Popular New Community Guides Product Guides

Results for "cracked tank"

55+ Answers 55 New This Week Free
Toilet Repair VideosSee all →
Cracked Toilet Tank: Repair or Replace?
Tank Problems Medium 1–3 hours (tank swap, once parts are sourced) 8 👍

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
Water Leaking Between Tank and Bowl? Here's Why
Tank Problems Medium 1–2 hours 7 👍

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
How to Tighten Toilet Tank Bolts Safely
Tank Problems Easy 30–45 minutes 7 👍

How to Tighten Toilet Tank Bolts Safely

Three times now the toilet tank has started rocking and dripping right before we have guests over — it never fails. Every time we have people over, I'm in the bathroom with a towel mopping up a slow leak from where the tank meets the bowl, and it's embarrassing. I'm pretty sure the bolts holding the tank to the bowl have worked loose over time.

I know porcelain can crack if you overtighten things, so I'm nervous about just grabbing a wrench and going to town on these bolts. Is there a safe way to snug them down without doing more damage than I started with? Are there any signs I should look for that tell me a bolt or gasket needs replacing rather than just tightening?…more
How to Stop a Sweating Toilet Tank
Tank Problems Easy 1–3 hours (mostly drying time for liner adhesive) 6 👍

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
Toilet Tank Slowly Draining Into Bowl? Here's Why
Flappers Chains Easy 30–45 minutes 7 👍

Toilet Tank Slowly Draining Into Bowl? Here's Why

Found something strange happening with my toilet — after every flush, the tank seems to refill okay, but then I notice the water level in the bowl is slowly dropping, like the tank is quietly leaking into it. Or maybe it's the other way around? I honestly can't tell. I'm retired and I've owned this house for a while now, but I've always just called someone for plumbing stuff and never really learned it myself.

I opened up the tank lid to take a look and I can see the water is definitely trickling down into the bowl even when nobody's flushed. There's a rubber flap thing at the bottom of the tank and some kind of float and valve setup, but I don't really know what any of it does or which part might be causing the problem. The toilet doesn't run loudly — it's more of a slow, silent drain that I only noticed because my water bill ticked up a bit this month.…more
How to Replace a Toilet Fill Valve (Step-by-Step)
Fill Flush Valves Easy 45–60 minutes 24 👍

How to Replace a Toilet Fill Valve (Step-by-Step)

Found that my toilet tank starts making a constant trickling sound whenever the temperature outside climbs above about 85°F — during cooler months it works perfectly fine. I popped the lid off the tank and it looks like the fill valve is the culprit, maybe warped or worn from the heat cycling, because water just keeps creeping past it. The toilet is about eight or nine years old, two-piece, standard builder-grade setup.

I've never swapped out a fill valve before and I want to make sure I do it right the first time without cracking anything or ending up with a leak under the tank. What's the correct process for pulling the old valve and getting a new one seated and adjusted properly?…more
How to Install a New Toilet: Step-by-Step Guide
Install Replace Medium 2–4 hours (including removal and cleanup) 13 👍

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
How to Stop a Running Toilet for Good
Running Toilet Easy 30–60 minutes 9 👍

How to Stop a Running Toilet for Good

Three times now I've come home to that maddening hissing sound coming from the bathroom, and I'm completely over it. It's the same toilet in the main bath, and every time I jiggle the handle it stops for a while — but within a few days the running starts up again. I replaced the flapper myself last month thinking that would fix it for good, but here we are.

As a first-time homeowner I'm trying to handle as much of this myself as possible, but I honestly don't know if I'm just buying the wrong parts or if there's a bigger issue hiding inside the tank. The toilet is probably original to the house, so it's not brand new. Is there a systematic way to actually diagnose what's causing this so I can fix it once and for all instead of slapping a bandage on it every few weeks?…more
Water Leaking Around Toilet Base? Here's Why
Leaks Base Floor Medium 30–90 minutes depending on cause 17 👍

Water Leaking Around Toilet Base? Here's Why

During my first week settling into this rental, I noticed water collecting around the bottom of the toilet. I've never dealt with this before and honestly wasn't sure if it was just condensation or something more serious. The floor around the base is consistently damp, and it seems to get worse after flushing. Is this a wax ring issue, or could it be something simpler? I don't want to panic my landlord over nothing, but I also don't want to ignore something that could cause real damage.…more
Why Does My Toilet Run Every Few Minutes?
Flappers Chains Easy 30–45 minutes 7 👍

Why Does My Toilet Run Every Few Minutes?

