Home Improvement

Toilet Articles Is the most expensive toilet in the world worth it? How often should septic tanks be emptied? PlanetGreen.com: Reclaim a Toilet

A toilet is a vital component of any home’s plumbing system. Despite their
reliability, it’s uncommon for homeowners or renters to never experience a
problem with their toilet. Clogging is the most common issue, but other problems
like strange tank noises or continuous water flow can also occur. Luckily, most
toilet problems can be fixed by a DIY plumber.

If you’re someone who likes to fix things yourself, knowing some quick fixes
can save you from calling a plumber. This article will cover various issues and
solutions related to toilet repair.

Replacing a Toilet Seat

The easiest toilet repair you can do is replacing the seat and lid. There are
plenty of options available, so you should be able to find one that matches your
bathroom’s color scheme or decor. Most modern toilets are made in two standard
sizes, and replacement seats can be found to fit them.

When you have the right size seat, remove the old one. Take off the two nuts
on the hinge and lift the old seat up and out. In some cases, the nuts securing
the toilet seat might be rusted or corroded, making it a challenging job. Some
toilet seats have recessed nuts, which can make the job even more difficult.

To install a new toilet seat, insert the two bolts, put on the washers,
and tighten the nuts. Be careful not to overtighten the nuts or the seat could
be difficult to remove later.

If the fasteners are challenging to reach, apply some penetrating oil to help
loosen them. Give the oil enough time to soak in before using a wrench or a deep
socket wrench if the nuts are out of reach. Be careful not to apply too much
force; if the wrench slips off a stubborn nut, it could damage the tank or bowl
or anything else it strikes.

Sink, Tub and Drain Troubleshooting Guide

Problem	Possible Cause	Solution
Water in tank runs constantly	Float ball or rod is misaligned.	Bend float rod carefully to move ball so it will not rub against side of tank.
Float ball contains water.	Empty or replace float ball.
Float ball not rising high enough.	Carefully bend float rod down, but only slightly.
Tank ball not sealing properly at bottom of tank.	Remove any corrosion from lip of valve seat. Replace tank ball if worn. Adjust lift wire and guide.
Ballcock valve does not shut off water.	Replace washers in ballcock assembly or, if necessary, replace entire assembly.
Toilet does not flush or flushes inadequately	Drain is clogged.	Remove blockage in drain.
Not enough water in tank.	Raise water in tank by bending float rod up slightly.
Tank ball falls back before enough water leaves tank.	Move guide up so tank ball can rise higher.
Leak where tank joins toilet bowl.	Tighten nuts on spud pipe; replace spud washers, if necessary.
Ports around bowl rim clogged.	Ream out residue from ports.
Tank whines while filling	Ballcock valve not operating properly.	Replace washers or install new ballcock assembly
Waster supply is restricted.	Check shutoff to make sure it’s completely open. Check for scale or corrosion at entry into tank on valve.
Moisture around fixture	Condensation.	Install foam liner, tank cover, drip catcher or temperature valve.
Leak at flange wax seal.	Remove toilet and install new wax ring seal.
Leak at bowl-tank connection.	Tighten spud pipe nuts; replace worn spud washers, if necessary.
Leak at water inlet connection.	Tighten locknut and coupling nut; replace washers and gasket, if necessary.
Crack in bowl or tank.	Replace bowl, tank, or entire fixture.

If all else fails, the bolts can be cut off with a hacksaw. To protect the bowl’s finish, apply tape to the bowl at the spots where the hacksaw blade is likely to rub against. Then insert the blade under the hinge and saw through the bolts. Be very careful when using the saw since a careless slip with a hacksaw can crack the fixture just as easily as a blow with a wrench.

With the nuts removed or bolts cut, the old seat can be removed without any further difficulty. Clean the area before installing the new seat. The new seat can be installed by inserting the bolts and tightening the nuts. Be careful not to over-tighten the nuts since you may want to replace this seat someday as well. If you live in a rented apartment and install a new seat that you paid for yourself, be sure to keep the old one. When you’re ready to leave, you can replace the new one with the original and take the new seat with you.

If the rubber bumpers on the toilet lid and seat are worn out, replacements can be purchased from hardware stores. The new bumpers should be installed in holes close enough to the original holes to conceal them. Some bumpers need to be glued or nailed in, while others can be screwed in.

