Does my home warranty cover toilets?
The average household flushes the toilet six to eight times per day per person. That is a lot of work for a single appliance. So, when your toilet fails to work properly, not only are you left with an inconvenience, but you may also be facing expensive plumbing repairs.
How can you avoid those expensive repairs?
Primarily, performing regular maintenance of your home’s toilets is the key to keeping them functioning properly. Just including a few tasks in your regular maintenance routine can keep your toilets and plumbing systems working as they should.
If your toilet breaks down due to normal wear and tear despite your regular maintenance, a home warranty will save you money and the stress of finding a qualified technician to assess your breakdown and repair or replace your toilet.
Most home warranties will cover toilet repair, but the details of each home warranty plan vary, so your coverage will ultimately depend on the home warranty plan you choose.
Follow along to better understand how a home warranty can help when it comes to toilet repair. We’ll also provide tips to help you keep up with your toilet’s maintenance.
The most common problems with toilets
Every toilet experiences common issues from time to time. Some of these issues can easily be avoided with proper maintenance. At the very least, you should be able to do a basic assessment and refer to these scenarios if a plumber needs a description of your toilet issue.
Here are some common problems with toilets:
Leaky toilet
If your toilet leaks when flushed, your toilet bowl has little to no water, and if there is a constant pool of water around your toilet, chances are you have a leak somewhere within the toilet. If this is the case, then you will see your water bill creeping up as your tank water is creeping down. This is usually indicative of a leak in your water supply or discharge system.
Dripping toilet
Your toilet tank will fill up when you flush it, but if there is a constant dripping sound after the tank is full, there could be a leak somewhere in the plumbing line.
Clogged toilet
Upon flushing, your toilet bowl may slowly drain, but the bowl refills. This signals what could be a full clog somewhere in the plumbing system or a partial clog close to the bowl.
Constantly running toilet
After flushing, your toilet begins running and does not stop after the normal period of time. The issue is the flapper valve in the toilet is not sealing properly, causing the toilet to continuously run. Remove the lid on the tank, and make sure that nothing is preventing the flapper from sealing. A second troubleshoot is to check the length of the chain, ensuring that nothing is snagging it or making it too short to fully seal the valve.
Basic toilet functionality
If you understand how a toilet works, everyday toilet repairs may be easier to make.
The main components of your toilet are located in the tank. To better understand your toilet and your toilet problem, remove the lid from the tank and flush the toilet to see the exact mechanisms that perform the flush:
- Flushing the handle causes the chain to lift the flapper (also known as the tank ball or stopper), which covers the valve opening.
- Water flows through the flush valve and into the toilet bowl.
- The water from the tank then pushes the wastewater through the trap in the toilet bowl and into the main drain.
- Once the tank has emptied, the flapper closes over the valve, and water runs through the ballcock (or fill valve) to refill the tank.
- When the tank is full again, the float mechanism on the ballcock (fill valve) signals a stop to the flow of water.
If you assess your toilet but determine your problem is not able to be resolved with your own skills, the next step is to contact a professional, such as a service provider through a home warranty plan.
What is typically included in a home warranty with coverage of toilets?
A home warranty is a great way to protect your home and your budget. In essence, a home warranty is coverage for some of the appliances and systems in your home. However, the contract only applies if the covered items are properly maintained.
When purchasing a home warranty, be sure to fully understand how a home warranty plan works and what is covered with a home warranty. Warranty coverage will typically apply for:
- Major appliances, such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washers and dryers
- Home systems, such as the electrical, plumbing and HVAC
- Other in-home items, like your garage door opener, garbage disposal and fans
- Add-ons, like a pool, spa or septic system
Coverage for your toilet typically falls under your plumbing system. Plumbing coverage will usually include the following:
- Toilet, tub, sink and shower stoppages
- Bathtub mechanisms, pumps and air switches
- Valves for faucets, showers and shower heads
- Leaks or breaks in lines (e.g., drain, vent, gas, water)
Often, coverage extends to the mechanism in the toilet tank. However, the majority of high-ticket issues arise around toilet blockages. Having a warranty that will cover the cost of expensive plumbing or toilet repairs will ensure a quick remedy to your toilet woes and minimize any water damage you may incur from toilet issues.
Note that there is a difference between homeowners insurance and home warranties. A home warranty plan works similarly to homeowners insurance, but it covers some different items for different reasons.
What to consider when comparing home warranties with toilet coverage
When you are shopping for a home warranty, you want to carefully consider the following questions:
- What type of coverage do you want?
- How much money do you want to spend monthly?
- What is the age of your current home appliances and systems?
- How important is customer service and cutting-edge technology to you?
Once you have answered these questions, compare home warranty companies.
It is important to deal with a warranty company that provides an easy-to-understand set of terms and conditions. If you are able to verify the appliances and home systems for which you have coverage, you're saving yourself the worry and hassle of calling a repair person on your own.
A home warranty company that offers coverage for the appliances you have in your home — especially if your appliances are aging — will give you additional peace of mind when wear-and-tear breakdowns occur. You will appreciate the coverage on your home systems and appliances. This includes any and all kitchen appliances, such as your refrigerator or garbage disposal, as well as your air conditioning and water heater.
Having a company that can easily be accessed by phone, email or internet will be appreciated when you are dealing with a breakdown. Being able to contact your home warranty company in various ways, including via Amazon’s Alexa, will prove to be useful when you are in the midst of a breakdown crisis.
Home warranty coverage with Cinch Home Services
Your choice for your coverage depends on what you need for your home, so consider a home warranty company that offers a variety of protection plan options.
Cinch Home Services provides you easy-to-understand terms and conditions and reliable and prompt action from pre-screened, professional technicians for your service calls for a low service fee.
Most importantly, Cinch Home Services stands behind the work. You will be covered by a 180-day workmanship warranty after your repair, so if your repair is not satisfactory, Cinch will send someone to fix it at no additional cost.