How to Fix a Leaking Toilet: 7 Steps (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Your closet can be flushed, but unfortunately, he doesn't know when to stop the watering system. Maybe the system stopped then suddenly started flowing again, or it kept leaking into the toilet bowl. No matter what happens, surely a wasting and noisy toilet can wake you up in the middle of the night. Fortunately it is not difficult or expensive to repair these toilets if you understand how they work. Find out the problem systematically. There are only a few possible faults in the bidet tank.

Step

Step 1. Get to know the inside of your closet

The mechanism varies, but all toilets have the same working principle. Pull/press the sprinkler lever a few times and watch what happens in the tank.

• When you press the flush lever, the chain lifts the stopper, then drains water into the toilet bowl through the hole in the bottom. As the water level decreases, the plug will fall off and close the hole again.

  

• The plastic buoy will fall off when the water is reduced. This float is connected to a valve that will flow water into the tank when the float falls and stops when the float rises.

  

• In the middle, there is a flow tube that will draw water into the toilet hole if the water is too high.

  

Step 2. See what happens

If you've waited a long time after flushing and the toilet doesn't stop draining, lift the lid off the tank and take a peek inside.

Step 3. Close the plug

If the tank isn't full and can't be filled, it's likely that the plug won't close.

• Hold the stopper and close it with your hand. If the plug keeps getting stuck, find the cause and fix it.

  

• Did the chain plug get caught in something or did the plug get caught in the chain? Try unscrewing the chain with a plastic soda straw to prevent the chain from snagging and causing the stopper to close. Or, replace the chain with hooks made of braces along the chain.

  

• Did the plug open on the hinge?

  

• Is the plug position parallel to the hole?

  

• If your cover is a ball instead of a plug, is the chain holding the ball straight, and can the chain move freely?

Step 4. Check if the water in the tank is on the appropriate line

If you don't have enough water in the tank, the toilet will continue to drain the water.

If the water is not COMPATIBLE with the minimum, check the water valve to make sure it is in position. If the valve is NOT open, open it and your tank will start to fill up to the water level (unless the Refill or Float Valve has a problem). Try doing this BEFORE you replace the plug or do anything else

Step 5. Adjust the valve and float

• Pull the float with your hand. If this stops the flow of water, then adjust the float height so that the tank stops filling at a water level 2.5 cm below the top point of the flow tube. If the tank level is too high, excess pressure will build up and cause water to flow through the plug into the toilet opening (even if the plug is new).

  

• If the float is around the valve, squeeze the metal clip and slide the float down.

  

• If the float is a ball on a handle, try turning the small screws on the top of the valve. Sometimes you can also bend the float stem.

  

• Make sure the float ball doesn't touch anything else. Adjust the position so the ball doesn't rub against the sides of the tank, flow tube, or anything else.

  

• Depending on the design of the float mechanism and its relationship to the flow tube, this tube can sometimes rise above the float and compress it. Do not move the tubing while the toilet is filling with water; or you will get wet.

  

• A float filled with water can also cause a leak (even if the valve is functioning normally) so make sure the float ball is not filled with water. If you release the float and hear the sound of water when you shake it, replace this ball.

  

• If the valve and ball system are covered in dirt, clean them (take them out before you do this). It will only take you a few minutes and the results are worth what you do. If your ball valve looks normal but can't touch the flush valve, it's usually due to dirt holding them together.

  

• If you are unable to stop the toilet flow by pulling the float up and have tried all of the methods we just listed, you may need to replace the entire fill valve system. This is a more complex project, so look for other potential causes and alternative solutions. If you have to replace the valve, you can do it yourself at a low cost. Ask the hardware store for advice, and read the instructions on the replacement valve package.

  

Step 6. Clean or replace the drain plug and/or valve

If the toilet stops filling and then starts again suddenly or water continues to flow into the hole, then there is a leak from the tank to the hole. Put the water coloring tablet into the tank. Your local home supply store may sell these tablets. If after an hour or two without watering the color is drawn in the hole, then a small leak has occurred.

