A toilet leak is capable of wasting liters of water a day, as well as increasing your water bill, making it a problem to be solved quickly. The best way to fix the leak is to look for problems with the discharge valve, as this is the main culprit of the situation in most cases. If the valve is OK, try adjusting the water level in the vessel. If none of the options work, you may need to replace the fill valve.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Solving Dump Valve Problems
Step 1. Close the valve and empty the tank or toilet
Before starting, it is important to close the water valve and drain the entire contents of the tank so that you can inspect the valve without having to deal with the water.
- The drain valve is a piece of rubber that prevents water from flowing from the tank to the toilet. When discharged, the current pulls the valve to drain the water.
- Valve problems are quite common and are often the cause of leaks.
Step 2. Remove the tank cap
Place a towel in one corner of the bathroom and grip the tank lid firmly. Then rest the lid on the towel to avoid scratching it and to avoid accidents.
The lid is ceramic, so do not place it where it can easily tip over
Step 3. Adjust chain length if necessary
The chain that pulls the discharge valve can also cause problems if it is too long or too short; a short chain will end up pulling the valve when it shouldn't, draining water all the time, while a long chain can get stuck under the valve, draining water uncontrollably.
- If there is a lot of tension on the chain, remove the hook that secures it to the discharge lever. Raise the hook on one or two links in the chain to give it some slack and re-attach it to the lever.
- If the chain is too short, cut it with pliers to remove some of the links. Then re-attach the hook to the top link and secure it to the lever.
Step 4. Observe the discharge valve
Disengage both sides at the base of the overflow tube (the tube that is open in the center of the tank) and look for deformation, discoloration, mineral sediment, disintegration, or any other sign of a problem.
- If the problem is mineral sediment, clean the valve.
- If the problem is some type of wear, replace the valve.
Step 5. Clean a dirty valve
The accumulation of mineral sediment in the valve will prevent the valve from sealing, allowing water to flow out. To clean it, soak it in a bowl of vinegar for half an hour. Then scrub with an old toothbrush to remove buildup and dirt.
- Alternatively, drop a few drops of baby shampoo onto a cloth and rub the valve. In addition to cleaning, the process will give the rubber more elasticity.
- Replace the valve in place and attach its side hooks to the overflow tube.
- Open the log again and let the tank fill.
- Pay attention and see if the leak persists.
Step 6. Replace a worn valve
If the rubber is brittle and does not prevent the water from flowing out even after cleaning, buy a new identical valve - take the current model to a building supply store to avoid buying a very different product. If you prefer, buy a universal valve.
- To install the new valve, fit it into the hole and attach the hooks on the sides to the overflow tube.
- Open the valve again and check that the valve is working properly and that there are no leaks.
Part 2 of 3: Adjusting the Water Level
Step 1. Check the water level
When the problem is not caused by the overflow valve, the culprit is almost certainly the water level, because when it is too high, the water will constantly drain through the overflow tube. It is important to fix the problem as soon as possible to prevent liquid from leaking onto the floor, which can cause catastrophic damage to the room structure if the toilet becomes clogged.
- Observe the overflow tube with a full tank. This is an open tube right in the middle of the tank, connecting it to the toilet.
- See if water flows through the tube. If this is happening, adjust the water level by lowering the fill float.
Step 2. Find out what type of float the vessel is
Water enters the tank through a filling valve, which has a float that rises or falls near the water level. The height of the float tells the valve that the tank is full and that more water needs to be stopped. In other words, lowering the float is necessary to reduce the water level. There are two main types of buoys:
- Ball-shaped buoys have arms attached to the inflation valve. At the end of the arm, there is a rubber ball, which is the buoy.
- Shake the ball to find out if there is water in it. If so, buy a new buoy.
- Cup-shaped buoys have small circular cylinders wrapped around the fill valve. The cylinder, which is the float, slides up and down, and its height determines the water level.
Step 3. Lower the ball-shaped float
Locate the thread that secures the float arm to the top of the fill valve. By rotating it, using a screwdriver, you will adjust the float height as desired. To lower it, turn the screw counterclockwise.
- Turn a little and flush to refill the tank and check the water level.
- Ideally, the water should be about 3 cm away from the top of the overflow tube. Make the necessary adjustments, giving the thread one quarter of a turn at a time, until you reach the desired level.
Step 4. Lower the cup-shaped float
The adjustment is done in the same way as the ball-shaped float, just turn the thread on top of the filling valve, making a quarter of a turn counterclockwise at a time.
- Flush and wait for the tank to fill again.
- Check the water level.
- Make the necessary adjustments until the water is about 3 cm away from the top of the overflow tube.
Step 5. Check the fill tube if the empty leaks intermittently
The tube is attached to the filling valve responsible for filling the tank after discharging. It must always be above the water level, otherwise there will be runoff. When the tank is full, it is important that the tube does not stay in the water.
If the tube is submerged in water, cut the end of the tube so that it is just above the liquid
Part 3 of 3: Replacing the Fill Valve
Step 1. Close the valve and empty the toilet tank
If changing the discharge valve and adjusting the water level does not resolve the problem, this is a sign that there is something wrong with the filling valve. In that case, empty the tank to replace the valve. Do the following:
- Close the water register.
- Unload.
- Use a sponge to absorb the remaining water from the tank. Suck up all the water and wring the liquid in a sink. Continue until there is no more water left in the toilet tank.
Step 2. Close the water valve
There should be a valve on the side of the toilet, which needs to be disconnected. Unscrew it and remove the locknut by turning it counterclockwise.
You may need pliers or a wrench to loosen the locknut
Step 3. Remove the fill valve
After closing the valve, you will see a nut securing the filling valve to the toilet bowl on the outside of the tank. Remove it using a spanner, turning the nut counterclockwise. When finished, remove the entire fill valve assembly from inside the tank.
- It is a good idea to take the valve assembly to a home improvement store when purchasing the new part. That way, you will definitely buy a product that fits your toilet. If you prefer, buy a universal valve.
- It's also a good idea to replace ball buoys with more modern cup-shaped models.
Step 4. Install the new valve and connect the tank to the valve
Fit the filling valve on the tank, into the hole through which the water enters. Reconnect the valve hose and secure it with the locknut.
Once you tighten the nut, turn it another quarter of a turn with pliers or a wrench
Step 5. Attach the fill tube
Connect the tube to the water outlet nozzle at the top of the fill valve, positioning it to drain water into the overflow tube. If there is a clip on the overflow tube, snap it onto the fill tube to hold it in place.
Step 6. Adjust float
Check the manufacturer's instructions to find the correct float height for the new inflation valve. Use a tape measure to measure from the base of the tank, making any necessary adjustments by turning the nut.
Step 7. Test the filling valve
Open the log and let the tank fill again. Check the water level and make sure the fill tube is not submerged. Also listen to see if the water is not draining. Adjust float height if necessary and retest vessel.
After repairing the toilet, just replace the lid
Tips
- If the vessel drains intermittently for brief periods of time, the problem is likely with the discharge valve.
- If the water fills up quickly and doesn't stop flowing right after the discharge, the problem may be with the current.
- If the water does not stop flowing and runs through the overflow pipe, the filling valve or float must be replaced.