What to do to stop the toilet cistern from leaking. Why does the toilet flow after flushing: the main causes of malfunctions, instructions for their elimination

What to do if the toilet constantly flows water? In this article, we will analyze the possible causes of the malfunction and try to find ways to solve them. Of course, the list will not be complete: there are too many valve designs on the modern market; however, the most typical failures will receive our attention.

Why is it bad

Is there anything to be done if there is a leak in the toilet? What problems ? It won't flood the neighbors, will it?

It’s not that a leaking tank threatened a worldwide catastrophe, but the negative consequences are still palpable.

• The most obvious of these is water waste.. If you have a water meter, any leaks mean higher utility bills.

Please note: even if you do not have a meter in your apartment, the meter is at the entrance to the house.
Based on his testimony, an invoice is issued, the amount of which is divided by the number of apartments.
One way or another, you will have to pay for the consumed water.

• A flowing leak means traces of rust and lime deposits. The content of minerals and iron per unit volume of water is constant; the more it flows through the toilet, the more you have to clean off its walls.
• Finally, if water is leaking in the toilet bowl, the cistern and the toilet bowl itself are at a temperature well below the ambient air. In combination with high humidity in the room, this means the inevitable appearance of condensation and ... those puddles on the floor that we fear.

So why is there water in the toilet?

filling valve

Description

Water flows continuously through the overflow. The tank is full, but the valve continues to let her through.

Cause

Why is water flowing in the toilet in this case? The reason is an incorrect adjustment or malfunction of the filling valve.

Several scenarios:

• The water shuts off when the float level is too high.
• The water does not shut off due to the wear of the rubber gasket.
• Between the gasket and the nozzle through which water enters, a piece of scale or sand has fallen.

Solution

1. Try lifting the float with your hand. If the water is blocked, adjust the valve actuation level. In old domestic kits, it is enough to bend the rocker for this; in newer ones, a simple screw mechanism is designed for adjustment.
2. If the water does not shut off when the float is raised manually, close the valve and disassemble the filler valve. (See also the article.)

Please note: there is no general description for the disassembly process, simply due to the large number of designs.
In modern kits, in order to access the gasket, it is most often necessary to unscrew the union nut; in older ones, remove the pin holding the rocker.

1. Remove debris and sand. Turning on the water for a short time with the valve disassembled will remove the remaining impurities.
2. Examine the pad. If it has lost its elasticity and cracked, replace it with an analogue from the repair kit (they are easy to find in plumbing stores).

Exhaust valve

Description

Water in the toilet flows even when the tank is partially filled. If you turn off the valve on the supply, after a while it is completely emptied.

Cause

Why is water flowing in the toilet in this case? The reason is obvious - the outlet valve does not hold water. The rubber seal or bulb is loose on the brass or plastic seat.

Solution

Start by cleaning the saddle of debris and deposits. This is easy to do with a regular sponge. If this operation did not help, the further depends on the design of the reinforcement.

Pear

• Try to lightly press the bag to the saddle. Has the leak stopped? Then the simplest solution is to weight it with additional weights. Having shut off the water, unscrew the pear from the stem (they are connected by a regular, right-hand thread) and put a massive nut or coupling on the stem; then put the pear in place.
• A more radical solution is to replace the pear with a new one. When choosing a replacement, pay attention to its correct shape and elasticity.

O-ring

If water is leaking from a toilet with modern plastic fittings, the O-ring will need to be replaced.

1. Shut off the valve on the supply line.
2. Turn the entire outlet valve with overflow counterclockwise and pull it towards you.
3. Replace the gasket with a new one. The old gasket is removed, and the new one is put on with minimal effort.
4. Replace the valve and turn it clockwise until secure.

bolts

Description

And in this case, continuously, regardless of the position of the float, water flows from the toilet bowl. A close inspection shows that the place of the leak is the bolts and holes for them. An annular or oval gasket between the cistern and the shelf limits leakage, preventing water from reaching the floor.