Looked up a video on how to stop a toilet from randomly running and ended up making things worse than when I started. The toilet in my apartment refills by itself every few minutes even when nobody's used it — it's like it briefly kicks on, runs for 10–15 seconds, then goes quiet again before starting the cycle all over. The landlord is slow to respond, so I figured I'd try to sort it out myself.

Followed a tutorial that said to adjust the float by bending the arm, but this toilet has a newer-style fill valve, not the old ballcock type, and now I'm not sure I adjusted the right thing. The running seems about the same if not slightly more frequent. I can hear it clearly from the hallway at night, which is getting pretty annoying.…more
Bathroom Smells Like Sewer Gas? Here's Why
Smells Sewer Gas Medium 30–90 minutes depending on cause 6 👍

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
Why Does My Toilet Still Smell After Cleaning?
Smells Sewer Gas Easy 30–90 minutes depending on cause 7 👍

Why Does My Toilet Still Smell After Cleaning?

Found myself scrubbing the toilet top to bottom tonight — bowl, tank, the whole thing — and yet there's still this persistent sour, rotten egg kind of smell coming from the bathroom. It's past midnight and I need to figure this out before guests arrive tomorrow morning. I own this home and this bathroom gets regular use, so I'm not totally surprised something's off, but cleaning didn't fix it like I expected.

I've tried the usual stuff — bleach tablets, bowl cleaner, even wiped down the outside of the base and behind the tank. The smell comes and goes a little but never fully disappears. Is there something I'm missing, or is this a sign of a bigger plumbing problem?…more
Toilet Leaks at Base Only When Flushed: Why & Fix
Wax Ring Flange Medium 1–3 hours (depending on whether a full reseat is needed) 6 👍

Toilet Leaks at Base Only When Flushed: Why & Fix

Three weeks ago I started noticing a small puddle of water forming right at the base of our main bathroom toilet, but only after someone flushes it — not any other time. Between flushes the floor stays completely dry, which seems strange to me. I've owned this house for a few years and never had a problem with this toilet before.

Before I start tearing into this and potentially voiding something, I wanted to ask: would a repair like this fall under any kind of manufacturer warranty, or is this considered normal wear and tear? The toilet itself isn't that old, and I'd hate to pull it and reseat it if there's coverage I'm not aware of.

Also, we do have fairly hard water in this area — not sure if mineral buildup could somehow be contributing to the seal breaking down faster than normal. Any guidance on what's actually causing this and where to start would be really appreciated.…more
Toilet Won't Flush? Diagnose & Fix It Fast
Fill Flush Valves Easy 30–60 minutes depending on the cause 17 👍

Toilet Won't Flush? Diagnose & Fix It Fast

During my weekend home inspection walkthrough, I noticed the toilet in our main bathroom has basically stopped flushing properly — you press the handle and almost nothing happens, or it flushes so weakly that stuff doesn't go down. Before I run out and buy a bunch of replacement parts or call a plumber, I want to understand what's actually going on inside the tank. Is this usually a cheap DIY fix, or am I looking at something more serious? I'm handy enough to swap out basic parts but I've never dug into toilet internals before.…more
Why Does My Toilet Fill Valve Keep Running?
Fill Flush Valves Easy 30–60 minutes 13 👍

Why Does My Toilet Fill Valve Keep Running?

My toilet in the main bathroom started making a constant hissing sound a few days ago, and the fill valve just never seems to stop running — even a good 10 or 15 minutes after I flush. The tank appears to fill to the normal level, but the water just keeps trickling in like it doesn't know when to quit. I can hear it from the hallway, which is getting pretty annoying.

I'm not sure if this is a fill valve problem specifically, or if something else in the tank is causing it. The toilet is probably eight or nine years old — nothing fancy, just a standard two-piece we had installed when we redid the bathroom. I haven't noticed any water on the floor, so I don't think it's leaking externally. Is this something I can sort out myself, or am I looking at a bigger issue?…more