Repair a Water Closet
Fixing a problematic water closet (toilet) is easy for most homeowners to do and usually just requires a few, inexpensive parts. Most water closet problems lead to water leakage, which can cause an increase in your water utility bill as well as damage to your home. Any repairs should be done right away. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Getting to Know Your Water Closet
1. It is crucial that you understand the parts that make up your water closet. All the parts are located in the rear tank of your toilet. You should take off the lid a few times while it is working normally and flush the toilet to see how the water closet parts all work together. This way it will be easier to do repairs on your water closet when there is a problem.
2. The most common water closet problem is a malfunctioning flapper valve. Located in the bottom center of your toilet tank, the flapper valve lets water into your water closet bowl. Since it is made out of rubber or sometimes plastic, it does wear out after time and causes leaks. Sometimes the flapper chain can get stuck under the flapper too, causing the water closet to run all the time. Or, the flapper may be bent.
Simply disconnect the two rubber ears holding the flapper to the flush valve and install a new one.
3. Perhaps your problem is with the fill valve itself. There is a plastic valve, located in the left corner of your water closet water tank, that allows your tank to fill with water. This water then gets flushed down the bowl. It is common for the rubber seal , located in the top of the fill valve, to wear out. This causes the valve to run continuously.
Simply turn off your water valve, which is right behind your toilet. Remove the fill valve cap and pry out the seal using a screwdriver. You may have to lightly tap the fill valve with a rubber mallet to break the seal. Put in the new seal and replace the cap.
4. Water closet flush handles are another common problem. Sometimes you may find that you push down on the handle and nothing happens. Look inside the tank to see if the chain attached to the handle has come loose. Hook it back up or repair it. Use a paper clip attached on one end to the handle and the other end to the flapper.
If the handle mount through the tank itself is broken, then remove with a plumber's wrench or channel lock pliers. Replace the unit with a new one.
Turn your water valve back on.
Tags: your water, fill valve, water closet, your toilet, your water valve, attached handle, closet parts
