Results for "DIY plumbing"

Tank Problems Easy 1–3 hours (mostly drying time for liner adhesive) 6 👍 0

How to Stop a Sweating Toilet Tank

My toilet tank is doing something strange — it's constantly wet and dripping on the outside, even though I can't find any cracks or loose connections. At first I thought it was a slow leak from somewhere, but when I dry it off with a towel the moisture just comes right back within an hour or so, even without anyone flushing it. The floor around the base of the toilet is starting to feel damp too, which has me worried.

The toilet came with the house when we bought it a few months back, so I don't know its full history. A neighbor mentioned it might just be 'sweating' but I'm not sure what that means or if it's actually something I need to fix. Is this a real problem and what's causing it?…more

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Tank Problems Easy 1–2 hours (plus drying time for foam liner adhesive) 9 👍 0

Why Is My Toilet Tank Sweating? Causes & Fixes

Nobody can seem to give me a straight answer on this. My neighbor says it's a leak from the tank bolts, the guy at the hardware store told me I need some kind of anti-sweat valve, and every YouTube video I watched went in a completely different direction. All I know is that every summer morning I walk into the bathroom and the outside of my toilet tank is dripping wet — there's even a puddle forming on the floor around the base. At first I thought the toilet was leaking, but I wiped the tank dry and the water came back without even flushing it.

I've got an older home and the bathroom doesn't have great airflow. I'm not sure if that matters. Is this actually condensation, or could it be a slow leak I'm missing? And more importantly, what do I actually do about it — is this a serious problem or just annoying?…more

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Tank Problems Medium 1–3 hours (tank swap, once parts are sourced) 8 👍 0

Cracked Toilet Tank: Repair or Replace?

Looked under the lid of our toilet tank the other day while chasing down a slow drip, and sure enough there's a visible crack running along the inside wall. Now I'm trying to decide between attempting some kind of repair versus just swapping out the tank entirely — or maybe even replacing the whole toilet. We have two kids and this is the busiest bathroom in the house, so I don't want to be without it for long, but I also don't want to slap a band-aid on something that's going to fail on me in a few months.

I'm not totally clear on what causes these cracks in the first place — is it age, water pressure, something I did wrong? And honestly, I'm not sure if a DIY repair is even a realistic option or if it just delays the inevitable. Would love to understand what I'm actually dealing with before I drag my family to the hardware store.…more

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Flappers Chains Easy 30 minutes 9 👍 0

How to Replace a Toilet Flapper (Step-by-Step)

Three weeks ago my toilet started running constantly, and I finally called a plumber to take a look. The quote he gave me felt really steep for what sounds like a pretty minor repair, so now I'm wondering if swapping the flapper is something I can actually handle on my own without making things worse.

I've peeked inside the tank and the rubber flapper piece looks worn and kind of warped — I'm guessing that's the culprit. I just want to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing before I go buy a part and start pulling things apart. What's the process for getting the old one off and putting a new one in correctly?…more

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Install Replace Medium 1–2 hours 13 👍 0

How to Remove an Old Toilet: DIY vs. Pro Guide

Three of my rental units need their aging toilets swapped out, and I'm standing in the plumbing aisle of the hardware store trying to figure out exactly what I need to buy before I start pulling them. I've got a handyman coming to do the actual installs, but I want to have everything on hand and understand the process so I'm not caught off guard if something goes sideways — like a rusted bolt or a cracked flange.

What tools should I have ready, what replacement parts should I grab at the same time, and are there any points in the removal where a landlord really should just step back and call a licensed plumber instead of pushing through? I'd rather know ahead of time what a 'stop and call someone' situation looks like than find out mid-job.…more

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Bidets Washlets Easy 30–60 minutes 14 👍 0

How to Install a Bidet on an Existing Toilet

Three days of heavy rain last week had me stuck indoors with nothing to do but finally research something I've been putting off — adding a bidet to the main bathroom. My house is older and the bathroom fixtures are original, so I'm a little nervous about making changes without breaking something. I've watched a few videos and it looks manageable, but I want to make sure I understand the full process before I start disconnecting things.

I have an older-style toilet with a standard shut-off valve on the wall behind it. Is there anything I should know before buying a bidet attachment or seat? I don't know whether to go with a simple spray attachment or an electric washlet-style seat, and I'm not sure if my setup will handle either type. Any guidance on the steps involved and what to expect would be really appreciated.…more

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Running Toilet Easy 30–60 minutes 10 👍 0

Why Is My Toilet Always Running? (DIY Fixes)

My toilet has been making that constant trickling/hissing sound for what feels like forever, and my water bill is starting to show it. It runs pretty much non-stop — sometimes it stops for a little while and then kicks back on again even though nobody's used it. Can't afford a service call right now — is there a way to diagnose and fix this for under $20 or so? I've heard it might be the flapper or something in the tank, but I really don't know where to start.…more

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Install Replace Medium 2–4 hours (including removal and cleanup) 13 👍 0

How to Install a New Toilet: Step-by-Step Guide

My apartment's toilet has to be at least 15 or 20 years old at this point, and it's starting to show its age in a big way — the handle keeps sticking, the flapper goes constantly, and I've noticed some discoloration at the base that worries me. My landlord has given me the green light to swap it out myself if I want to handle it, and honestly I'd rather just have a fresh, efficient unit in there.

