Faucet, Sink and Toilet Installation in Logan, Utah and Cache Valley

Logan City's water department lists the city's water hardness at 12 to 14 grains per gallon, or 255 parts per million. On the U.S. Geological Survey's scale, anything over 180 milligrams per liter counts as very hard.

Hard water carries calcium and magnesium, and the USGS says it leaves mineral buildup in plumbing, fixtures and water heaters. At the sink you see it as white crust around the spout and a spray that goes crooked as the aerator clogs. Inside the faucet, scale and age wear the washers, seals and cartridge. EPA says old and worn faucet washers and gaskets often cause leaks, and a faucet dripping once a second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year.

In a toilet tank, the flapper and fill valve wear the same way. A flapper that no longer seals lets water trickle into the bowl, and the tank refills on its own. EPA's WaterSense program says an old or worn flapper can silently leak thousands of gallons a year and should be replaced at least every five years.

A toilet seals to the drain with a wax ring pressed between the bowl and the closet flange, the fitting on the floor where the drain pipe ends. The ring seals once; if the bowl is lifted or tilted after it's set, it needs a new ring.

Before the new toilet goes on, the old wax is scraped off, the flange is checked for cracks and height, and the drain is plugged with a rag to keep sewer gas out. The bowl is pressed straight down, the nuts are tightened a little at a time, side to side, and any rock is shimmed before the base is caulked. Water around the base, or a stain on the ceiling below, is the usual sign of a failed ring.

Toilets are made for a set rough-in, the distance from the wall to the floor bolts, usually 10, 12 or 14 inches, so measure before you buy. Older toilets can use as much as 6 gallons a flush; the federal standard is 1.6, and WaterSense labeled toilets use 1.28 or less.

We swap fixtures on lines that are already there: a new faucet on the same sink, a new vanity on the same supply and drain, a new toilet on the same flange.

Moving a supply or drain line, adding a fixture where there wasn't one, anything on a water heater, and any gas line are jobs for a licensed plumber. If your project crosses that line, we'll tell you before any work starts, so you can call a plumber for that part.

S&C is based in Logan and works on homes, rentals and businesses across Cache Valley and Southeast Idaho. If you're not on Logan City water, your city or water company can tell you its hardness. See the towns we serve on the service areas page.

Putting in a new floor? The toilet has to come up for it, and a thicker floor changes the flange height, so plan the toilet with the flooring.