Cause

Most often, water flows from the toilet bowl through the bolts when they are destroyed by corrosion.

Please note: this is relevant only for fittings of domestic tanks produced in the early - mid-90s.
Neither before nor after that time were there bright intellectuals who completed fittings with corrosion-resistant bolts.

Somewhat less often, the cause is rubber seals that have lost their elasticity or are completely destroyed.

Solution

In both cases, the optimal solution is to completely replace the set of bolts with gaskets. In domestic kits, it is better to carefully examine the stem and pear: perhaps a complete replacement of the reinforcement would be a good idea.

An important point: the length and diameter of the bolts for domestic and imported kits are different. To buy exactly those that suit you, it is better to bring a sample with you.

The replacement procedure itself again depends heavily on the design of the valve.

Let us mention the most important general points.

• If a rusted bolt does not lend itself to a wrench and pliers, cut it with a hacksaw blade. Significant force applied to the key is likely to split the faience.
• Do not forget to clean the areas near the holes from debris and plaque.
• When assembling, tighten the bolts without distortion, one at a time - two turns of the wrench at a time.
• Avoid significant efforts at the assembly stage as well. Do not forget that a small force on the wrench means many times more pressure on the surface of the faience.
• The oval gasket in older kits becomes very stiff over time. When replacing bolts, it is also better to replace it. If for some reason this is not possible, put the gasket on the sealant, applying it to both sides.

Conclusion

We repeat: we have mentioned only the most typical malfunctions. If your toilet is leaking water, start by taking a closer look at the design of your fittings. Visual inspection allows you to diagnose the problem in the vast majority of cases.

Good luck with the repair!

Small breakdowns create a lot of problems. But before proceeding with their elimination, it is necessary to find the cause of the malfunction, and for this it would be useful to study the device of the toilet cistern.

What does a toilet cistern look like from the inside?

There are many designs of tanks, but the principle is the same everywhere. This is a float that activates the water switch, a pear that closes the drain hole, and a shut-off valve that shuts off the water after it reaches the required level.

The water supply to the tank in domestic models is carried out from the side, and imported plumbing - from the bottom. The difference between them lies only in the fact that in the first case, the filling of the barrel is accompanied by a loud noise.

The mechanism of descent of water can be of two types: rod and push-button. The rod mechanism is very rare today, since most modern toilet models are produced.

The float in the toilet bowl passes water: a solution to the problem

Before starting repair work, it is necessary to study the device for attaching the toilet cistern lid, since if handled incorrectly, it can easily be broken or the lid itself damaged, which will cause the cistern to be completely changed.

The float begins to pass water for several reasons, among which the most common are:

Float skew;
- a hole in the float;
- membrane wear.

To eliminate leakage due to skew, it will be enough to adjust the float. The lever, made of brass, can simply be bent, since by raising and lowering it, you can easily determine in which position it blocks the water.

Problems with adjusting the plastic lever should also not arise. The float in the tank is positioned by means of a fixing screw, which allows changing the bending of the lever. If a plastic ratchet is used instead of a screw, then with its help you just need to fix the lever in the desired position.

A damaged float becomes heavier when the tank is filled with water and it sinks. In this case, the solution to the problem will be to replace the float or repair it.

Before starting work, close the tank filling valve and drain all water from it. After that, using an adjustable wrench, unscrew the water supply pipe and remove the old float. In its place, install a new part and restore the water supply.

If you decide to repair the float, free it from the water and dry thoroughly. After that, using heated plastic, seal the hole in it or put a plastic bag on it. But do not forget that soon you will still have to replace it, since these measures cannot give a lasting result.

To replace a worn diaphragm that often causes toilet cistern leaks, tie a float arm to a bar and drain all the water from the cistern. After that, unscrew the nut that holds the flush pipe. Now disconnect the siphon and install a new membrane in place of the old one. The assembly of the drain tank mechanism is carried out in the reverse order.

