue that prevents toilets from flushing. Oftentimes, the clog is extremely deep. Pouring a gallon of water into the bowl is the ideal way to see if you’ve got a clogged toilet. You have a clogged toilet if the water does not flush away.  

You can fix a clogged toilet using a plunger. If this does not work, you might have to hire a good plumber for help.  

Roadside Assistance Items You Need to Have

It does not matter if you’re a good car owner. Your car will still break down at some point. It can be due to a dying battery, an unexpected collision, an extreme weather condition, or a flat tire. No matter what the cause is, you’ve got to be ready for any unexpected situations.  

One of the best ways to prepare for an unexpected car breakdown is to save the number of a reliable towing company. It’s best to do your research first. Once you’ve found a reputable towing company, save their number on your phone. If you experience a car breakdown in the middle of the road, you can contact them for help. 

However, there are also roadside assistance tools that can help you get back on the road without the help of a towing company. These tools include: 

Portable Fire Extinguishers 

Nowadays, cars are susceptible to catch fire during a collision. Thus, a portable fire extinguisher is a crucial tool to have for any car owner. Typically, fire extinguishers are rated based on the type of fire they can eliminate.  

For example, a couple of fire extinguishers can eliminate fires caused by diesel and gas. On the other hand, some extinguishers can eliminate fires coming from electric devices.  

Warning Triangles 

It is hazardous to stop in the middle of a highway. However, your car does not always stop on the sides if it breaks down. Because of this, it’s important to have warning triangles. This will warn other drivers so that they can use caution when they approach your car.  

Think about investing in foldable warning triangles with reflective colors. With this, you can easily store them in your vehicle without taking up a lot of space. In addition to that, you have to guarantee you place the triangles 50 feet away from your car.  

Car Code Reader 

It can be frustrating to see warning lights such as Check Engine Lights or ABS. This is particularly true if you’ve got no clue what’s causing it. A car code reader is a simple diagnostic tool that removes engine lights and other related problems. A mechanic will attach it to the onboard computer of your vehicle and helps you clear, interpret, and analyze any warning lights.  

Torque Wrenches 

For those who don’t know, every car owner’s manual has a unique specification when it comes to lugging nuts torque. The reason for this is that under-tightening or over-tightening these fasteners can lead to a lot of problems with your car. For instance, over-tightening cylinder head bolts can lead to loss of coolant.  

A torque wrench can help you apply a particular torque to tighten a fastener. This can include bolts, nuts, and screws. It is extremely useful when you have to tighten a fastener properly. A high-quality torque wrench enables a car owner to set the torque to match the specifications of a specific part. Though there are a couple of available torque wrenches in the market, a lot of professionals recommend the interchangeable one since it is extremely versatile.  

Things to Do Before Calling a Towing Company

For a lot of car owners, experiencing a vehicle breakdown in the middle of the road is extremely overwhelming. This is particularly true if they are a long way from home. Unluckily, car breakdowns can occur to everyone. It does not matter how good of a driver you are.  

Anything can happen, from a complete engine failure to a flat tire. On several occasions, the passengers and driver require help. However, there are a couple of things you have to do before you contact a towing company.  

Before you open Google and search for “towing near me”, here are several things you should do first: 

Always Hire a Reliable Towing Company 

It is always crucial to hire a reliable company with an excellent reputation. This is particularly true if you aren’t certain if you need to tow your car. A professional towing company will take good care of your car, your passengers, and yourself. They will immediately come to help you. They can move your vehicle to a safe spot without causing damages to the car.  

Examine Your Car for Leaks or Visible Damage 

Did your car suddenly stop running? If so, there are a lot of reasons why it can happen. Perhaps you might have no gas in the tank. However, it can be more serious than that. Routine maintenance and examination are an excellent way to guarantee that your vehicle is properly operating at all times. A reliable mechanic will always know if your car has leaks, a bad thermostat, or is burning oil. 

You should inspect under your car for indications of a leak if your car suddenly stopped. This is especially true if you are certain you’ve got gas in your car. You should turn off your car right away if you notice a puddle of coolant or motor oil. The reason for this is that you can cause irreparable damage to your vehicle if you force yourself to turn it on.  

Bad electrics is another reason why cars stop in the middle of the road. Your vehicle will stop working if the alternator is not charging the battery or the battery is not operational.  

If your car stopped and you are sure that no physical damage has caused it, try turning on the stereo, hazards, or lights. It is an indication that you have to call a towing company if you notice that there is no power.  

