Bathroom Plumbing
Common Bathroom Problems
Toilets that are running constantly are the most common problem that we hear about. The solution is to change out flappers or fill valves, which we can do fairly quickly. We have also been running across a lot of older toilets that just don’t flush well anymore due to calcium buildup. We recommend a whole new toilet to get all the calcium and all the buildup that’s inside that P trap out. You’ll end up breaking the toilet if you try to clear that away.
The most common bathtub and/or shower problem is usually either hair stopping up the drain or your stems or cartridges need to be changed because they drip. If you have two handles, one for the shower, one for the bath, they each have a stem behind them, and they each have to be replaced when they break. If we’re working on a tub, it will also have a diverter, which means we would replace all three components.
Bathroom Upgrades and Trends
The main upgrade that we are seeing the most in regards to toilets is currently the chair height. Specifically, people are choosing a 17-inch height instead of 14. It’s easier for the elderly to get off them. A lot of the older toilets were round-front. When they upgrade, they are now going to elongated fronts. Many people prefer the elongated front.
And some of the issues we have with some customers when they upgrade, they get the power flush toilets, which have pressurized black tanks that flush the toilet a lot harder. So, people who are on a lot of medications, those power flush toilets are a lot better for them because medications can often cause hard stools.
Most of your older toilets are 3-gallon flush toilets that are having these problems. And the new gallon, the new toilets in Texas are 1.28. So you’re saving a couple of gallons of flush.
As far as tubs go, we see a lot of customers going to freestanding tubs instead of the ones that are mounted to the wall and tiled like a tub shower. The culture is moving away from Jacuzzi-style tubs, garden tubs etc., and going with freestanding tubs.
Shower upgrades tend to be more internal. When you’re going from an older house and you’re upgrading everything, the most common upgrade on a shower is going to go from a non-pressure balanced valve to a pressure balanced valve. That means whenever you flush the toilet, someone doesn’t get blasted with hot water.
When doing bathroom remodels, we notice a lot of vessel sinks that sit on top of the cabinet instead of being mounted in the cabinet. We also like the single lever fountain-looking faucets.
Whatever you want to accomplish with your bathroom plumbing, we are able to accommodate you with expertise and a smile.
