Get matched with top toilet pros in Harlem, MT

Brown stains in your toilet bowl are most likely limescale. Limescale happens from lime being left behind from hard water evaporating. Once dried out, the minerals also catch dirt and bacteria which eventually accumulate into the brown or blackish stain you see in your toilet. To remove thick and hard limescale from your toilet, use a mixture of vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda, and scrub with a metal scrubbing brush.

A gurgling toilet usually doesn’t mean that your septic tank is full. If waste can’t drain into a full septic tank, you’ll see water and sewage backing up into your fixtures, but the air that causes gurgling is a result of poor venting. You are more likely to have a clog in your vent stack or a damaged air admittance valve.

The cost to install a new toilet typically runs from $225 to $530. This doesn’t include the price of the toilet itself, which can cost $90 to $1,500 depending on the model and features you choose. You can save money if you choose to install a toilet yourself. However, you might want to hire a pro for this project.

"Due to the many complexities of replacing a toilet flange, it is typically a job best left to the pros," says Jeff Botelho, Angi Expert Review Board member and plumber. "Many times it isn't as simple and straightforward as 'pop off the old one and pop on a new one' because the flange is either glued on (PVC/ABS), soldered on (brass/copper), or caulked in place with a lead & oakum joint (cast iron) and none of these things can be easily reversed without years of training and repetitive practice."

Recaulk your toilet at least every five years. If you feel like your toilet is getting wobbly before that, it still might be time for a new caulking. Never directly place new caulk over existing caulk because that doesn’t produce lasting results. Also, caulking over existing moldy caulk does not kill out the mold by suffocating it, so if you have mold, be sure to get rid of it before recaulking.