• The most common cause of leaks is plugs. The plugs will age or decrease in quality over time. You will need to replace it, or the minerals in the water will collect on the item and/or the rim of the flush valve.

  

• If the stopper is still in good condition, sometimes you just need to clean it &/or the edge where the stopper is.

  

• Use your finger to feel the underside of the stopper and the edge where the plug is located. Scrape off any accumulated minerals, which could cause leaks. Use a sponge with bleach or dry/wet #500 abrasive paper or steel wool.

  

• Cleaning can remove the minerals, but it's usually better to replace the entire system. There are several standard types to choose from, so take your old system to a home supply store to compare them. How to do the replacement:

  

• Close the water valve and flush the toilet. If the valve is fully closed, the tank will not fill and you will not hear water running after the tank is empty.

  

• Remove the plug from the hinge and chain, and install a new plug.

  

• Remove it from the chain.

  

• Take a new one and put it into place.

  

• Don't forget to fully open the valve when you are ready to refill the water.

  

• Flush several times to make sure the chain length matches the new plug. The stopper opens when you press the sprinkler lever, and closes when the tank is emptied. You may have to cut and adjust the chain length by trial and error. Also, make sure the plug is in the correct position against the tank opening.

  

Step 7. Solve any other problems that may occur

Sometimes, something else will cause water to keep flowing into the tank.

• A small rubber filling tube will direct the valve into the tube and sometimes the valve itself can act as a suction. If this is the case, adjust the valve or tubing height, or lower the water level.

  

• The valve itself will not be able to completely stop the flow of water. Some valves can be opened and the rubber replaced. If not, you may have to replace the entire valve.

  

• One or more non-rubber components can be damaged in the bidet water valve mechanism, an example is the lever connected to a plastic ball, which stops the flow of water by pressing a button when the water level rises. If this happens, the best option is to replace it, but you can also use superglue as a temporary solution in certain situations.

  

• The water pressure in the rubber filling tube leading back to the tube may be too high, causing the stopper valve to become stuck and unable to seal the hole. Close the throttle valve to resolve this.

  

Tips

• If you notice a leak in the middle of the night or at a time when you cannot fix the problem immediately, close the shut-off valve to prevent leakage. Post a note saying that the water is being temporarily turned off, and can be turned on to fill the tank if needed. This is necessary to avoid panic in your guests.
• If you have to replace the flush or fill valve, first turn off the main inlet valve, then flush the toilet so the tank is *almost* empty. Prepare an old towel and a large cup to collect any residual water in the tank when you remove the valve screw from the hole in the bottom of the tank. If you don't do this, your bathroom floor will be dirty and messy.
• Pour in 1/2-3/4 cup of bleach every few weeks or months. Open the tank cap, prepare the bleach, then pull the sprinkler lever. When the plug drops and seals the hole (which is indicated by a "plup" sound), pour in the bleach. The whirlpool will mix the bleach evenly. This is useful for cleaning slime and mold on the tank and its stopper.
• The squat toilet tank is cleaned in the same way as a regular toilet tank.

Warning

• The tank cap is a heavy ceramic object. Be careful not to drop it.
• Do not use toilet cleaning pellets that are dropped or hung in the tank and turn the water blue. The chemical liquid from these pellets can damage the system mechanism in the tank more quickly. If you don't want to use a toilet brush, look for something like an in-tank cleaning system that inserts directly into the feeding tube.
• If you live in an apartment or other rental residence, get management approval before you make any major repairs. Replacing the plug or unscrewing the chain is a small thing, but replacing the valve can be a major improvement.
• These instructions can be used for most household toilets. Sometimes, there are other designs that are more rare, such as a pressure tank closet.. Don't do this kind of repair yourself.
• The water in the toilet tank is clean and hasn't passed through the opening, but be careful and wash your hands after working on the inside.