Toilet Repair in Poway, CA

Is Poway's water the reason my tank parts keep failing?

It is part of the reason. The City of Poway treats its own water at the Lester J. Berglund Water Treatment Plant, mostly from imported supply plus local rain captured in Lake Poway. The City's report puts hardness at roughly 228 to 235 ppm as calcium carbonate on average, and says it uses two disinfection methods, chlorine and chloramines. Hard water leaves a scaly film on fill valve parts and on the seat under the flapper, so the seal stops being watertight and the tank starts to trickle. Rubber parts also age faster around chloramine. Replacing a flapper or fill valve every several years is ordinary upkeep in a Poway home.

Why does my toilet leak at the base in an older house?

With the median Poway home built around 1978, many bathrooms have had several toilets set on the same flange. Each reset can chip or compress it, and new flooring laid over the old can leave the flange sitting below the finished floor, where a standard wax ring struggles to seal. The result is a slow leak that shows up as a stain, a soft spot or a faint odor rather than a puddle. A plumber can add a flange extender or repair ring, use a thicker seal and reset the toilet with new bolts so it sits firm.

Who do I call if the toilet backs up?

The City of Poway handles sewer service on the same account as water. If sewage is coming up outside or several homes are affected, contact the City; Customer Services is at 858-668-4401, and after 3:00 p.m. on business days, on weekends and on holidays the Water Treatment Plant takes calls at 858-668-4751. If the trouble stays inside your house, start with a plumber, since the clog is almost always in the toilet or in your own drain line. Stop flushing and avoid running other fixtures until it is cleared.

One more Poway note

The City's Building Division works with EsGil Corporation for plan check, permitting and inspection, and submittals are electronic only through City of Poway Online Services. A simple tank part repair doesn't involve that process, but a larger remodel may. Ask the plumber when you call.