One of the reasons for the failure of the toilet bowl is the flow of water from the drain tank. The nature of this phenomenon has various reasons, but in most cases it is possible to eliminate the flow of water on your own by repairing it on your own. Indeed, in most cases, malfunctions are typical, which allows you to quickly find the problem and quickly fix it.

Toilet cistern leaking with button

Models equipped with a button, in addition to all of the listed diseases, may have another problem peculiar only to them - the development of a mechanism and the weakening of the release spring.

The appearance of this defect is associated with the mechanism of the drain system - when the button is pressed, the drain process begins, the button is restored to its original position after the mechanism has completely drained the water and released the spring.

Solving the problem of leakage in this case is quite simple:

1. Shut off the water supply.
2. Remove cover.
3. Adjust the mechanism and slightly stretch the spring.
4. After that, check the operability of the mechanism and, if necessary, re-adjust.

What to do so that the tank does not leak?

There are few recommendations in this case. First of all, it is necessary to correctly install the toilet bowl and be sure to fix it with mounting screws. A skewed toilet or a toilet with play will itself cause leaks in joints and gaskets.

The second point is connected with the need to use modern means of cleaning the tank. Chemical agents allow you to remove lime and rust deposits, which means that the mechanism will work longer.

The third thing worth remembering is the need to timely replace rubber gaskets at the first signs of destruction.

Leaking toilet cistern is a common problem that has many causes. Understanding why a breakdown occurred, and then trying to fix it - this is the correct sequence of actions.

Over time, any plumbing begins to fail. Water flowing from the tank into the toilet is not only rust stains on faience, the presence of condensate and constant noise, but also huge water bills. How to eliminate the cause of the leak with your own hands and repair the toilet bowl, we will consider in this article.

How is the cistern arranged?

How can you fix a leaking toilet tank if you don't know how it works? Naturally, no way. Therefore, before reviewing repair methods, it is necessary to study the device of the restored object.

He usually consists of the following elements:

• The overflow is a hollow column that connects to the toilet. This column protects the container from overflow. If the water level reaches the edge of the column, the liquid then begins to overflow into the toilet bowl.
• A faucet or float valve is a fitting connected to the water supply, where a shut-off assembly is fixed, which is controlled by a float. When there is no water in the tank, the float, opening the fitting, pulls down the shut-off mechanism of the tap. If the container is filled, the float, closing the fitting, rises.
• The drain lever is the mechanism that controls the drain valve. This unit consists of a rocker with a stand, the edge of which is connected to the hatch (valve) by a metal or polymer chain. By pressing on the free edge of the rocker, you will pull the chain up, slightly opening the valve hatch. By lowering the rocker (lever), you loosen the chain, lowering the hatch into place.
• Flush valve - a hinged hatch that closes the drain hole and leads to the toilet. When the hatch is closed, water fills the tank from the float valve. When the hatch is open, all the water that is located flows into the toilet through the drain hole.

Of all the nodes described above, only three elements can provoke a leak in the toilet bowl - valve, overflow, faucet. Therefore, leak repair involves the restoration of the work of these particular elements.

Where does the renovation begin?

Naturally, from the search for the cause of the leak. Since only by determining why the toilet cistern began to flow, you will have the opportunity to correct the defect and improve the operation of the drain system.

And there are several of these reasons, but, as a rule, plumbing is a matter have these problems:

The first problem - flowing through the overflow - is determined quite simply - water flows in the tank all the time. As if you have a bottomless structure, and not a tank of 10 liters. Therefore, if you hear a murmur, get ready to replace or repair the elements of the float valve.

The second problem is gasket defect- is determined by a constant stream, which forms a calcareous characteristic "drip" on the inner surface of the toilet bowl. We noticed it - get ready to dismantle the tank and replace the seal.

The third problem - a loose bleed valve - is identified by an intermittent stream that flows into the toilet bowl from the drain nozzles when water enters the tank. Therefore, when water begins to flow into the toilet during a set of containers - no options, you need to replace the shut-off part of the valve.

