The toilet is known by many names – the commode, the john, the head, the loo, the can… the list goes on. But how exactly does this porcelain throne work? In this blog, we’ll dive into the history of the toilet and its inner workings, along with some DIY recommendations.
The idea of a flushable toilet first came to Sir John Harrington in 1596. The godson of Queen Elizabeth I, Harrington installed a working model for her at her palace. Of course, it took several centuries—and the Industrial Revolution—for the flush toilet to catch on. In the late 19th century, a London plumber named Thomas Crapper manufactured the first widely successful flush toilets. Of course, his last name is just one more nickname for this wonderful device!
Now that you’ve got some historical context, let's look at how a toilet works and the parts of a toilet (want more? Check out the website Toiletology). We’ll also share with you a video recommendation for DIY toilet repair.
Most toilets work through a combination of gravity and siphoning. Water fills the toilet bowl about halfway, and additional water remains in the tank. When you push the handle down, the flapper in the tank lifts which allows water from the tank to flood into the bowl. The water pressure then pushes the contents of the bowl out of the toilet through the drain.
Following the flush, the flapper falls back into place, and clean water from your water supply line fills the tank back up to a predetermined point. This causes the water flow to stop until your next flush.
Now, let’s get familiar with the parts of a toilet. Knowing what’s on the inside of a toilet will help you should you decide to tackle some DIY toilet repairs in the wake of toilet plumbing problems.
Fixing a toilet may seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually a fairly simple DIY project. That’s because, unlike more modern appliances in our home, the toilet is not a very complex piece of equipment!
When a toilet has trouble, rarely do you have to replace the entire toilet (though if you do, check out our toilet installation guide). Often, you simply need to replace toilet tank parts. You can purchase the toilet tank parts separately, or you can find them packaged together in repair kits.
If your toilet is running constantly, or if it’s refusing to flush (and not because of a clogged drain), we recommend this video by plumber Roger Wakefield. He’ll walk you through how to replace the insides of a toilet. View the video.
Not up to the DIY toilet challenge? Or, do you have another issue with your toilet? It’s not always easy to determine whether you need to replace or simply repair your toilet. Contact Express Sewer & Drain in Sacramento for all your residential and commercial plumbing needs.