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Results for "tank diagnosis"

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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
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
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
Water Around Toilet Base? Here's Why & How to Fix It
Leaks Base Floor Medium 30–90 minutes depending on cause 9 👍

Water Around Toilet Base? Here's Why & How to Fix It

My maintenance team flagged a water issue at one of the units — there's a small but persistent puddle forming around the base of the toilet, and I'm trying to narrow down the cause before I send someone in to fix it. The building's maintenance guide says the toilet was recently reseated with a new wax ring, so that should rule out a failed seal — but the water keeps coming back regardless.

What's throwing me off is that the manual points to the wax ring as the default culprit for base leaks, yet I'm not sure that's actually what's happening here given the recent work. I need to figure out whether we're dealing with a condensation issue, a loose connection somewhere, or something else entirely before authorizing a full toilet pull.…more
How to Reseat a Toilet After It Leaks
Wax Ring Flange Medium 2–3 hours 8 👍

How to Reseat a Toilet After It Leaks

Three days ago my wife pointed out a faint wet ring forming around the bottom of the toilet in unit 2, and now that I'm looking at it closely I can't stop thinking about the damage it could be doing to the subfloor. Guests are checking in this weekend, so I need to sort this out fast. I've mopped it up twice and it keeps coming back, especially right after the toilet is flushed.

I've heard the fix involves pulling the toilet and replacing something called a wax ring, but I want to make sure that's actually the right diagnosis before I tear everything apart. Is reseating the toilet the right move here, and if so, what's the full process? Want to make sure I do this properly and don't leave guests with a bigger problem than when I started.…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
How to Get Rid of Sewer Smell from Your Toilet
Smells Sewer Gas Medium 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on cause 7 👍

How to Get Rid of Sewer Smell from Your Toilet

Nobody wants to walk into their bathroom and get hit with that rotten-egg, sewer-gas smell coming from the toilet — and yet here I am. It started a few days ago and it's definitely strongest right around the toilet itself, not the drain or anywhere else. I opened a window and lit a candle, but the smell keeps coming back.

I'm guessing something is off with the toilet's seal or maybe something inside the tank? I really can't afford a plumber visit right now, so I'm hoping this is something I can troubleshoot and fix on my own over a weekend without spending a fortune. Has anyone dealt with this and tracked down the cause without calling in a pro?…more