DIY Toilet Repair, Repair Of A Cistern, Valve, Drain, Lid, Drain Mechanism With Video

2023 Author: Philip Bishop | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 07:54

You love to do everything yourself, but not everything works out equally well. Practical advice and tips will help you avoid mistakes, making your work easier. The apartment renovation site on its own will figure out with you how to repair the cistern, replace the gaskets, set up the correct functioning of the valve and the entire toilet bowl flush mechanism. Find your problem in the description below and follow the instructions, as well as watch the video at the end. How to repair the installation, you can read in the article repair of drainage systems.

Simple job

If you have to forcefully press the handle to flush the toilet, and the water level in the tank is at the "full" mark (on the inner wall of the tank), the plastic flap valve inside the siphon needs to be replaced. The part to replace is not expensive, and the work does not require qualifications, although it takes time, so you can easily do everything yourself without resorting to a plumber.

Make your job easier

A flap valve in a siphon block can last for years but may fail after a few months. To facilitate subsequent replacement, replace the old siphon block with three pieces. In the future, you can replace the valve without removing the tank or even turning off the water. It will only be necessary to unscrew the connecting nuts and remove the siphon block to replace the flap valve on the underside of the block.

Replacing the flap valve

- Close the water supply tap, drain the water from the drain tank, disconnect the drain pipe and unscrew the siphon lock nut.

- Disconnect the pipes (supply and overflow), then unscrew the screws securing the cistern to the toilet.

- Remove the siphon block by disconnecting the hook from the upper siphon rod. Slide the lifting plate and rod along the guides.

- Replace the damaged diaphragm on the valve with a new one. Assemble the siphon and install in the reverse order. Do-it-yourself toilet repair for this stage is completed, go ahead and look at a photo of the internal mechanism of the toilet bowl and supply lines.

Replacing a large pad

A leak at the bottom of the cistern is a sure sign that the seal between the cistern and the toilet is damaged. To replace it, first remove the reservoir as described earlier for replacing the flap valve. Then remove the old gasket and put on a new one, positioning it exactly over the nut that secures the siphon. If the leak is causing rust, remove the rust from the mild steel plate that holds the two tank mounting bolts with a steel wool before assembly.

Nut tightening if gaskets are leaking

Water flowing outside the drain pipe when flushing the cistern is due to a leaking gasket. Carefully tighten the nut that connects the tube to the reservoir. If this does not help, turn off the water supply to the tank, unscrew the nut and pull the pipe down to reveal the damaged rubber gasket. Remove it and wrap Teflon sealing tape around the end of the nipple, making at least 10 turns. Reinsert it and tighten the nut.

Rebuild the link

If the toilet does not drain and the handle is slack, check the connection inside the cistern between the flush lever and the siphon lifting rod. This S-shaped or C-shaped wire link could break. To restore the function of the tank, simply connect it again. You may need to reach into the siphon with your finger and push the plate upwards inside the siphon from below to expose the end of the lifting rod.

Raise the water level in the reservoir

If the water in the toilet does not drain, check if the level in the cistern is at the top mark. If the level is insufficient, adjust the angle of the float valve lever.

With a plastic valve, the angle can be changed by tightening the adjusting screw with a screwdriver. For a brass valve, repair and adjustment must be carried out as follows - slightly bend the float lever upwards or loosen the nut fastening the movable float and slightly move the fastener up.

Smooth descent of the drain

Toilet flushing should be smooth. If it jerks, check to see if the release lever is loose on its shaft: it should be held in place by a headless screw. If the lever is pivotal, it will not vertically raise the siphon lift rod. Place the lever in the desired position on the axle and tighten the drain screw.

Constantly running water

Toilets with a cistern connected to a mains water supply can continuously drain flush water. The reason is that water is supplied to the tank through the inlet valve at the same rate as it is drained through the siphon. This prevents air from entering and stopping the flow. This can be eliminated by replacing the low pressure seat in the inlet valve with a high pressure seat. The second option is to install an additional valve on the supply line to reduce the water supply. The video below shows how to fix it.

Broken lever

The cistern release lever made of plastic may break. A universal substitute suitable for most types of cisterns. The lever may need to be shortened so that it does not touch the siphon block.

Toilet lid repair

If your toilet lid breaks for any reason, then it is better not to repair it, but to buy a new one. It does not cost much, but it will look and function better than the old one, especially the broken one.

Limescale on the walls

Remove limescale from the toilet with a paste made from citric acid powder and water. Lower the water level in the toilet siphon by pushing the water through the bend of the knee with a mop or brush and leave it there to block the toilet. Apply the paste to the limescale and leave it overnight. Repeat the procedure if necessary. The paste removes plaque well under the edges of the toilet bowl. Now let's move on to watching the video, which consists of a series of sequential photos. Possible solutions for toilet blockage problems.