Examine Your Car for Gas 

A lot of car owners call towing companies as soon as their car stops working. However, one of the most popular reasons why car owners experience breakdowns is not because their vehicles aren’t properly functioning. Most of the time, they ran out of gas.  

You can always contact a friend to bring you a gallon of gas if your vehicle stopped near your house. This will allow you to reach the nearest gas station and refill your tank. You don’t have to hire a car towing company for these kinds of breakdowns. However, there are a couple of car towing companies that offer gas delivery for cars that ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere.  

Things to Do When a Towing Company Damages Your Car

Towing a car is difficult. It requires professional driving experience and lots of skills. Aside from that, you also have to be patient since you’re responsible for the car of your client. Thus, a reliable towing company can securely tow your car to its destination.  

Unfortunately, there are a couple of towing companies out there that don’t care. Their negligence and irresponsibility can cause damages to your car. These damages can be too expensive for you. It can also end up with a lot of arguments with the towing company.  

Usually, the driver is liable for the damage he does to your vehicle when towing it. However, there are a couple of things you should know first.  

If you’re looking for “towing near me” on Google, here are several things you should know: 

Are Towing Companies Responsible for the Damage While Towing? 

A towing company should always be responsible. They need to take care of the car of their clients. Their main task is to take the car of a client to a nearby workshop or safer location. Thus, the towing company is usually accountable for any damage to the car while towing. This is especially true if the tow truck driver is negligent and caused an accident.  

A couple of occasions in which the damage can happen unintentionally by the tow truck driver are: 

  • The tow truck driver is driving fast and hits a person. 
  • The towed car gets unhooked from the tow truck and hits another car. 
  • The towed car collides with another car while changing lanes. 

All of these cases are the results of negligence. If the tow truck driver is responsible enough, there will be fewer cases like this. The driver is liable for such damages, as well as the towing company.  

Unfortunately, you should first read the terms and conditions of the towing company. The reason for this is that not all companies will pay for the damages.  

Forms of Damages that Can Happen 

The most common problem faced by towing clients is damage to the bumper of the car. The reason for this is that the car is placed incorrectly at the back due to the driver’s negligence.  

If the driver does not know how to properly use brakes when towing a car, it can also cause damage. The sudden stop can cause the rear car to collide with the towing truck. Damages to the car bumper can be expensive. Oftentimes, you might have to replace the entire bumper. Other damages may include scratches, cracks, windscreen damage, and flat tires.  

What Should You Do? 

The things you can do if the towing company damages your car depend on your state or location. That is why you should always take a picture of your car before you hire a towing company. This will help you be on the safe side. Make sure you read everything in the contract before you sign it.  

One of the best things you can do to avoid this is to hire a professional and reliable towing company. Always read reviews before hiring one. It’s the best way to separate bad companies from good ones.  

Sewer Problem that You Should Not Ignore

In our house, there could be some problems that we can solve on our own. There are times that we need to hire a professional person for us to be helped. We have different types of people that we can hire, such as the plumber or roofer and even for those who can repair the air conditioners. Whenever we have problems with our sewage or pipes, we immediately call the plumber near me to check the problems and solve this right away  

You don’t want to spend a lot of money if this minor problem could lead to a bigger one. This is the point why others are very problematic when it comes to solving this problem. Of course, if you’re trying to save some money, you can track some tools to solve this kind of sewer problem. You need to be mindful about those tools and things you have to use, cut the pipe, and put them back in order. You could also ask for some suggestions from those people so that you can be guided well.  

We cannot deny that most of the sewer line can be found under the ground. That means that the pipe is located in the ground, which is a good way to protect and hide. The only problem here is that it is hard to identify some holes or leaks when it comes to the water problem. This is why we need to talk about those common signs and issues that we may be facing when we see them. It is very hard to understand at first, but sooner or later, when you see those problems and issues related to plumbing activities, then it will be easier for you to understand the logic.  

When you notice that the water drains very slowly, then there could be some problems with your pipe, or you can experience clogged there. There are some people that they would use a plunger to solve this problem. You can buy this one from your local supermarket or to the local hardware. If this one doesn’t work well, you need to solve this problem using other materials or tools. But we want to emphasize that this is the first measure that you can use or treat your pipe problem.  

Another thing that you can experience is the smell. That is very unpleasant to your nose. We normally call this one an odor, which is having a very foul smell. When you experience this one, then you need to be suspicious about the condition of your sewer. Along with it are the mildews that you can experience as well from your sink. Next to this could be some insects that you’re not expecting to be crawling around your place. You can hire someone professional enough to solve this problem.