Plumbing and Piping - New commode leaks
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07-16-00, 12:45 PM
My husband installed a new commode. It is leaking around a bolt that is under the tank.
Water is not pouring out, but there is significant leakage.
Sorry I don't know much about plumbing and cannot be more descriptive, but I need help as my hubby is out of town.
Do I need to call a plumber or is there something I can do my self?
Water is not pouring out, but there is significant leakage.
Sorry I don't know much about plumbing and cannot be more descriptive, but I need help as my hubby is out of town.
Do I need to call a plumber or is there something I can do my self?
MrRonFL
07-16-00, 01:36 PM
If you are handy with tools, it's a pretty easy fix. The bolts that hold the tank to the bowl are not snugged down enough. If it leaks all the time it's the bolts themselves, if it only leaks when flushed, the seal between tank and bowl isn't sealing fully.
Look at the bolts, if there's a gap between the tank and bowl, to see if there's another metal or plastic nut between the tank and bowl. If there is, and the leak is coming around the bolt, this is the one to tighten.
Turn off the water and hold down the flush lever til all of the water in the tank is gone, you may have to sponge out the remainder.
Disconnect the water line where it connects to the tank (in most cases less trouble prone than unhooking it at the angle stop)
Take the nuts off under the bowl and lift the tank off, snug down those nuts, then put it back together.
If there's no nut between the tank and bowl, or the leak seems to becoming around the tank to bowl seal, tightening the nuts underneath should do.
One possible quirk is that some types of toilets have a tank to bowl seal that does have a front and back, and if installed backwards, will leak no matter what.
Look at the bolts, if there's a gap between the tank and bowl, to see if there's another metal or plastic nut between the tank and bowl. If there is, and the leak is coming around the bolt, this is the one to tighten.
Turn off the water and hold down the flush lever til all of the water in the tank is gone, you may have to sponge out the remainder.
Disconnect the water line where it connects to the tank (in most cases less trouble prone than unhooking it at the angle stop)
Take the nuts off under the bowl and lift the tank off, snug down those nuts, then put it back together.
If there's no nut between the tank and bowl, or the leak seems to becoming around the tank to bowl seal, tightening the nuts underneath should do.
One possible quirk is that some types of toilets have a tank to bowl seal that does have a front and back, and if installed backwards, will leak no matter what.