Toilet Flushing Problem

Q: I have an issue with one of my toilets. It won't flush right unless you hold the handle down. It was taken up from the floor and the drain was snaked out to 25 ft so there is no clog to that point. I don't think anyone checked for a clog in the toilet its self since I was still in GA at the time. What would be the next step?

A: If the toilet will flush correctly if you hold the handle down, the problem has nothing to do with the drain. The handle raises the flapper valve and allows the water to move from the tank to the bowl. When you move the handle, the flapper valve raises and should stay up until all the water has left the tank and then fall down so that the tank can be filled. Look at the flapper valve and chain holding it to the handle. The problem is with one of those items.

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Toilet Leak

Q. When my toilet started doing a slow leak, I replaced the bulb but it is still leaking very slowly. When I press down on the bulb it does not seem to be leaking at all. I suspect that I will have to replace whatever is under the bulb. Is this correct and should I replace anything else while I'm at it?

A. It is either the float valve or the flapper valve. I recommend you replace both.

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Cracked Toilet Tank

Q. A toilet tank has cracked. We have another toilet so it's not a disaster. There is a crack running vertically about 2/3s down from the top. Is there any way to repair the tank? It is an American Standard tank and as best I could read the number on the lid, it is F 4058 95 and is an old tank. I called one hardware store and he said I should use a universal tank. Is this the best way or can I order from somewhere an exact match? Is it possible to buy a tank without the lid since the lid if fine?

A. Any of the big box home improvement centers will order you a tank. All tanks do not fit all bowls, so it is important that you give them the number, they will verify it with American Standard to find the right current equivalent.

To my knowledge you cannot by the tank without the lid.

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Toilet Repair

With a few simple tools, anyone can repair a broken toilet!

Basic Toilet Construction

Toilets are simple devices and they are all work in a very similar manner. They are based on two items, a bowl and a tank although some manufacturers have models where they have molded these two items as one piece.

The bowl sits on the floor and has a rubber or wax gasket sealing the drainpipe to the base of the toilet. These gaskets should not be reused. They are very inexpensive and anytime the bowl is lifted from the floor, the gasket should be replaced. I prefer the wax gasket as I feel it molds better to any imperfections in the porcelain material on the base of the bowl and the drainpipe flange. The bowl is held down tight to the drainpipe with two bolts. The bolts, which should be brass, are designed with heads that fit through slots in the toilet drainpipe flange. These bolts stand straight up and fit into the holes in the base of the toilet. When tightened they compress the gasket between the base of the bowl and the flange and subsequently hold the toilet tight to the floor. In a few instances, there may be an additional two holes in the toilet bowl base. These holes allow for the placement of two additional fasteners through the base of toilet and into the floor.

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