Toilet Repair in Illinois

Weighted across 3,231,384 occupied homes. Separately, 75% of the state’s 3,478,633 housing units — a wider universe, because it includes vacant ones — were built before 1990, which is before the Energy Policy Act of 1992 set a 1.6 gallon flush maximum.

Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, tables B25003 (tenure) and B25034 (year structure built), 2023 release. Flush volumes: US EPA WaterSense, tank-type toilet supporting statement.

A state average hides the thing that matters. Of the 226 towns we route in here, 121 are mostly pre-1990 housing and 16 are mostly post-1990 housing; on tenure, 95 are strongly owner-occupied and 15 are renter-heavy.

The two are close to independent of each other, so an old town is not reliably an owning town or a renting one. That is why every town page below carries its own pair of figures rather than inheriting these.

The fault list does not vary by state. A running tank is the flapper or the fill valve, and EPA publishes a ten-minute test that tells them apart. Water at the base is four different faults, one of which is condensation and not a leak at all. A fixture that rocks is the one that causes the seal failure you will meet later.

What varies by town is who fixes it. In a rented home the toilet is normally the landlord’s repair, and in the towns above that is a large share of households.

Checking a credential in Illinois

Illinois licenses are issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Plumbing Program, which publishes a public search you can use before work begins.

• Addison 68% owner-occupied · 81% pre-1990
• Algonquin 88% owner-occupied · 40% pre-1990
• Alsip 68% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Alto Pass 79% owner-occupied · 74% pre-1990
• Anna 68% owner-occupied · 72% pre-1990
• Arlington Heights 72% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Aurora 67% owner-occupied · 57% pre-1990
• Ava 88% owner-occupied · 55% pre-1990
• Barrington 88% owner-occupied · 66% pre-1990
• Bartlett 88% owner-occupied · 45% pre-1990
• Batavia 78% owner-occupied · 58% pre-1990
• Bellwood 80% owner-occupied · 93% pre-1990
• Belvidere 79% owner-occupied · 65% pre-1990
• Bensenville 53% owner-occupied · 84% pre-1990
• Berkeley 84% owner-occupied · 98% pre-1990
• Berwyn 64% owner-occupied · 97% pre-1990
• Bloomingdale 74% owner-occupied · 69% pre-1990
• Blue Island 49% owner-occupied · 79% pre-1990
• Bolingbrook 79% owner-occupied · 51% pre-1990
• Bridgeview 66% owner-occupied · 67% pre-1990
• Broadview 64% owner-occupied · 94% pre-1990
• Brookfield 79% owner-occupied · 96% pre-1990
• Buffalo Grove 81% owner-occupied · 76% pre-1990
• Burbank 80% owner-occupied · 86% pre-1990
• Byron 81% owner-occupied · 52% pre-1990
• Cairo 66% owner-occupied · 94% pre-1990
• Caledonia 95% owner-occupied · 42% pre-1990
• Calumet City 56% owner-occupied · 92% pre-1990
• Campbell Hill 87% owner-occupied · 54% pre-1990
• Capron 84% owner-occupied · 59% pre-1990
• Carbondale 37% owner-occupied · 68% pre-1990
• Carol Stream 70% owner-occupied · 69% pre-1990
• Carpentersville 74% owner-occupied · 59% pre-1990
• Cary 88% owner-occupied · 65% pre-1990
• Cedarville 93% owner-occupied · 84% pre-1990
• Chana 95% owner-occupied · 59% pre-1990
• Cherry Valley 90% owner-occupied · 50% pre-1990
• Chicago 46% owner-occupied · 81% pre-1990
• Chicago Heights 65% owner-occupied · 82% pre-1990
• Chicago Ridge 55% owner-occupied · 86% pre-1990
• Cicero 55% owner-occupied · 96% pre-1990
• Clarendon Hills 77% owner-occupied · 68% pre-1990
• Cobden 89% owner-occupied · 70% pre-1990
• Country Club Hills 77% owner-occupied · 76% pre-1990
• Crest Hill 68% owner-occupied · 47% pre-1990
• Crestwood 77% owner-occupied · 81% pre-1990
• Crystal Lake 81% owner-occupied · 58% pre-1990
• Dakota 78% owner-occupied · 89% pre-1990
• Darien 79% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Davis 84% owner-occupied · 59% pre-1990
• Davis Junction 90% owner-occupied · 39% pre-1990
• De Soto 57% owner-occupied · 63% pre-1990
• Deerfield 85% owner-occupied · 70% pre-1990
• Des Plaines 70% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Dolton 72% owner-occupied · 93% pre-1990
• Dongola 73% owner-occupied · 66% pre-1990
• Downers Grove 77% owner-occupied · 79% pre-1990
