When we buy plumbing, we want it to last a long time. But operating conditions can sometimes lead to such troubles as water leakage. And most often this happens with the toilet bowl. In addition to increased water bills, leaking water leads to rusty spots on the toilet bowl and, over time, urinary stones. For a room, an increased level of humidity can cause the formation of fungus, mold, and this is already a serious danger to human he alth. So what do you do when your toilet cistern leaks? To begin with, consider the design scheme of this plumbing.
Toilet cistern device
Any toilet flush tank consists of the following parts:
- float;
- float spoke;
- siphon cover;
- rubber gasket for sealing;
- connecting ring;
- iris lever;
- ball valve;
- adjustment leverjet;
- metal plate;
- plastic diaphragm;
- adjacent drain pipe;
- water pipe;
- fasteners barrel to the toilet.
It doesn't matter what year the cistern is. The principle of operation remains the same.
To understand why a toilet cistern is leaking, let's look at how the types of devices exist and how they function.
Views
There are several classifications:
- According to the location of the water start-up mechanism: side, top. It can be buttons, chains, levers. Models with two buttons have appeared that allow you to drain water in normal and economical mode.
- According to the material of the tank: metal (most often cast iron), plastic, ceramics.
- According to the installation method: compact (toilet and tank are fastened together), stand-alone (can be used for retro design, or found in old houses), hidden (the whole installation is hidden in a box, a wall-hung toilet).
- Flush method: direct, reverse.
- The place where the fittings for the drain tank are located. There is an up and down arrangement.
No matter what kind of toilet bowl device and what classification it belongs to, the operation algorithm remains the same.
Mechanism of action
According to the principle of operation, the tank is a complex of filling and draining systems. Water enters the storage tank through a water pipe. The level determines the float. Having reached the required volume of liquid, the shut-off valve stops the water supply.
The drain system starts working after mechanical action on the button (lever, chain). At this point, the valve opens and the right amount of water flows into the toilet. And then the filling system turns on in a circle. How to understand why the toilet cistern is leaking? Let's look further.
Visual definition
Repair of the cistern begins with troubleshooting. This may be the appearance of water near the toilet, a poorly functioning drain system, a constant flow of water. The appearance of puddles near the plumbing indicates that the seal is broken.
To do this, inspect the place where the water pipe is attached to the tank. Most often this is the reason. The next step is to check the condition of the toilet bowl to the storage tank. Another option is that the rubber gasket at the point where the water is supplied to the drain is deformed and does not close the hole tightly. A poorly functioning drain system indicates a blockage in this mechanism or a problem with the membrane.
The constant flow of water into the toilet can be caused by several reasons. Let's consider each type of breakdown separately and how to repair the cistern in a particular case.
Water supply
A common problem with the appearance of puddles near the toilet is the depressurization of the connection between the water pipe and the tank fitting. In modern models, it is precisely plastic components that are found. Therefore, during operation, the thread can be erased and thus the sealing is destroyed.
This problem is very easy to fix. Shut off the water supply with a shut-off valve. The hose is wrapped around the thread, flax or fumlent. Spin back. If the leak stops, then the problem is fixed. If not, then repeat the procedure, increasing the layer of sealing material. Another reason may be a crack in the plastic fitting. In this case, it should be replaced with a new one.
Rubber seal, mounting
In both cases, the cover is removed, the fittings for the drain tank are removed. The rubber gasket is checked for deformation. There can be two options:
- Loose fit. Correct the situation, and reassemble the tank.
- Deformation during operation. To be replaced with a similar product.
Fixing the tank to the toilet can become loose over time, collapse under the influence of rye. Therefore, tightness is lost, or the sealing rubber gaskets wear out. In the first case, tighten the bolts and replace the seals, even if they are not deformed. In the second, change the seals.
Toilet flush valve
In this case, experts recommend purchasing a new one and installing it. If a decision is made to repair the existing one, then it should be disassembled and the gap between the drain hatch and the pipe should be adjusted. To do this, file the last one. To do this job well, you need to be patient. Otherwise, the breakdown will not be repaired. Therefore, it is recommended to replace the old toilet flush valve with a new one.
There is another situation. Very often, the cause of a toilet cistern leaking is a crack in the valve body. In such cases, it will also be easiest and most economical to replace the old one with a new one. To do this, the cracked part must be taken with you. Because the modern plumbing market offers a wide range of drain mechanisms.
Sealing cuff between cistern and toilet shelf
In such cases, the mounting bolts are unscrewed, the tank is removed. The cuff can be plastic, metal, rubber. During operation, it can:
- Move. In this case, it needs to be corrected.
- Deform. Replace with a new one.
Next, the tank is installed in place. To increase the level of sealing, you can walk along the joint with silicone sealant.
Float
Often a situation occurs when the toilet bowl leaks due to an incorrectly adjusted position of the float. There may be several reasons:
- The float arm has moved and is catching on something. The way out is to fix it, check the serviceability.
- Float position not adjusted. Raise the device slightly with your hands. The leak is gone - fix the position. In some devices, this is done by bending the float spoke, in modern devices, by threaded regulation.
- Float tightness is broken. Pour water out of it and place in a bag. This is a temporary solution. For capital - should be replaced with a new one or seal the hole. Fortunately, the assortment of glue allows thisdo.
Float problems are often the cause of water constantly leaking into the toilet from the tank.
As you can see, solving it is quite simple. What to do if manipulations with the float did not give a positive effect? The cause may be a broken check valve. In such cases, the design changes completely.
Siphon
Most often, a malfunction of such a plan is due to deformation of the membrane. The water supply is shut off. The storage tank is emptied, the fittings for the drain tank are removed. Unscrew the siphon nuts, remove the membrane. Visually checked for integrity and deformation.
If necessary, a new one is purchased and a replacement is made. The old product should be taken with you to the store. This will help you choose the right spare part from the abundance of the range. A damaged membrane can cause the flush button to not work (when water starts to flow into the toilet after a few clicks).
Button Jamming
With such a breakdown, the drain is fixed in one position. So the toilet tank is leaking. What to do in this situation? The cover is removed, it is checked because of which the mechanism is jammed. Often the drain mechanism is checked for the following signs:
- Clogged system. Cleaned from plaque.
- Stem stuck. The cause of jamming is identified and eliminated. If necessary, change to a new one.
- The return spring has weakened (the connectingring on the lever). To be replaced.
- The traction system has broken or deformed. It can be made from improvised means, for example, wire. But this will be a temporary solution to the problem. Because during subsequent operation, the wire will bend over time and you will have to repeat the procedure again.
Of course, before the breakdown is repaired, turn off the water supply system, drain the liquid from the drain tank.
Features of plumbing repair
As a rule, the cistern device itself and its installation to the toilet bowl are not particularly difficult. Therefore, you can carry out repairs yourself without difficulty. But there are a number of important points to remember:
- Do not overtighten fasteners. Otherwise, the plastic fasteners will simply burst. And pulling metal can lead to the fact that the plumbing tile itself will crack.
- If you need to change any part for a new one, you should take the old one with you to the store. This will save you from additional running around if you purchased the wrong spare part "by eye".
- The cost of parts for the drain tank is low. But calling a locksmith will add a significant amount. Therefore, it is better to repair with your own hands.
- Timely repairs will avoid problems such as flooding neighbors.
- Before starting repairs, be sure to shut off the water supply.
The simplicity of the mechanism will not cause any particular difficulties even for the most inexperienced locksmith.
Therefore, armed with patience and ingenuity, eliminatethe flow of the drain tank can be done by yourself. Moreover, this does not require a serious set of tools.