To clear a clogged toilet, use a plunger. Ensure that there is enough water in the bowl to cover the suction cup. If there isn’t enough water, add some from another source. Pump the plunger handle up and down to dislodge the blockage. If the plunger doesn’t work, try using a wire coat hanger or a closet or toilet auger to remove the blockage.

To remove a blockage using an auger, insert the auger into the toilet trap and turn the crank until it feels tight. When you pull the auger back, the blockage should come with it. If the auger doesn’t work, push a regular plumbers’ snake through the blockage. As a last resort, the toilet may need to be removed from the floor to remove the blockage.

Tank problems such as strange noises or continuous water running can be fixed easily and quickly. These issues can be costing you money in wasted water.

Toilet tank problems are common and frustrating, and they can lead to wasted water and higher bills. However, most issues can be resolved quickly and easily. This diagram shows the various components of a typical toilet tank.

Once you understand how the toilet works, you can begin to identify the source of any tank-related problems. Simply remove the lid of the tank to get started.

When you flush the toilet, the trip lever inside the tank is raised, which lifts wires that in turn raise the tank ball or rubber flap at the bottom of the tank. This allows the water in the tank to rush out past the raised ball and into the toilet bowl, raising the water level in the bowl above that of the trap.

As the water rushes out of the tank, the float ball drops down, pulling down on the float arm and raising the valve plunger in the ballcock assembly. This allows fresh water to flow into the tank, pushing the bowl water out into the drain and creating a siphoning action that cleans the bowl. Once all the water is gone and air is drawn into the trap, the siphoning stops and the tank ball falls back into place, closing the flush valve opening.

As the water level rises in the tank, the float ball rises until it’s high enough to lower the valve plunger and shut off the incoming water. If the water fails to shut off, an overflow tube carries excess water down into the bowl to prevent the tank from overflowing.

If water flows continuously from the tank to the bowl and down the drain, there are a few steps you can take to fix the problem. First, lift up on the float arm. If the water stops, the problem is likely that the float ball isn’t rising far enough to lower the valve plunger. This could be due to the ball rubbing against the side of the tank, in which case you can bend the float arm slightly to move the ball away.

If the ball doesn’t touch the tank, continue to hold the float arm and remove the ball from the end of the arm by turning it counterclockwise. Check for water inside the ball, which could be preventing it from rising normally. If there is water, shake it out and put the ball back on the arm. If the ball is damaged or corroded, replace it with a new one. If there is no water in the ball, put it back on and bend the float rod down slightly to lower the level at which the ball shuts off the flow of water into the tank.

Step 3: If the previous steps do not solve the issue, inspect the tank ball at the flush valve seat. Buildup from the water can prevent the ball from seating properly, or the ball itself may be decayed. Water will leak through the flush valve opening into the toilet bowl underneath. Turn off the water at the toilet shutoff valve and flush the toilet to empty the tank. Examine the tank ball for signs of wear and replace it if necessary. If the issue is buildup on the lip of the flush valve opening, use wet-dry emery cloth, steel wool, or a knife to clean it away.

Step 4: If excess water still flows through the toilet, the guide or lift wire that raises and lowers the tank ball may be out of line or bent. Ensure that the guide is in place so that the wire is directly over the flush valve opening. Rotate the guide until the tank ball falls straight down into the opening. If a lift wire is bent, try to bend it back to the correct position, or install a new one. Verify that the trip lever rod is not rubbing against anything and the lift wire is not installed in the wrong hole of the rod, as either situation could cause the tank ball to fall at an angle and not block the opening as it should.

If neither the float ball nor the tank ball is the issue, then the problem must be with the ballcock assembly.

Fixing a Toilet Ballcock Assembly

The ballcock assembly may appear more complicated than it is. When purchasing a new ballcock assembly from a hardware or plumbing-supply store, both plastic and metal units are available. Plastic is less expensive and will not corrode, but it is not as sturdy as metal and is usually not repairable because many are sealed. Nevertheless, you can buy a different type of unit from the one you’re replacing as long as the new assembly has a threaded shank of the same size as the old one. If possible, bring the old assembly with you when you go to buy the replacement. Here is how to fix an older-style ballcock assembly:

Step 1: Ensure that the water shutoff valve for the toilet is in the OFF position.

Step 2: Remove the valve plunger, and you will see one or two washers or O-rings. If any of these parts are faulty, water will flow out past the plunger continuously, and the toilet will run constantly. Inspect all of the washers and replace any defective ones.

