Toilet issues

[Ornery]

I am totally clueless when it comes to repair. If I can find a book or a tutorial that takes me step by step, I can do it but otherwise it does not come natural to me.

That said, the toilet in our bedroom has water running into the bowl constantly (not full stream just a trickle) and then every hour or so it starts to run and then quits after 10 -15 seconds. It has been happening for quite some time and it appears that my husband isn't going to fix it so I need to figure it out. It is driving me nuts and wasting a ton of water.

I know nothing about toilets. Where do I start? Is there a book? Would it work for me to walk into a plumbing supply store, describe the problem and have them help? I don't even know enough to google.

Thanks to anyone who has any ideas.

[laohaire]

First thing I'd do is take the lid off the tank and have a look inside. I'm no toilet master and I don't know the names of the parts, but there is a chain that ends in a cap at the bottom of the tank. The purpose of the chain is to lift up that cap and allow the water to flush into the toilet bowl, then it gets lowered back into place so the tank can refill. If that cap is not going all the way down, the water will constantly flow into the toilet bowl, and the tank will constantly be refilling.

You may be able to see with your own eyes a problem. A likely problem is that something is in the tank and got wedged under that cap and is preventing it from making a seal. Then all you have to do is move it out of the way

Anyway, it's a start. What do you see?

[JamieCatheryn]

Yep definitely a problem in the tank. If something is a bit off and doesn't look to be closing right maybe it'll be an easy fix. If something's broken, still not too hard to get an identical new flusher kit and put it in (check what's in there first there are several kinds).

Some info here:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...2&marketID=115

[Alyantavid]

Yep check out the chain/cap thing (see how well versed I am in toilets? ) or the float. You can buy new parts at hardware stores and you may just need to adjust the chain or replace some or all of those parts.

It's pretty easy, I can do it and I'm so not a repair person.

[nd_deadhead]

Toilets are fairly simple - but when I say that, I recognize that I am very handy, and have tackled many plumbing problems (like replacing faucets). I realize it isn't so easy for everyone.

But toilets are still pretty straightforward. As laohaire said, there is a "flapper valve" at the bottom, which is supposed to seal off the tank (the top part) from the bowl (the part you see when you lift the toilet seat). This is attached to a lever at the surface of the water, which is attached to the flush lever. When you flush, the flapper valve lifts up, allowing water to flow into the bowl. From your description, it really sounds like it's a problem with the flapper valve. When you say it leaks into the bowl, then every hour or so it runs for a few minutes - I suspect the "running" part is the tank refilling, after most of the water has leaked out.

Sometimes the chain between the flapper valve and the lever gets stuck under the valve. This is an easy fix - simply pull the chain out from under the flapper valve, unhook it from the lever at the water surface, and hook it back on again with a little less slack. The water in the tank is clean (even if it might look rusty in there). The water can't get from the bowl to the tank! It might be cold when you stick your hand in.

Sometimes flapper valves get leaky even if there's nothing stuck. They are usually made of rubber, or have a rubber seal, and those don't last forever. If there is nothing stuck under the flapper valve, lift it up and run your finger around the edges, on both the flapper valve and the bottom of the tank, where the hole is. It should feel like it has a little give, like an inner tube. If you aren't sure if it seems right or not, compare it to another toilet.

Hey - I found a pretty good DIY manual on-line - with pictures and everything!

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2repairtoilet

Good luck!

[Ornery]

Thanks for all the help. You guys rock! I'm going to tackle it this afternoon when I can get a moment without kids "helping". I'll report back with my success!

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by nd_deadhead

The water in the tank is clean (even if it might look rusty in there). The water can't get from the bowl to the tank! It might be cold when you stick your hand in.

Nice description, deadhead, and this point was one I forgot to make. Indeed, don't be afraid to stick your hand right in the tank! It's the same water as what comes out of your sink or shower. Sometimes the tank looks a bit yucky because it could be old and never cleaned and stuff in there might have rusted, but it still won't hurt you. (Unless, on second thought, you have one of those nasty blue "cleaner" things dropped in there - those are nasty chemicals and I'd wear a glove or at least wash my hands quickly and like crazy, and then never buy one of those things again).

So, that thing is called the "flapper valve" - good to know. That's your problem. Either something is blocking it a bit, or it's old and has lost its shape/seal. If something is blocking it, you're gold, because you can fix that instantly. If you need to replace it, you can still do it yourself even if you're not handy.

Give us an update

[lifeguard]

Like pp said it's probably your flapper valve. I actually did a total toilet refurbishment recently & posted it on my blog. Good luck - toilets are pretty straight forward.

[Ornery]

Thanks again. I fixed it and it was simple. I am easily overwhelmed but once I sat down and took a look at how a toilet works (I am ashamed that I never have known), it was easy!

[nd_deadhead]

Thanks for the update! Now I want you to look at yourself in the mirror and say "I am NOT clueless!"

Just because you have never bothered to learn how something works before, doesn't mean you can't figure it out. And not everyone has a knack for fixing stuff.