I've never pulled and set a toilet before, but I'm reasonably handy and I want to understand what I'm getting into. Are there different ways to approach this job, and what are the main things I should know before I start? I'd hate to get halfway through and realize I'm in over my head.…more

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Smells Sewer Gas Medium 30–90 minutes depending on cause 6 👍 0

Bathroom Smells Like Sewer Gas? Here's Why

Looked everywhere online but can't figure out why my main bathroom has started smelling like rotten eggs or sewer gas — it's been happening on and off for about a week now. The toilet is a Kohler two-piece and seems to flush fine, no leaks that I can see around the base. The smell is worst in the morning when we first use the bathroom, but it sometimes lingers all day.

I checked under the sink and everything looks dry, but I honestly don't know if the odor is coming from the toilet, the drain, or somewhere else entirely. My husband thinks it might be the wax ring but I'm not sure. Is there a way to track down where sewer gas is coming from without calling a plumber for every possible cause?…more

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Fill Flush Valves Easy 30–60 minutes 8 👍 0

Why Is My Toilet Flushing Slowly and Weakly?

Nobody warned me how frustrating it would be to tackle what looked like a simple toilet fix, only to have the problem linger. Replaced the flapper yesterday after reading it was the likely culprit for a sluggish flush, but the bowl still barely clears when I hit the handle — water kind of drifts around rather than pulling everything down with any real force.

The toilet is in my condo's main bathroom and has been here since I moved in. It's a standard two-piece unit, nothing fancy. I adjusted the water level in the tank while I was in there and it looks full to the marked line, so I'm not sure what else to check. Could there be something else going on that I overlooked, or is a weak flush always a sign of a bigger issue?…more

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Wax Ring Flange Medium 2–3 hours 8 👍 0

How to Fix a Broken Toilet Flange (DIY Guide)

My toilet has been rocking slightly and leaking at the base ever since the moving crew repositioned it when we had new flooring put down in the bathroom last month. I pulled the toilet myself to take a look and found the flange is cracked on one side — one of the bolt slots is completely broken off. The pipe below looks fine, so I don't think I need to replace the whole drain, but the flange itself is clearly damaged. Is this something I can repair with a repair ring, or do I need to swap the whole flange out? I'd rather avoid calling a plumber if this is a manageable DIY fix.…more

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Product Ranking 6 compared

Wax Ring vs Waxless Toilet Seal

4.4 (5,833 reviews)

Flappers Chains Easy 30–45 minutes 13 👍 0

Toilet Flush Handle Stuck or Loose? Here's the Fix

Looked down at the toilet this morning and the flush handle is either jammed solid or flopping around like it's barely attached — and of course we're hosting a big family get-together this weekend. It's a standard gravity-flush toilet, probably 10 or 15 years old, nothing fancy. The handle used to feel perfectly normal, and now it either won't depress at all or pushes down with zero resistance and nothing happens. Is this a quick fix I can knock out before guests arrive, or am I looking at a bigger problem?…more

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Running Toilet Easy 30 minutes 8 👍 0

Why Does My Toilet Keep Filling With Water?

Found myself staring at a toilet that won't stop cycling on and off after all that heavy rain we had last week — the tank fills up, I hear it click off, and then a few minutes later it kicks back on again like it's topping itself up. My house is older, probably original plumbing from the late 70s, so I wasn't sure if the wet weather had something to do with it or if something finally gave out inside the tank. It's been doing this around the clock, and I can hear it from the hallway at night.

I haven't touched the toilet at all, and nothing looks obviously broken when I lift the lid. The water level seems normal, but the fill valve just keeps cycling. Is this something I can sort out myself, or am I looking at a bigger problem?…more

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Wax Ring Flange Medium 30–60 minutes 10 👍 0

Why Does My Toilet Rock? Causes & Fixes

During a routine walkthrough of one of my units, I noticed the toilet in the main bathroom shifts noticeably side to side when you sit on it. According to what I've read, a toilet should be perfectly stable at the base — but this one moves what feels like almost half an inch in each direction, which seems way more than a minor wobble. I measured the gap under one side of the base and it looks like about 3/16 of an inch on the left side and almost nothing on the right, so the numbers just don't match what I'd expect from a properly set toilet.

I've had the unit occupied for a while and the tenant mentioned it started recently rather than being an ongoing thing. I want to figure out whether this is something I can send my handyman out to handle or whether it needs a licensed plumber — and more importantly, whether ignoring it risks damage to the floor or the wax ring seal underneath.…more

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Tank Problems Medium 1–2 hours 7 👍 0

Water Leaking Between Tank and Bowl? Here's Why

During my morning routine I spotted a puddle forming right at the seam where the tank meets the bowl — and it definitely wasn't there yesterday. I've owned this house for about twelve years and this toilet has always been rock solid, so the sudden leak caught me off guard. The water seems to appear mostly after a flush and then sort of seeps down the back of the bowl. Is this a gasket issue, or something more serious I should be worried about?…more

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