As you can see, there are not so many reasons for the appearance of a leak. But each of them will require a certain approach to repair. Therefore, below we will consider ways to eliminate the leak, related to the reasons for its occurrence.

What to do if the toilet bowl is constantly leaking?

The reason for the liquid leaving the sewer and constant overflow can only be float valve failure, which cannot block the flow from the water supply.

The simplest reasons for this failure are:

• Float jamming - this defect is corrected in just a few minutes. To do this, it is necessary to remove the cover and move the hollow container of the float further from the edge of the tank, or adjust its lever.
• Float depressurization - this defect involves the elimination of chips or cracks in a hollow container with glue. You take out a drowned float, pour water out of it, dry it with a hair dryer and seal the crack with some kind of waterproof glue. Install it in place.

If the float goes up and down without delay or does not crack, then you have a more complex breakdown - failure of the locking mechanism faucet directly. And the best way to fix this problem is to install a new mechanism.

Why do the following:

If water reaches the level, installed by the crane float, and does not go into the overflow - you did everything right.

If you go to buy a new valve or float valve, pay attention to products with stabilizing chambers that level out excessively high pressure in the water supply. Float Ordinary Valves cannot withstand high pressure and "leak".

If it flows between the tank and the toilet

Leaks at the junction of the toilet bowl with the tank appear due to depressurization of the joint, which is caused by the deformation of the seal. Therefore, this leak can only be corrected by replacing the gasket, which is located between the toilet shelf and the cistern.

To do this, when repairing you you need to do the following:

The gasket can be made in various formats. Therefore, before replacing it is necessary determine its size so as not to make a mistake during the purchase. A pad that is the wrong size will not solve your problem.

• Secure the drain assembly with locknuts.
• Put the tank on the shelf.
• Fasten it with screws.

In addition, a leak between the toilet bowl and the cistern during draining can be provoked by a rusted bolt that fixes the container on the bowl, or a seal that has crumbled from old age, which seals the bolt seat.

Naturally, in this case you will need change seal bolt by doing the following manipulations:

• Close the water and drain the liquid from the tank.
• Unscrew the bolts and remove them from the seat.
• Install new bolts, having previously put sealing gaskets on them, and tighten them.

Sometimes a leak between the tank and the shelf can be fixed by simply tightening loose bolts. To do this, it is necessary to fix the nut on the outlet with a key and tighten the fasteners with a screwdriver.

But be careful - ceramics on plumbing is not as strong as it might seem. All you have to do is tighten the bolt a little. crack in the bottom of the tank. Therefore, do not abuse this recommendation - it is better to replace the gaskets.

How to clean a leak with a faulty shut-off valve in the toilet bowl?

In this case, you can try to disassemble the descent valve and adjust the degree of pressure to the drain pipe of the hatch by sharpening the end of the first one. But this method is associated with significant labor costs and does not always help.

Therefore, it is better not to even carry out repairs, but simply change the entire drain, acting like this:

As you can see, this problem can be solved using fairly simple manipulations. with wrenches or spanners.

What to do if the toilet cistern with a button starts to flow?

First, check the location of the switch. Since the button in its shaft may sink due to a weakening of the return spring or jamming of the stem, the drain cover will therefore lock in the “open” mode.

Button repair involves the following actions:

• Removing the cover.
• Dismantling a faulty switch.
• Replacing the entire button or just the spring.
• The centering of the landing site - it must be in the lid immediately below the hole.
• Reverse installation - the button and cover are installed in place.

If condensation starts to flow from the tank

This happens when the container very cold water, and the toilet has an excessively high level of humidity. However, you can eliminate this problem by increasing the air circulation rate in the ventilation of the toilet room or by providing pipe heating.

The first method is more preferable, as it guarantees the removal of perspiration on the outer walls of the tank without energy costs, since to increase air circulation you only need to increase the ventilation hole or install a pressure unit in it - a fan.

What to do if the junction of the water pipe with the tank starts to flow?

In this case, it is necessary to change either the hose that connects the water supply to the toilet, or the faucet (float valve), since the cause of the leak may be valve stem crack or hose fitting.

