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HOW TO REPAIRING COMMON TOILET PROBLEMS
One of the most used, and therefore troublesome household fixtures is the toilet.
Besides cleaning it, there always seems to be something going wrong with it.
The toilet won't flush, it won't flush completely, it runs continuously or there
is water on the floor. These problems are actually easily repaired without too
much labor.
Tools and Materials You Need:
Needle-nose pliers
Channel-lock pliers
Ballcock (if needed)
Flush valve (if needed)
Wax ring (if needed)
Toilet (if needed)
Toilet Won't Flush Completely or Runs Continuously:
The two most common reasons for these problems are:
- The chain that attaches to the rubber flapper is too loose. To fix this
you need to make the chain taut. Shorten the chain that is attached to the
lever by removing links with needle-nose pliers. This should fix this problem.
- Another reason is that the water level in the tank isn't right. The water
level needs to be 1/2 inch below the overflow pipe, the open tube to the right
of the handle. This is adjusted at the ballcock. The ballcock is located to
the left of the overflow pipe. The common ballcock is the plunger-valve ballcock
with the float arm. However, there is another ballcock called a float cup
ballcock which is more water efficient.
Repairing the Ballcock:
Step 1: Bend the float arm up or down to adjust the water
level for the plunger-valve ballcock. Up raises the water and down lowers the
water level.
Step 2: For the float cup ballcock you need to pinch the spring
clip that is on the float cup. This enables you to move the float cup up and
down the pull rod. Again, up raises the water and down lowers it.
Tip: It's a good idea to replace your old ballcock with the
float-cup type. This kind is more water efficient and it is made of plastic
so you don't have to replace it as often. The brass of the plunger-valve can
warp and rust while the plastic of the float cup stays firm.
If the Repairs Don't Work...
Two other reasons for flushing problems could be that the flush valve or the
ballcock need to be replaced.
Water Around Toilet:
If water is leaking around the toilet check to see if the toilet has shifted.
Shifting breaks the wax seal and enables water to come out from under the toilet.
To fix this just sit on the toilet and twist it back into position.
If that doesn't work, then you need to replace the wax ring or the toilet.
(by Roy Barnhart)
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