Step 3: If the ballcock assembly is sealed, replace it as a unit. Turn off the toilet water supply at the shutoff valve and flush the tank. Unscrew the float arm from the old ballcock unit and remove the refill tube from the overflow tube.

To replace a ballcock assembly in a toilet tank, start by loosening the coupling or slip nut under the tank where the water inlet pipe enters. Use an adjustable wrench to grip the retaining nut or locknut just above the slip nut, and another wrench to grip the base of the ballcock assembly shaft inside the tank. Unscrew the locknut under the tank and lift the old assembly out, saving the washers from all connections. Insert the new assembly and tighten the locknut on the outside just enough to make the inside washer watertight. Replace the coupling nut, water inlet pipe, and refill tube, and turn the water supply back on, checking for leaks. Newer ballcock assemblies eliminate the float arm and float ball, and can be easily installed without tools. Slip the parts over the water inlet pipe in the correct order and adjust the position of the plastic cup or diaphragm-powered valve to set the water level in the tank.

Step 3 involves installing the new unit into the tank. The threaded shank should be fitted down through the hole over the water supply pipe, and the gasket should be placed into the hole. The retaining or mounting nut should be hand-tightened onto the threaded shank, and the washers should be pushed into place. The coupling nut under the tank should also be hand-tightened, being careful not to over-tighten it.

Next, in Step 4, one end of the refill tube should be attached to the tank’s overflow pipe, while the other end is placed on the stem of the replacement unit.

Finally, in Step 5, the water supply valve should be opened to fill the tank. The water level in the tank can be adjusted using a knob on the new valve unit.

Solving Common Toilet Problems

If there’s too little water coming from the tank to flush the toilet bowl clean, there are a few solutions. In Step 1, check the water level in the tank. If it’s too low, the float arm should be bent up slightly to allow more water to enter the tank.

If the water level is correct but the bowl still isn’t being cleaned properly, the tank ball on the flush valve seat at the bottom of the tank may be the problem. In Step 2, the guide should be raised to ensure the ball doesn’t drop too soon. It’s important to make sure the guide stays in line with the lift wire to avoid alignment issues that can cause the toilet to run continuously.

Step 3 involves looking for other causes of inadequate flushing. Clogged residue in the small ports around the underside of the toilet bowl’s rim may be preventing enough tank water from running out into the bowl. A small mirror and a piece of wire coat hanger or offset Phillips screwdriver can be used to clear any debris.

To combat toilet tank sweating and dripping onto floors, there are jackets and drip pans designed to absorb moisture. Alternatively, a temperator valve can be installed to regulate the temperature inside the tank and lessen the difference between the tank and surrounding air temperatures, which causes condensation.

To prevent toilet tank sweating, a temperator valve is needed, which requires both hot and cold water supply connections to function properly.

However, installing a temperator valve can be inconvenient if there is no hot-water line near the toilet. Additionally, the valve does not prevent the water inside the tank from cooling between flushes, meaning that condensation can still occur, even with a temperator-equipped toilet. Leaks can also occur due to loose connections or defective washers on the spud pipe or where the water inlet pipe and ballcock assembly are attached to the tank. In such cases, replace the worn gaskets or washers and tighten all nuts before testing with bluing in the water.

Another possible cause of leaks is a defective wax ring seal that joins the toilet bowl to the drain outlet, which requires the bowl to be removed and a new gasket to be installed. If the leak is due to a crack in the tank or bowl, the entire toilet must be replaced.

Replacing a Toilet

While removing and replacing a toilet is not a simple task, it is not beyond the capabilities of most individuals. Typically, a toilet is replaced when it cannot be unclogged by other means, when it leaks around its base, or when a more modern fixture is desired. However, local plumbing codes may prohibit anyone but a licensed plumber from replacing a toilet, so be sure to check your community’s code before attempting the task.

To replace a toilet:

Step 1: Measure the rough-in distance, which is the distance from the wall behind the bowl to the center of the toilet floor drain. Measure from the wall to the center of either of the two hold-down bolts, one on each side of the toilet, or to the center of the rear bolt if there are two bolts on each side.

Step 2: Select a replacement toilet unit based on the rough-in distance to ensure a proper fit. While it is possible to replace an old toilet with a more modern fixture, it is important to ensure that the new unit will fit into the space between the drainpipe and the wall. A smaller unit can be installed, but a larger toilet cannot be put into a space that was previously occupied by a smaller fixture.