But before that, you must try to screw the pipe onto the fitting as tightly as possible, because the cause of the leak may be the usual depressurization of the joint. But do not overdo it, because during the intensive "twisting" on the nozzle fitting, you can strip the threads for the still whole part.

As you can see, the toilet cistern can leak for various reasons, most of which can be easily eliminate by hand. But in order not to have to carry out repairs constantly, purchase high-quality plumbing from popular manufacturers. It will serve you for a long time without any problems.

If the toilet cistern starts to leak, it always causes a lot of inconvenience. In addition to the fact that the sound of constantly flowing water is annoying, and stains form on the toilet itself, the bills for the used water also increase. It is not difficult to figure out why the toilet cistern is leaking, and in most cases it is within the power of anyone, even a completely inexperienced master, to fix it with your own hands: the only exceptions are those plumbing products that have additional electronically controlled functions.

• The device of standard tanks
• Types of tank malfunctions
  • Helpful Hints

The device of standard tanks

Any toilet bowl is a product consisting of a seat and a tank connected to each other with a built-in mechanism for draining water. It is noticed that the drain mechanism fails more often than all other parts. In order to determine what disrupts the operation of the device and correctly eliminate it, it is necessary to understand the basics of the design of the system for draining water.

Drain tank device

A typical drain device is equipped with two mechanical units: one of them accumulates water, and the other drains. The first of them ensures the retention of water in the tank, the amount of which should subsequently be enough to drain. This device is a system of a float and a closing valve. If the tank is empty, the float falls down and moves the lever system so that they open the valve, and when it begins to fill with water, the float rises and the levers move so that the valve is closed. The device closes completely when the float reaches its highest point.

The second part of the system is responsible for ensuring that at the right time all the accumulated water is drained into the place intended for this. In various models of plumbing devices, you can see a variety of drain systems, but the principle of operation for all is almost the same. There is a drain hole in the tank, which is closed with a sealed siphon. The siphon in many models resembles the shape of an ordinary plunger, but does not have a handle, and in the newest devices it is designed in the form of a button, which is considered more aesthetic. This detail is connected with the trigger device by means of a reinforcing lever system.

Many do not know what to do if the toilet bowl is leaking and the first thing they tend to think about is calling a plumber so that the problem is solved as soon as possible. However, do not be too hasty to call the service departments, since this task is available to any home master who knows how to properly handle the wrench, and problems that occur in the drain device are in most cases not too serious and can be fixed by hand.

However, you should not delay the repair of the drain device too much, since this directly affects the final amount of payment for the use of water (if the apartment has a cold faucet meter), and the sound of running water can irritate the residents of the apartment, especially at night. In recent years, many new plumbing devices have appeared, but the principle of operation of drain tanks has not changed for several decades: water, filling the internal reservoir, raises the float. The system of seals, float and fittings releases all the accumulated water into the toilet, and then the water begins to accumulate again and, raising the float, closes the system.

Some, thinking about how to fix a toilet bowl if it is leaking, remember that plumbers always have professional tools with them. In fact, to remove such a malfunction, you only need wire cutters, rubber gloves and pliers. Experienced craftsmen are also advised to look in advance at the nearest store for a new plumbing drain unit.

Types of tank malfunctions

Before starting repairs, you should determine what exactly is causing the leak and needs to be adjusted. A leak in the drain system can occur for several reasons:

1. If water flows into the tank without stopping, this may be due to a slight misalignment of the lever or damage to the float valve. There are also cases when the valve does not work quite correctly, but at the same time remains intact. It is quite easy to solve such a problem: the float lever should be aligned horizontally, and the faulty valve or float should be replaced with a serviceable one.

In the case when the float can only be replaced later, you just need to protect it from the water in the tank by wrapping it in a plastic bag or sealing it with heated plastic.

