Every homeowner will experience a leaky toilet at some point. The question is, do you will call a plumber or try to fix it yourself? Fixing a leaky toilet is nothing more than a small challenge. Some toilets have very small leaks, and you’ll hear the tank fill when it gets low. Others can waste a significant amount of water; either way, they are a waste of our precious resource, water. There are two basic reasons why your toilet will leak. So let’s get started.
Fill Valve Assembly or Bad Flapper Could Be The Cause Of Your Leaky Toilet
Remove the toilet tank lid and place it on a safe flat place so it won’t get broken. When you look inside the tank and see the water is constantly running, and flowing into the overflow tube, you probably need to adjust your fill valve assembly or replace it altogether. If the water runs intermittently, then you have a bad flapper.
Troubleshoot Your Fill Valve Assembly
Let’s address the fill valve assembly. You can troubleshoot it by first lifting the float cup or float. If the water stops, then a minor adjustment needs to be made. Most modern fill valves have a long plastic spline (screw) that moves up and down the assembly side. Using a Philips screwdriver, turn the screw counterclockwise which will lower and adjust the float cup. If this doesn’t stop the problem, then you’ll need to replace the assembly.
How To Replace Your Fill Valve Assembly
To replace the fill valve assembly, you’ll need to shut off the water supply behind the toilet. Next, flush the toilet and use a shop vacuum to clear out any excess water. Place a bowl under the water supply valve to catch any excess water. Find the water supply nut at the bottom of the tank and turn it counterclockwise. Then use a pair of channel locks to remove the fill valve retaining nut. You can take the assembly to your local home center and purchase a new one along with your flapper.
Place the black rubber washer on the bottom of the fill valve assembly with the washer’s cone pointing down. Put the valve in the tank and secure the valve with the retaining nut, and never overtighten. Next, reattach the water supply line to the bottom of the tank. Attach the fill valve tube to the special position over the overflow tube.
Replacing A New Flapper Is A Quick Fix For Your Leaky Toilet
Whether your flapper’s bad or not, this is a good time to replace it with a new flapper. You do this by gently pulling the flapper away from the two studs holding it. Then remove the chain from the flush handle lever. Install the new flapper by slipping the holes over the two studs. Reinstall the chain to the flush handle lever. Turn the water back on and flush the toilet to see if the leak is fixed. Adjust the chain if needed, and replace the toilet lid.
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