• Dundee 70% owner-occupied · 59% pre-1990
• Durand 78% owner-occupied · 74% pre-1990
• Elgin 74% owner-occupied · 64% pre-1990
• Elk Grove Village 74% owner-occupied · 88% pre-1990
• Elkville 68% owner-occupied · 79% pre-1990
• Elmhurst 80% owner-occupied · 72% pre-1990
• Elmwood Park 64% owner-occupied · 87% pre-1990
• Evanston 58% owner-occupied · 81% pre-1990
• Evergreen Park 83% owner-occupied · 95% pre-1990
• Flossmoor 96% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Forest Park 54% owner-occupied · 90% pre-1990
• Forreston 83% owner-occupied · 88% pre-1990
• Fox River Grove 87% owner-occupied · 69% pre-1990
• Frankfort 94% owner-occupied · 44% pre-1990
• Franklin Park 75% owner-occupied · 94% pre-1990
• Freeport 65% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Garden Prairie 95% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Geneva 85% owner-occupied · 45% pre-1990
• German Valley 75% owner-occupied · 81% pre-1990
• Gilberts 86% owner-occupied · 19% pre-1990
• Glen Ellyn 81% owner-occupied · 79% pre-1990
• Glencoe 92% owner-occupied · 73% pre-1990
• Glendale Heights 64% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Glenview 77% owner-occupied · 71% pre-1990
• Glenwood 78% owner-occupied · 100% pre-1990
• Gorham 53% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Grand Chain 81% owner-occupied · 71% pre-1990
• Grand Tower 71% owner-occupied · 95% pre-1990
• Grayslake 83% owner-occupied · 40% pre-1990
• Gurnee 76% owner-occupied · 46% pre-1990
• Hanover Park 76% owner-occupied · 84% pre-1990
• Harvey 57% owner-occupied · 89% pre-1990
• Harwood Heights 74% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Hazel Crest 69% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• Hickory Hills 72% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Highland Park 84% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• Highwood 49% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Hillside 69% owner-occupied · 95% pre-1990
• Hinsdale 89% owner-occupied · 60% pre-1990
• Hoffman Estates 74% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Homer Glen 93% owner-occupied · 52% pre-1990
• Hometown 73% owner-occupied · 98% pre-1990
• Homewood 80% owner-occupied · 93% pre-1990
• Island Lake 82% owner-occupied · 54% pre-1990
• Itasca 71% owner-occupied · 65% pre-1990
• Joliet 68% owner-occupied · 70% pre-1990
• Jonesboro 79% owner-occupied · 68% pre-1990
• Justice 52% owner-occupied · 71% pre-1990
• Karnak 88% owner-occupied · 69% pre-1990
• Kenilworth 96% owner-occupied · 82% pre-1990
• La Grange 80% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• La Grange Park 74% owner-occupied · 93% pre-1990
• Lake Bluff 69% owner-occupied · 62% pre-1990
• Lake Forest 89% owner-occupied · 69% pre-1990
• Lake In The Hills 84% owner-occupied · 23% pre-1990
• Lake Zurich 89% owner-occupied · 57% pre-1990
• Lansing 70% owner-occupied · 91% pre-1990
• Leaf River 89% owner-occupied · 69% pre-1990
• Lemont 88% owner-occupied · 45% pre-1990
• Lena 85% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Libertyville 84% owner-occupied · 72% pre-1990
• Lincolnshire 82% owner-occupied · 49% pre-1990
• Lincolnwood 84% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• Lisle 56% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Lockport 83% owner-occupied · 45% pre-1990
• Lombard 72% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Loves Park 62% owner-occupied · 60% pre-1990
• Lyons 65% owner-occupied · 82% pre-1990
• Machesney Park 80% owner-occupied · 68% pre-1990
• Makanda 76% owner-occupied · 59% pre-1990
• Markham 73% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• Matteson 78% owner-occupied · 49% pre-1990
• Maywood 60% owner-occupied · 95% pre-1990
• McClure 76% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• Medinah 98% owner-occupied · 92% pre-1990
• Melrose Park 65% owner-occupied · 89% pre-1990
• Midlothian 78% owner-occupied · 90% pre-1990
• Mokena 91% owner-occupied · 41% pre-1990
• Monroe Center 90% owner-occupied · 82% pre-1990
• Montgomery 79% owner-occupied · 47% pre-1990
• Morton Grove 85% owner-occupied · 84% pre-1990
• Mound City 45% owner-occupied · 82% pre-1990
• Mounds 59% owner-occupied · 88% pre-1990
