Making Simple Toilet Repairs

	Parts of a Toilet
	How a Toilet Works
	The Toilet Handle Sticks or Is Loose
	The Toilet Won't Flush at All
	The Toilet Won't Flush Completely
	The Toilet is Clogged or Overflows
	The Toilet Will not Stop Running
	There's Water on the Floor Around the Toilet
	I Hear Splashing Water in the Tank
	My Toilet is Noisy

If you are going to make simple toilet repairs, you will need to know the parts of the toilet.
Here are words you need to know:

Ballcock: Water supply valve.

Float ball: The ball that rides on the surface of the water in the tank. When the tank is full, the float ball shuts off the ballcock.

Flush valve: Connection that consists of the flapper and the flush valve seat.

Flush valve seat: Brass or plastic sealant ring located at the bottom of the tank.

Lift arm: Thin metal rod inside the tank that connects to the flush handle and raises the flapper valve.

Main drain: The slanting pipe in the basement or crawl space that carries wastes to a sewer or septic tank; also called building drain.

Main water valve: Located on the wall near the floor, this is a knob you twist to turn the water supply on and off.

Overflow pipe: Long, hollow tube, fastened to the bottom of the tank.

Flapper (also called stopper, tank-ball, seal or disk): Rubbery plug attached to the lift chain.

Tank: Large, oblong ceramic container located behind the toilet bowl.

Trap: Where waste water goes as it leaves the toilet bowl.

To better understand how your toilet works, take the lid off of your tank and flush the toilet a few times. Here is what you will see:

• When you push the handle, the chain lifts the flapper valve (also called the stopper or tank ball).



• Water in the tank flows through the flush valve opening into the toilet bowl.



• The water from the tank forces waste water in the toilet bowl through the trap and into the main drain.



• Once the tank is empty, the flapper valve seals the tank and the ballcock refills it.



• When the tank is full, the float ball shuts off the ballcock.

Remove the tank cover and clean the mounting nut (located on the inside behind the handle) so the handle operates smoothly.

If there is a buildup of lime around the mounting nut, clean it with a brush dipped in vinegar.

Check the chain that connects the lift arm to the flapper valve. There should be about half an inch of slack in the chain. You can adjust the slack by hooking the chain in a different hole in the handle or by removing links with needlenose pliers. If the chain is broken, it must be replaced.

Check the handle, lift arm, chain, flapper valve and the connections between each of the parts to make sure all are functioning. The handle may be too loose or tight. The lift arm may be bent or broken. The connection between the lift arm and lift chain may be broken or out of adjustment, so it does not raise the flapper valve far enough.

You may need to remove excess slack in the lift chain.

You need a plunger.

Place the cup of the plunger over the drain opening and force the handle up and down rapidly. By doing so, you should produce enough suction to loosen the clog. When you believe you have removed the clog, slowly pour water into the bowl to flush debris.

If the plunger does not work, you need a closet auger or "snake," designed especially for this task. Insert the auger into the drain. When you reach the blockage, try to thread the auger through the clog. After snagging the source of the clog, continue to twist the auger as you pull it from the trap.

If more than one toilet or drain in your home is backing up, the line is likely blocked downstream from the point where the waste lines come together. Long augers are available for these situations. If your main drain line contains no clean-out access, these long augers may need to be inserted directly through the toilet flange. This requires the temporary removal of the toilet. For information on removing and replacing a toilet, visit How to Replace a Toilet.

Here are some things to try if your toilet will not stop running:

• Start by jiggling the toilet handle. If the running stops, you need to either adjust the lift chain attachment or the handle.



• If that does not work, remove the tank cover and check to see if the float ball is touching the side of the tank. If it is, bend the arm to reposition the float ball away from the edge of the tank.



• Lift the float rod above the water level. If the water stops running, gently bend the rod down until the float is at rest when the water level is about one half inch below the top of the overflow pipe.



• Check to see if your float ball is leaking. If more than half of the float is underwater, it may have a leak. Turn off the shutoff valve below the tank and flush the toilet to empty it. Unscrew the float and shake it. If you hear water inside, replace the float ball.



• Sometimes the flapper valve becomes worn or distorted and does not seal the tank. This problem is easy to fix. Just empty the tank, remove the flapper and replace it with a new one.



• If the flapper valve seat is pitted or cracked, the whole unit can be replaced. Kits are available for this purpose, but they usually require that the tank be removed from the bowl. For this repair, follow the directions included with the flapper valve/seat replacement kit.



• If the toilet still runs, empty the tank again and remove the screws that hold the float rod and its attached linkage to the intake valve. Pull the intake valve plunger up and out of the plunger seat. You may need to pry it gently with a screwdriver to get it started. Replace the washer at the base of the plunger and the washer or packing that fits in the groove on the plunger body. As an alternative, entire ballcock assemblies are available in economical replacement kits. They come completely assembled and only need to be installed in the tank. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

If you have water on the floor around your toilet, fix the problem right away so moisture does not damage your subfloor.

Start by checking all connections - the tank bolts, the ballcock mounting nut and supply tube coupling nut. Is everything tight? If so, you may need to replace the washers.

If water is dripping from the tank during humid weather, that is probably just condensation. You can fix this problem by installing a toilet liner kit, a foam panel placed inside the tank. To install a liner, cut off the water, drain and clean the inside of the tank. Cut the panels to fit your toilet and attach them to the tank.

Is the toilet tank cracked? If so, you need to buy a new tank. In fact, unless your toilet is fairly new and direct replacement bowls are readily available, consider getting a whole new toilet. This will eliminate the potential problems associated with trying to find a tank that matches the old bowl. For more information on what is involved with this project, visit How to Replace a Toilet.

Water around the base of a toilet could be caused by a wax ring that no longer seals or by a cracked toilet base. If the toilet leaks constantly, the toilet base is cracked and must be replaced. If leaking occurs during or after a flush, replace the wax ring.

Adjust the refill line that runs into the overflow tube in the tank. You may need to replace the washers in the inlet valve.

Replace the ballcock. It's easier than it may sound. Replacement ballcocks are reasonably priced and can be installed simply by following the manufacturer's instructions.