1. If water flows from the tank into the toilet all day and night, this is most likely caused by a rupture of the membrane inside the siphon, which is enough to be replaced with a whole one. To do this, a lever attached to the float is attached to the top bar, allowing you to unscrew the nut that secures the flush pipe and connects it to the drain system. When the siphon is disconnected, the damaged membrane should be removed and replaced with a similar one that fits in size. After that, the fittings are assembled and installed in the reverse order.
2. Sometimes it happens that the tank passes water because the rubber constipation has lost its original elasticity. With rubber "pears" this happens often: they become similar to the touch of wood and completely lose the elasticity inherent in rubber. In this case, the aged constipation should simply be replaced with a new one.

A constipation holds water when it is firmly seated in its recess. If limescale appears on the saddle, the base of the constipation does not adhere to its walls with the required density and, as a result, the toilet bowl does not hold water. In such a case, the constipation must be temporarily removed, and then the surface of the saddle should be cleaned with a hard brush or sandpaper and replaced. Experienced craftsmen also advise tightening all saddle fasteners during this operation.

Drain tank device

1. If the nut securing the base at the overflow point is loose, you need to temporarily remove the tank and tighten the nut located in its lower part.
2. In the case when the connecting cuff between the toilet and the tank is leaking, you can tighten it with a clamp or try to install it back into place. The cuff that is stuck should simply be replaced with a new one.
3. Another cause of leakage can be a rubber gasket between the tank and the toilet. These gaskets may rot, or they may simply be installed incorrectly. Plumbers call such gaskets "bitten".
4. If during the check it turned out that the gasket is installed normally, the leak may be caused by a crack formed in the tank. Repairing a cracked tank is also not at all difficult: you need to remove it, dry it and fill the crack with sealant.
5. Sometimes the toilet cistern begins to leak when the shutoff valve is not holding water. It is very easy to detect a valve defect: if you press the valve with your hand, the water flow should stop. If this does not happen, then the gasket in the valve needs to be changed.
6. When the button height adjuster moves for some reason, the tank can also leak. The gap through which water flows is formed when the valve is higher than the water drain hole. To fix this problem, you just need to adjust the height of the button.
7. The problem of water flow can also occur in the place where the drain hose is connected to the tank. A cracked nut will need to be replaced, and if it is not damaged, tighten it well enough.
8. Sometimes the operation of the tank is disrupted due to breakage of the reinforcement. To cope with this malfunction, the easiest way is to change the entire armature.

Currently, old models of toilet bowls are often replaced with modern ones, which have a more aesthetic appearance and are noticeably more convenient to use. So, for example, one of the advantages of the new toilet bowls is the absence of water splashing and splashing during the drain. However, it should be understood that new tanks break just as often as it was with the old ones. At the same time, it should be noted that new models of tanks are much easier to repair, and spare parts for them are made of durable plastic and are relatively inexpensive.

If you are going to change plumbing, you should decide on the desired toilet model and pay attention to how the outlet pipe is installed, which can be horizontal or directed to the floor. Most often today there are toilets of the “compact” type with a drain in a horizontal plane, as well as “monoblocks”, in which the drain tank and the toilet are one.

Before buying and installing a new toilet bowl, you should check whether the installation instructions are included in the kit and carefully study it.

It is important to immediately deal with the device of the tank, so that later you can clearly understand why a problem could occur. Plumbing with a simpler cistern design usually lasts much longer and is more reliable.

Most often, spare tank mechanisms are sold as a set, but if necessary, individual parts can also be purchased. If a rare and expensive tank is installed in the apartment, then it will be much more profitable to look for individual spare parts, and in simpler models it is often easier to immediately replace the entire tank. Some time ago, it was customary to install the toilet seat on a small elevation of cement screed or to mount it on wooden rails. Now the toilet is installed after the wall and floor tiles are laid in the room. Before installing the toilet, the tile is marked with a felt-tip pen, and then it is fastened according to the marking.

Drain tank device

What to do if the toilet bowl is leaking

Drain tank device

Replacing fittings in the drain tank

Do-it-yourself replacement of the mechanism in the tank

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