Repair of toilet cistern: features and technical solutions

14-04-2018
Sewage

The design of modern toilet bowls is a combination of various systems and mechanisms that are intended for the automatic supply of water and its drainage to the sewage system. In this case, even a small failure or malfunction can not only affect the performance, but also cause a leak. Given this, many users are interested in the question of how to repair the toilet bowl with their own hands.

Amateur photo of the internal device of a similar design with a separate image of the automatic water intake and set system

Types of breakdowns and their elimination

First you need to mention that in this article will be considered a situation that relates specifically to the tank. Problems associated with the installation and connection to the sewer should be disassembled separately.

In this case, it is desirable to have such a document as a manual for the internal mechanism, since there is an incredibly large variety of various models with their own design features.

Installing the drain tank on the bowl using a special intermediate rubber gasket

Leaking between tank and bowl

  • This damage can be attributed to the types of defects that occur as a result of mechanical action.. This is usually the stroke or shear of the tank itself. At this point, the rubber gasket moves or breaks, although the price of such products is low, you must purchase an additional kit in advance.
Before you start work, you just need to know the device of a particular model with the name of the individual elements and their purpose.
  • Immediately it should be noted that a simple displacement of the tank will not solve the problem of leakage.. Sometimes it may seem that with such a manipulation the defect is eliminated, but the result is almost always temporary. That is why the experts, answering the question of how to repair the toilet bowl tank, recommend to completely disassemble this element and replace the gasket.
Quite often, with such a breakdown, it is necessary to unscrew the locking system of the overflow nut, although professionals believe that if the tank has already been removed, then it is worth changing all the insides for prevention
  • When performing such work, it is also worth updating the fastening system. If separate gaskets are used for its installation, they must also be replaced. At the same time, manuals describing how to repair a toilet cistern are strongly advised to thoroughly clean the seats so that dirt does not cause a leak.

Tip! Going to the market or to the store for the purchase of a new gasket, you should take with you the damaged product. The fact is that there are a lot of similar models, which are easily confused.

Graphic representation of the intake valve with all gaskets and seals that are attached during installation

Damage to the drain mechanism

Usually, when people talk about repairing a toilet cistern with their own hands, they mean precisely a defect or damage in its internal structure. Most often over time, metal parts that are sometimes used in some models fail.

Therefore, it is easiest to make a full or partial replacement of damaged items with a preventive inspection of the rest of the equipment.

Each model has its own characteristics, and some of their types can be very different from each other, which immediately necessitates the use of a special manual, which is usually included in the delivery set.

Very often, manuals that explain how to repair a toilet cistern pay special attention to the inlet valve. The fact is that this is the smallest detail, which at the same time works the most and is more likely to break. As a result, water enters the tank without interruption, which leads to a constant leak in the bowl.

Plastic parts can also be heavily exposed to rust if they are in direct contact with metal.

In such situations, the manual, which tells how to repair the toilet cistern, recommends that you first disassemble the valve and bend the flap. If this does not work, then you need to replace the product.

Tip! Sometimes a small adjustment of all the details can eliminate the defect and save the user from purchasing a new system. However, sometimes a complete replacement is necessary.

Such work is quite simple, but it requires practice, although with the right approach even a beginner can handle it.

Recommendations of specialists

  • Almost always repairing the toilet tank is associated with work that involves disconnecting the water hose from the device. At the same time it is necessary to have a high-quality stop valve to prevent the influx in the room. This is especially important to remember when working on the inlet valve of the toilet cistern.
When disassembling the structure, you should immediately take care of having a full set of rubber or silicone seals available, which must be changed without fail.
  • By purchasing the internal mechanism of the tank, you should immediately choose a quality product, in which there will be no elements of metal or thin plastic. From this will depend on the life of the entire structure and ease of maintenance. It should be noted that stainless steel systems are considered more reliable, although their cost is quite high.
  • When repairing the toilet cistern it is very important to remember that it is usually made of ceramic, which is quite fragile. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully handle the metal tool and try not to drop it inside. That is why some craftsmen wrap keys in rags or use products with special protection.
Some manufacturers of the internal device for the tank supply their products along with a special manual, which indicates the labeling of each item, which allows you to order the necessary part from the catalog or via the Internet on the plant website

Conclusion

After having studied the video in more detail in this article, you can get more detailed information on how repairs of such systems are made and what are its features. Also, taking into account the article outlined above, it is necessary to create a conclusion that usually such work comes down to replacing a specific part and for this you do not need to have special education or skills.