Step 3: Shut off the water supply to the toilet tank, then remove all the water from both the tank and bowl. Trip the flush handle to eliminate most of the water from the tank, then use a sponge to soak up any remaining water. Bail out the water in the bowl with a small container and dry the bowl completely with a sponge.

Step 4: If the tank is connected to the wall, remove the hanger bolts inside the tank that secure it to the wall. Then remove the pair of bolts at the bottom of the tank that connect it to the bowl. Finally, remove the tank and set it aside.

To replace a toilet, there are several steps you need to follow. Firstly, remove any caps over the hold-down bolts at the base of the bowl. These caps can be made of ceramic or held on by plumbers’ join compound and can be removed with a putty knife or unscrewed. Next, remove the hold-down nuts or bolts, which may require penetrating oil for stubborn ones. Remember to save the washers and bolts if you will be reinstalling the bowl. With nothing else holding the bowl to the floor, it is important to plug the opening to prevent sewer gas from backing up the drain. After this, you can remove the bowl by gently rocking it back and forth and lifting it straight up. Inspect the uncovered drain and clear it if necessary before proceeding with the replacement of the toilet. When putting in a new toilet, scrape away all the old putty or other sealing material from both the bottom of the bowl and the floor flange. Inspect the floor where the toilet was and rebuild it if necessary before installing the new toilet. Install a new sealer ring on the water outlet opening on the bottom of the new bowl and apply a uniform layer of the toilet-bowl setting compound around the edge of the bowl at the base.

To install a toilet, first remove the plug from the drain or soil pipe. Then turn the bowl right side up and place it over the flange, ensuring the bolts are in place. Press down on the bowl firmly and give it a slight twist to seat the wax ring properly against the flange. Use a level to check that the bowl is level and move it if necessary. However, be careful not to disturb or break the seal of the wax ring, or else the toilet will leak. Hand-tighten the nuts to hold the bowl to the floor, but do not over-tighten as it may crack the fixture. Coat the hold-down nuts and bolts with toilet bowl setting compound and reinstall the caps. If the tank and bowl are separate fixtures, attach the tank by rebolting a wall-mounted tank or reinstalling the bolts and washers that connect a bowl-supported tank. Replace any damaged parts. If the tank and bowl are connected with a spud pipe, apply pipe joint compound to the threads of the spud slip nuts and tighten them in place. Finally, reconnect the water supply inlet pipe to the tank, ensure the ballcock assembly is properly attached, and turn the water back on. For more information, check out related HowStuffWorks articles.

FAQ

1. What are some common problems with toilets?

There are several common problems that can occur with toilets. These include a clogged drain, a running toilet, a leaky toilet, a weak flush, and a loose or broken handle. Some of these problems may be easy to fix on your own, while others may require the help of a professional plumber.

2. How can I fix a clogged toilet?

If your toilet is clogged, start by using a plunger to try to remove the blockage. If that doesn’t work, you can try using a toilet auger to break up the clog and remove it. You may also need to use a chemical drain cleaner to dissolve the clog. If the clog is particularly stubborn or located deep in the drain, you may need to call a plumber to help you fix the problem.

3. How do I stop a running toilet?

A running toilet can waste a lot of water and increase your water bill. To stop a running toilet, start by checking the flapper valve to make sure it is sealing properly. If it is not, you may need to replace it. You should also check the fill valve and the float to make sure they are working correctly. If you can’t find the problem on your own, it may be worth calling a plumber to help you diagnose and fix the issue.

4. How can I fix a leaky toilet?

If your toilet is leaking, the first step is to identify where the leak is coming from. Common sources of leaks include the tank bolts, the wax ring, and the supply line. Once you have identified the source of the leak, you can replace the faulty part or tighten any loose connections. If you are unsure how to fix the problem, it is best to call a plumber for assistance.

5. How do I replace a toilet?

If you need to replace your toilet, start by turning off the water supply and draining the tank. Then, disconnect the supply line, loosen the bolts holding the toilet to the floor, and lift the toilet off the bolts. You may need to scrape away any old wax from the flange before installing a new wax ring and placing the new toilet in position. Finally, tighten the bolts and reconnect the supply line. It is important to make sure the toilet is level and securely attached to the floor to prevent leaks and other problems.