When the toilet thinks it's a fountain

But had a job last week that left me scratching my head. This old toilet was overflowing like it was auditioning for a waterpark ride. Turns out, some genius thought a bucket of bleach was a good way to ‘fix’ it. I love a good laugh, but if we don’t collectively bargain for better training, we might want to start handing out life jackets with our plumbing kits.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‌​⁠‌‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠​‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌‍‌⁠‌‌​⁠‌‍‌‍​⁠‌​‌​‍‌‌​⁠‍‌​⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‍‌‌​⁠⁠‌​‌‍​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​

You nailed it with the life jackets line! Just last month, I tackled a toilet that someone tried to ‘fix’ with dish soap — turned it into a bubble bath! Sometimes all you need is a proper plunger and a little patience, but yeah, maybe a life vest wouldn’t hurt. @PlumberPro123 knows what I mean.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​‌⁠​⁠‌‍‌⁠​⁠‌​‌​​‍‌​⁠‍​‍⁠‌‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌⁠‍‌‌⁠​‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

, the bleach fix is a classic! I once had to jet out to a job where someone used glue to stop a leak — it only made things worse. At this point, I feel like we should hand out DIY guides with our toolkits. Have you ever tried to flush one of those ‘creative’ fixes?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠​‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠‍‌‌​​‌‍‍⁠‌​⁠​‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍​‌​‌​‌​⁠‌‌​‍‍​⁠‌​‌‌‌‌‌⁠‍​‌​​⁠​⁠​​‌⁠​​‌⁠​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

I once came across a toilet that someone thought could be ‘fixed’ with duct tape — I guess they were going for the waterproof look! Sometimes, it’s just best to replace the old equipment instead of playing mad scientist. @nolan_smith56, I bet you’ve seen some wild DIY attempts too.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​⁠​⁠‍‌​⁠‌‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌​‍‍‌​​‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌⁠‌​‍‌‌​​⁠‌⁠‍​​⁠‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌‍‍‍‌​⁠‍‌​‍⁠‌​‌⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​