A toilet that will not stop overflowing is an emergency
If water is rising in the bowl or spreading across the floor, stop it first and call second. Our 24/7 line is staffed for exactly this, and you can call from the bathroom while the water is off.
- Lift the tank lid and push the flapper down, or close the shutoff valve behind the toilet.
- Turn the oval or round handle clockwise until it stops. Do not force it if it is stuck.
- If the valve will not close, shut off the main water valve for the house.
- Keep family members and pets out of the room if the water might be sewage.
- Call (855) 575-2890 and tell us whether the water is clean, dirty or coming from the wall.
How to find and close a toilet shutoff valve
Every toilet should have its own shutoff valve, usually on the wall or floor just behind and to the left of the bowl. Knowing where it is turns a flood into a small mess.
- 1
Look low on the wall
The valve is a small oval or round handle on a thin supply line running from the wall or floor to the bottom of the tank.
- 2
Turn clockwise
Right is tight. Turn slowly until the handle stops. Older valves can seize, so stop if you feel it grinding.
- 3
Flush to check
Flush once. If the tank empties and does not refill, the valve works and the tank is isolated.
Toilet leaking or overflowing right now?
Close the shutoff valve, then call. Our line is open 24/7.
What the toilet is telling you
These are the symptoms we hear about most. Some can wait for a daytime visit, and some cannot.
Water around the base
A damp ring or puddle at the floor often points to a failed wax ring or a loose closet bolt. The floor under it may be wet.
Running or hissing
A tank that refills every few minutes has a leaking flapper or a worn fill valve. It wastes water all day and shows up on the bill.
Clogs that keep coming back
One clog is a bad flush. A toilet that clogs every few days may have a partial blockage downstream or a weak flush.
Water in the wall or ceiling
Stains below a bathroom or a damp wall behind the tank mean a supply line, valve or drain joint is leaking out of sight. Shut the water off now.
Wax rings, loose bolts and leaks at the floor
A toilet sits on a wax ring or foam seal that closes the gap between the bowl outlet and the drain flange. Rock the toilet and it can crack that seal. A leak at the base can also come from a cracked bowl, a loose tank or a bad supply connection that drips down the outside.
Most newer Marana homes are built on concrete slabs, so a bathroom floor often has tile over slab and little warning when it gets wet. Water can spread under the tile edge or into the baseboard before you see a stain. If the floor feels soft, smells musty or the grout is darkening, tell us on the phone.
Hard water, scale and the fill valve
Marana Water runs several separate systems, so hardness depends on your neighborhood. Town figures put it at roughly 3 to 14 grains per gallon depending on where you live. Gladden Farms, on the Marana Municipal system, averages about 9 grains per gallon, and the Picture Rocks system averages about 12.
The Town says this hardness poses no health risk, but it leaves deposits. In a toilet tank those deposits collect on the fill valve, the flapper seat and the small ports that let water in. A valve that sticks open or closed can make the tank run constantly, refill slowly or trickle all night.
Cleaning a scaled valve helps for a few months at best. Fill valves and flappers are inexpensive parts, so we usually replace them when scale is heavy.
Repair or replace the toilet
Most toilet problems are cheap to fix. A few are not worth chasing, and we will say so.
| Problem | Usually repair | Usually replace |
|---|---|---|
| Running tank | Replace the flapper or fill valve | Cracked tank or bowl |
| Leak at base | New wax ring and bolts on a sound bowl | Cracked porcelain or a flange that cannot hold the bowl |
| Repeated clogs | Clear the line and check the drain | A weak flush that was never right |
| Rocking toilet | Reset the bowl and shim to the floor | Damaged flange and subfloor beyond a repair |
Replacement is a bigger job because it means a new bowl, supply line and seal. We will give you a clear price before work starts so you can compare.
Clogs, overflows and when it is the drain
A plunger and a toilet auger fix most single clogs. If the bowl rises again within minutes, or other drains are slow, the blockage is probably in the branch line or main line. Our drain cleaning work uses a cable machine to reach what a plunger cannot.
If sewage comes up in a tub or floor drain, the blockage is beyond the toilet. Stop using water in the house and call.
Toilets in Picture Rocks and nearby homes
We also take toilet calls in the Picture Rocks area, which sits on a harder water system than much of Marana. Tell us your address when you call, since permits and water providers differ. Toilet installation and its supply and drain connections fall under the 2024 International Plumbing Code (IPC) that the Town of Marana has adopted, which is the reason a wobbling or leaking base is worth fixing correctly.
What drives the cost of a toilet repair
The price depends on what failed and how much work it takes to reach it. We explain the number before we start.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Our emergency line is open 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays. Call (855) 575-2890, tell us where the water is, and shut off the toilet valve while you wait.
It is not urgent for the floor, but it wastes water around the clock. Close the shutoff valve if you cannot get it fixed the same day, and flush by hand with a bucket until a visit.
Yes. Water inside a wall can soak insulation and drywall in a day or two. Shut off the toilet valve, then the main if the wall stays wet, and call us.
It seals the toilet outlet to the drain flange. It fails when the toilet rocks, the floor shifts or the seal dries out over many years.
Scale builds up on moving parts and small ports. In Marana's hardness range, fill valves and flappers wear out sooner than in softer areas.
Shut off the main water valve for the house and call. Do not force the stem, since it can snap and leave you with a bigger leak.
Water on the bathroom floor?
Close the valve and call (855) 575-2890. We are available 24/7.
Call (855) 575-2890