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mhnilicka · May 22, 2009, 06:06 PM

My toilet tank slowly loses water

hkstroud · May 22, 2009, 06:08 PM

Sounds like leaking flush (flapper) valve.

Milo Dolezal · May 22, 2009, 06:13 PM

Agree with Harold: bad flopper

afaroo · May 22, 2009, 07:10 PM

Check if the flapper valve is leaking, place some food coloring in the toilet tank, after an hour or so check if dye showed up in the toilet BOWLS then you will know for sure that the flapper valve is defective and needs to be replaced.

You can also check the flapper and the seat for any distortion; does it have any waved edges? Do your hands get black? Replace it if it does. And last check the seat itself. Any nicks or rough spot?

Good Luck.

John

hkstroud · May 22, 2009, 08:49 PM

My way of checking for a leaky flapper is to simply hold down float until water runs into top of overflow pipe. Come back later. If water is not at top of overflow pipe you have a leak.

speedball1 · May 23, 2009, 04:57 AM

Several things come to mind, Well, three to be exact.
(1) Run you finger around the seat. There should be no rough spots or nicks. If there are replace the entire flush valve,(seat and overflow tube).
(2) The flapper chain must have 1/4" of play when the flapper's seated and the tank filled.
(3) Flappers come with a ring that you slip over the white overflow tube to install on older flush valves,(the seat).
Newer tanks have small hooks at the base of the white overflow tube for the flapper to hook into. If your tank has those hooks and you didn't cut the ring off on the lines indicated with a pair of scissors and install it correctly it will seep water from the tank into the bowl. One of the above should solve the problem. Oh yes!! The water level in the tank wants to be 3/8 to 1/2" below the over flow tube when the tank's filled. Hope this helps and thank you for rating mt reply. Tom

Milo Dolezal · May 23, 2009, 07:15 AM

mhnilicka: when Tom says "...run your finger around the seat..." he doesn't mean toilet seat. He means "seat" on the fill valve...

I just want to make sure we all communicate on the same level :D
LOL!! Good one Milo!

Larry-54 · May 30, 2009, 05:47 PM

Speedball1, et al

I have a similar leak problem. A new flapper ball hasn't helped. The seat feels smooth.

I have hooks at the bottom of the overflow pipe, and they are positioned in a way that places the flapper at a slight angle to the seat. Can the o/f pipe be turned so that the hooks are properly parallel?

Is it necessary to remove the tank to replace the seat and o/f pipe, or can they be unscrewed from inside the tank?

I have two other toilets in which I have installed actuators with discs. I've never had trouble with them, and only replaced the snap-on discs once in many years. It's been quite a while since I installed them, and I forgot what I needed to do. I assume installing them requires removing and replacing the tube and seat. Again, can that be done from the top, without removing the tank?

Thanks very much..

Milo Dolezal · May 30, 2009, 06:30 PM

Larry: not all 'new' floppers are good. When you are buying new flopper make sure you carefully inspect it for warping and imperfections. I would say every 2nd or maybe even 3rd flopper is good.

Larry-54 · May 30, 2009, 08:03 PM

That's good to know, Milo, thanks. The "new" one seemed a little slick and not as "rubbery" as I think it ought to be to make a good seal. I'll pick up a couple of whichever are supposed to be the best and see if I have any luck.

Any ideas regarding replacing the ball with the "tilt valve" (American Standard) type of valve (with the actuator disc at the bottom)?

Milo Dolezal · May 31, 2009, 02:23 AM

Larry, when you say "tilt valve" you mean fill valve ? I assume you do...

I personally think the Fluidmaster A400 is the best fill valve on market. It is simple, float is incorporated into the valve and is very easy to install. We have been using them for many years now and always carry 1/2 dozen of them on the truck.

As far as floppers go: here I still haven't found a good brand. "Korky's" universal floppers are probably the best but as I said, always check for imperfections, even Korky's. They run about $5.00. If the flopper stays on shelf for too long, it will start warping. Also, you don't want to buy too stiff flopper. It must be nice, fresh and flexible rubber. Avoid those cheap .$0.99 floppers that you find loose in large box in local Ace Hardware. Every other is bad.

Some toilets take specific flopper. I always suggest that you remove the old one, take it with you down to the store and buy exactly the one that goes with your toilet. Do not try to get fancy and buy "better looking" flopper. It usually won't work and you will be going back to the store for new one.

Advice: Do not use those Blue Tables that you hang inside of toilet tank. They may "clean" your toilet with every flush - but also make the flopper to deteriorate rapidly. Most of the manufacturers advise against using them.

Larry-54 · May 31, 2009, 07:12 PM

Milo,

Yes, I have 400A's in all three tanks. They're especially good because if there's a slow leak from the tank, the fill valve waits a little before it tops off the tank. If you hear that 10 or 15 second fill every once in a while, you know you've got a leak!

No, that tip thing is a "Flush Valve Actuator". It replaces the flapper ball. It looks like a couple of cylinders at an angle to each other, with a rubber disc at the bottom which acts as the flapper.

They seem to work well, but they were never as popular as the old ball and chain. Incidentally, the new chains are made of some kind of plastic and they seem to float a little, so they don't get caught under the ball.

I'll try some Korky's that don't appear to have been on the shelf too long.

And last, I agree on any of those things you hang in the tank. They not only affect the flapper seal, they gunk up the little holes around the rim of the bowl.

Thanks again,
Larry