• Mount Morris 67% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• Mount Prospect 70% owner-occupied · 87% pre-1990
• Mundelein 74% owner-occupied · 61% pre-1990
• Murphysboro 63% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• Naperville 75% owner-occupied · 55% pre-1990
• New Lenox 93% owner-occupied · 41% pre-1990
• Niles 77% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• North Aurora 74% owner-occupied · 33% pre-1990
• Northbrook 82% owner-occupied · 71% pre-1990
• Oak Brook 80% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• Oak Forest 79% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• Oak Lawn 82% owner-occupied · 88% pre-1990
• Oak Park 61% owner-occupied · 89% pre-1990
• Olympia Fields 86% owner-occupied · 61% pre-1990
• Orangeville 87% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Oregon 74% owner-occupied · 81% pre-1990
• Orland Park 87% owner-occupied · 56% pre-1990
• Oswego 86% owner-occupied · 25% pre-1990
• Palatine 69% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• Palos Heights 94% owner-occupied · 76% pre-1990
• Palos Hills 80% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Palos Park 88% owner-occupied · 72% pre-1990
• Park Forest 65% owner-occupied · 94% pre-1990
• Park Ridge 85% owner-occupied · 82% pre-1990
• Pearl City 83% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Pecatonica 84% owner-occupied · 74% pre-1990
• Plainfield 90% owner-occupied · 15% pre-1990
• Polo 68% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• Poplar Grove 93% owner-occupied · 35% pre-1990
• Posen 71% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• Prospect Heights 63% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Richton Park 49% owner-occupied · 75% pre-1990
• Ridott 88% owner-occupied · 91% pre-1990
• River Forest 89% owner-occupied · 90% pre-1990
• River Grove 60% owner-occupied · 96% pre-1990
• Riverdale 41% owner-occupied · 94% pre-1990
• Riverside 77% owner-occupied · 97% pre-1990
• Robbins 65% owner-occupied · 75% pre-1990
• Rochelle 62% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Rock City 90% owner-occupied · 90% pre-1990
• Rockford 59% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Rockton 83% owner-occupied · 52% pre-1990
• Rolling Meadows 72% owner-occupied · 84% pre-1990
• Romeoville 83% owner-occupied · 34% pre-1990
• Roscoe 80% owner-occupied · 45% pre-1990
• Roselle 80% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Saint Charles 79% owner-occupied · 57% pre-1990
• Schaumburg 62% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Schiller Park 53% owner-occupied · 91% pre-1990
• Shorewood 94% owner-occupied · 33% pre-1990
• Skokie 73% owner-occupied · 89% pre-1990
• South Beloit 72% owner-occupied · 54% pre-1990
• South Elgin 81% owner-occupied · 32% pre-1990
• South Holland 83% owner-occupied · 90% pre-1990
• Steger 62% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Stillman Valley 87% owner-occupied · 71% pre-1990
• Stone Park 55% owner-occupied · 84% pre-1990
• Streamwood 89% owner-occupied · 71% pre-1990
• Summit Argo 63% owner-occupied · 89% pre-1990
• Tamms 86% owner-occupied · 52% pre-1990
• Thebes 92% owner-occupied · 66% pre-1990
• Thornton 81% owner-occupied · 94% pre-1990
• Tinley Park 87% owner-occupied · 57% pre-1990
• Ullin 80% owner-occupied · 74% pre-1990
• Vergennes 88% owner-occupied · 65% pre-1990
• Vernon Hills 67% owner-occupied · 50% pre-1990
• Villa Park 69% owner-occupied · 86% pre-1990
• Warrenville 76% owner-occupied · 72% pre-1990
• Wauconda 80% owner-occupied · 57% pre-1990
• Wayne 95% owner-occupied · 53% pre-1990
• West Chicago 79% owner-occupied · 68% pre-1990
• Westchester 91% owner-occupied · 95% pre-1990
• Western Springs 96% owner-occupied · 79% pre-1990
• Westmont 59% owner-occupied · 77% pre-1990
• Wheaton 75% owner-occupied · 82% pre-1990
• Wheeling 61% owner-occupied · 74% pre-1990
• Willow Springs 85% owner-occupied · 72% pre-1990
• Willowbrook 78% owner-occupied · 70% pre-1990
• Wilmette 88% owner-occupied · 85% pre-1990
• Winfield 92% owner-occupied · 65% pre-1990
• Winnebago 88% owner-occupied · 53% pre-1990
• Winnetka 91% owner-occupied · 78% pre-1990
• Winslow 71% owner-occupied · 83% pre-1990
• Wood Dale 77% owner-occupied · 80% pre-1990
• Woodridge 67% owner-occupied · 71% pre-1990
• Worth 66% owner-occupied · 87% pre-1990