If you have a bathroom, you have a toilet. Repairs are an unavoidable reality with any toilet, but fortunately, most of them are very easy to manage on your own. Here are two simple toilet repairs that you can do on your own or with a friend.
Stop a Running Toilet
Your toilet just doesn’t stop running. It can be a slow drip or a constant trickle, but the repair will be basically the same.
- Your first step is to lift the tank lid and see if the problem stems from the float being poorly placed.
- If you release the chain connecting the float arm from the stopper valve and the leak stops, adjust the arm so that it no longer pulls on the stopper when the toilet is done filling.
If the toilet continues to run even with the stopper in place you will need to replace the valve. These are easily available at any hardware store for a couple of dollars and are pretty self explanatory.
- Turn off the water leading to the toilet.
- Flush the toilet and use a rag to remove any remaining water.
- Disconnect the chain from the float arm and measure the length.
- Remove the existing flapper and take it to a hardware store.
- Purchase the identical flapper.
- Install the flapper valve, ensuring that the chain is the proper length.
- Restore the water flowing to the toilet
- Shut off the water to the toilet
- Flush the toilet and use a rag to remove any remaining water.
- Disconnect the hardware holding the toilet to the floor. If the bolts have rusted and can’t be turned you may need to use a hacksaw to cut them.
- Here is the hard part. Lift the toilet up and off the drain and lay it on the tarp.
- Use the putty knife to remove the old wax seal. It is likely to look disgusting. Place it on the old newspaper and toss it in the trash.
- Clean the place where the old seal sat. You want to remove as much of the old wax as possible as well as any adhesives that remain from the previous installation.
- Using the directions on the new seal’s box, place the seal over the drain hole where it belongs and install the new hardware.
- Carefully place the toilet over the new hardware as evenly as possible. You want the toilet to be level when it is in place.
- Secure the toilet to the ground firmly, but don’t be over enthusiastic. Excessive tightening of bolts can crack the ceramic of the toilet’s base.
Replacing the Wax Seal
There are only two reasons you will need to replace a wax seal on a toilet. Either you are putting in a new toilet or the toilet is leaking near the bottom. This may be accompanied by a bad smell coming from the area.
You will need a new wax seal, a tarp, a putty knife, an adjustable wrench, new bolts and washers, a few old rags and some warm, soapy water and some old newspapers. Having a friend to help is theoretically optional, but highly recommended – toilets are heavy.
Toilet repairs really don’t take much skill, relatively speaking. With some elbow grease and an extra pair of hands, you can take care of most of the toilet problems you might ever encounter.
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Step#3 in this procedure should be to disconnect the water supply line.