Toilet and Garbage Disposal Repair in Marietta, GA

Toilet and garbage disposal repair in Marietta, GA is the repair and replacement of running, clogged or leaking toilets and jammed, leaking or dead garbage disposals by a licensed plumber. Plumber Marietta GA fixes both fixtures across Marietta and Cobb County. Call (770) 230-0611.

Fixture repair is part of our plumbing services in Marietta, GA. Our plumbers carry common toilet and disposal parts and finish most repairs in 1 visit.

What Are the Most Common Toilet Problems?

The 6 most common toilet problems are a running toilet, a weak flush, a clog, a leak at the base, a leaking tank and a rocking bowl. Each problem traces to a specific part.

Problem	Likely cause	Repair
Running toilet	Worn flapper, faulty fill valve, wrong float height	Replace flapper or fill valve, adjust float
Weak flush	Low water level, clogged rim holes, partial clog	Adjust level, clean rim jets, clear the drain
Repeated clogs	Blockage in the trap or drain line	Auger the toilet, clean the drain line
Water at the base	Failed wax ring seal	Pull the toilet, replace the wax ring
Leaking tank	Worn tank bolts or tank-to-bowl gasket	Replace bolts and gasket
Rocking bowl	Loose or broken flange bolts	Tighten or replace bolts, repair the flange

A wax ring is the seal between the toilet base and the drain flange in the floor. A failed wax ring leaks water and sewer gas at the base.

How Much Water Does a Running Toilet Waste?

A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day, according to the EPA WaterSense program. The flapper is the most common cause.

Check for a silent leak with the EPA dye test:

1. Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank.
2. Wait 10 minutes without flushing.
3. Color in the bowl means the flapper leaks. Flush afterward to clear the dye.

Our guide How to Fix a Running Toilet explains the flapper and fill valve repair step by step. Leaks that the dye test does not find call for leak detection in Marietta.

When Do You Replace a Toilet?

Replace a toilet when the bowl or tank is cracked, when clogs repeat after the drain is cleared, or when an older high-flow model wastes water. A new toilet also fixes a rocking base caused by a damaged bowl.

Federal law limits new toilets to 1.6 gallons per flush. Toilets with the EPA WaterSense label use 1.28 gallons per flush or less, and Georgia’s own standard is also 1.28 gallons per flush. The EPA estimates that replacing older toilets with WaterSense models saves the average family about 13,000 gallons of water per year.

Toilet replacement takes 4 steps:

1. Shut off the water and drain the old toilet.
2. Remove the old toilet and wax ring, and inspect the flange.
3. Set the new toilet on a new wax ring and bolt it down.
4. Connect a new supply line, fill the tank and test for leaks.

What Are the Most Common Garbage Disposal Problems?

The 5 most common garbage disposal problems are a jam, no power, leaks, a slow drain and bad odors. Each problem has a specific cause.

Problem	Likely cause	Repair
Hums but does not spin	Object jammed between the plate and the ring	Free the jam with the hex key, then reset
No sound, no power	Tripped reset button or breaker	Press reset, check the breaker and switch
Leak from the top	Loose or worn sink flange seal	Reseal the sink flange
Leak from the side	Loose dishwasher or drain connection	Tighten or replace the connection
Leak from the bottom	Cracked housing	Replace the disposal
Slow drain	Clog in the disposal outlet or trap	Clear the trap and drain line
Bad odor	Food residue on the grinding chamber	Clean the chamber and splash guard

A leak from the bottom of the disposal body means the unit is cracked inside and needs replacement.

How Do You Fix a Jammed Garbage Disposal?

Fix a jammed garbage disposal by turning off the power, turning the grinding plate with a hex key from the bottom, and pressing the reset button. Never put a hand inside the disposal.

1. Turn off the disposal switch and the breaker.
2. Insert a 1/4-inch hex key into the socket on the bottom center of the unit.
3. Turn the key back and forth until the plate moves freely.
4. Remove the loose object with tongs, not fingers.
5. Wait 10 minutes for the motor to cool, then press the red reset button on the bottom.
6. Restore power and run cold water while testing the disposal.

Call a plumber when the disposal still hums, trips the reset again, or leaks. A clogged kitchen drain past the disposal needs drain cleaning in Marietta, GA.

How Do You Keep a Garbage Disposal Working?

Run cold water during and after grinding, feed scraps in small amounts, and keep grease, fibrous scraps and hard items out of the disposal. These 6 habits prevent jams and clogs:

• Run cold water before, during and 15 seconds after grinding.
• Feed food scraps a little at a time.
• Keep grease and cooking oil out of the sink.
• Keep fibrous scraps such as celery, corn husks and onion skins out.
• Keep bones, fruit pits and shells out.
• Keep utensils, twist ties and bottle caps away from the drain opening.

Cobb County Water System reports that the majority of sewer blockages in Cobb County start in residential areas, where kitchen grease coats sewer pipes. Grease poured into a disposal still reaches the drain line.

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Fixture Guides for Marietta Homeowners

Slow kitchen and bathroom drains have their own fixes. Read How to Unclog a Drain Without Chemicals before reaching for a chemical cleaner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my toilet keep running?

A toilet keeps running because of a worn flapper, a faulty fill valve, or a float set too high. The EPA dye test confirms a leaking flapper in 10 minutes.

How much water does a running toilet waste?

A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day, according to the EPA WaterSense program.

Why is water leaking around the base of my toilet?

Water at the base of a toilet usually means a failed wax ring. The plumber pulls the toilet, replaces the wax ring and checks the flange.

Why does my garbage disposal hum but not work?

A garbage disposal hums without spinning when an object jams the grinding plate. Turn off the power, free the plate with a hex key from the bottom, then press reset.

Can I put grease down the garbage disposal?

No. Grease cools, hardens and coats the drain and sewer pipes, causing clogs past the disposal.

Book Toilet and Disposal Repair in Marietta, GA

Running toilet or a dead disposal? Call (770) 230-0611. Plumber Marietta GA repairs and replaces toilets and garbage disposals across Marietta, East Cobb, Kennesaw, Smyrna, Roswell, Acworth and Vinings.