Shut off the water flow to the tank at the water shutoff valve, and flush the toilet to empty it completely. After thousands of flushes, the toilet tank bolts may begin to leak as the rubber washers inside and outside the tank wear out. If you just want to seal the leaks and forget about the problem, get some rubber silicone. Tighten down the tank until the rubber washers or inserts are compressed. This type of leak is easy to fix on your own. The nuts and bolts connecting the tank to other parts of the toilet aren’t tight. To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience. Place a rubber washer onto each of the tank bolts and push each tank bolt through the bottom holes of tank. After thousands of flushes, the toilet tank bolts may begin to leak as the rubber washers inside and outside the tank wear out. Put one rubber washer on the bolt so that it sits between the tank and the bolt head. suggestions. Empty the toilet completely by flushing it. You have to use the adjustable wrench to hold the nut located on the … This will close after 10 seconds. The flapper is not shutting correctly over the valve seat, causing the flush valve to leak into the bowl. If you see water leaking down the base of your toilet, or pooling on the floor, it could be a sign that your tank to bowl gasket is leaking. If you suspect that your toilet tank is leaking at the bolts, you can take the following steps: Inspect The Bolts and Other Parts Please sign in to continue or use another email address. Fluidmaster instructs on setting the bowl as follows: HELPFUL HINT: Some bowls will not have a ridge to either side of the mating flush valve hole but instead uses rubber washers or inserts to support the tank. This assumes you have a decent tank to bowl set, with two nuts, two metal washers, and two rubber ones. This allows the head of the bolt to sit flat in the tank. We welcome your comments and If not, your replacement has been successful, and you can rest easy. Can Over Tightening Toilet Tank Bolts Cause a Leak? Finally, reconnect the water supply and refill the toilet tank, setting the lid back into place last. If you aren't replacing the spud washer, reinstall bolts and nuts with new gaskets. One other problem that is not really a leak is condensation on the toilet tank … Slow leaks can also be noticed since there would be water on the floor under the tank. Reset the bolt by flipping the rubber washer on the inside of the tank. Use the nut and washer under the tank to seal the tank first then prop up the tank on the sink. Where the tank and the bowl connect can sometimes get loose from use and can leak through the bolts. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. Lift off the toilet tank lid and set it aside on a large pile of blankets and towels, leaving room for the tank as well. Apply some penetrating oil such as WD-40 or 3-in-1 if the bolts still prove stubborn. In the event there is no ridge or rubber supports you may not be able to use the hex nut and metal washer under the tank. home improvement and repair website. With the adjustable wrench, pull the water supply line clear of the toilet tank. Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be Washers are necessary because together with the bolt, a seal is created that prevents water from leaking … With a helper, lift the tank straight up and carry it to the padding, laying it down flat for safety. Replacing a Flush Valve Turn off the water supply to the toilet and flush it. Website operating When you remove the toilet tank lid, set it aside on a pile of towels or … I have a leak at the base of my tank, where it connects to the toilet bowl. The bolt heads should be held stationery (using a screwdriver) when tightening the tank-to-bowl mounting nuts. DoItYourself.com®, founded in 1995, is the leading independent Alternate the tightening of the nuts to evenly draw the tank tight. How to Replace Leaking Toilet Tank Bolts in 7 Steps: Water draining from the tank Stop the water flow going to the tank at the shutoff valve. The second is the seal at the toilet fill valve. If you traced that the water is coming from the bolt of the tank, this is the cause. Remove all metal washers in the tank -- metal washers inside the tank can cause leaking. Tighten hex nuts (below the bowl) until the tank does not rock or sits on the ridge of the bowl. Yet, in order to be 100% sure, we want to guide you through the most common leakage scenarios: Toilet leaking between tank and bowl; We are starting from the most likely cause of the leakage and the easiest ones to spot. Complete Toilet Tank Repair Kit. Here are some common reasons why the toilet tank might be leaking and a few tips on how to fix them. Remove the tank bolt with a screwdriver and adjustable wrench. DO NOT ALLOW THE TANK BOLTS TO TURN WHEN TIGHTENING THE TANK-TO-BOWL NUTS! How can I enlarge the bolt holes in the bottom of my toilet tank? I get asked this toilet question frequently, and I suspect that those people asking it have already found out the answer. I MASTERED MY TOILET TODAY WITH HELP FROM FLUIDMASTER! Check that the toilet tank is connected solidly and is staying perpendicular to the bowl housing. The design isn’t that great. Adjustable … © 2021 Sustainable Community Media All Rights Reserved. The bolts or seals where the toilet tank connects to the base are loose; The toilet’s water supply line is leaking; The fill valve nut where the water line connects is loose ; Water was not mopped/dried up correctly after cleaning the floor; The bolts or seal between the floor and base of the toilet are damaged or loose; Dry up the water and begin checking for a leak. Water belongs in your toilet not on the floor, let's get that fixed. Keep turning the nuts until you can pull them out completely. This led me to believe the gasget needed to be replaced. So from the top you have the bolt head then a rubber washer with no metal washer in between, inserted into the mounting hole on the tank bottom. Approach the bolts from inside the tank and screw downward to create the best seal. If they are stuck, hold the nut with the wrench while a helper turns the bolts with the screwdriver from inside the tank. Copyright© Before you do that, it is a good idea to completely empty it. There are three likely possibilities for a leaky toilet tank. Have you noticed a leak around the bolts that protrude underneath the toilet tank? Drips of water on the bolts and nuts, and on the floor under them, will show when it's time to make the switch. The initial symptom was water leaking when the toilet was flushed: the water was leaking only when the toilet was actually being flushed, and a small amount of water would dribble from between the water tank and the body of the toilet onto the floor. STEP 2: SHUT OFF THE TOILET SUPPLY VALVE, FLUSH THE TOILET & EMPTY THE TANK This repair involves completely removing the toilet tank. Now install the tank on the bowl and use the remaining pieces. How to replace toilet bolts without removing toilet; How to install a toilet flange; With our busy schedules, even If you are experiencing a heavy water leak from your toilet tank right now. Turn off the water supply to the toilet, flush the toilet, use paper towels or rags or a sponge to remove all remaining water in the tank and get it as dry and clean as possible around the bolt heads. To fix a leaking flapper do the following. Using tool, tighten hex nuts evenly until tank is snug and does not rock. Lift off the toilet tank and guide the bolts through the toilet bowl mounting … Discard these and slide the new ones in their place. Insert this into the tank hole, and then put a second rubber washer on the bolt on the outside of the tank. For Kohler 3-bolt tanks, Fluidmaster recommends that you use Kohler’s triangular tank to bowl gasket and bolt kit. Step 1: Check If the Position of … to this site, and use it for non-commercial use subject to our terms of use. Tank and Bowl Connection. If they seem loose or you can see water gathering in that area, use the screwdriver to tighten them. The first is the seal between the tank and the bowl. Absorb any overflow by laying with towels and sponges behind the toilet bowl. The repair plan for leaky toilet tanks depends on where the leak occurs. Add a new metal washer to secure the tank to the toilet bowl housing. Drips of water on the bolts and nuts, and on the floor under them, will show when it's time to make the switch. 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