How to Service a Toilet

Let’s make the toilet simple. The bowl (and seat) is what you sit on and the cistern is what holds the water for the flush. All of the moving parts are in the cistern, so naturally the servicing centres around the cistern. The cistern is comprised of two parts, the inlet valve and the outlet valve. The inlet valve allows the water in; the outlet valve is connected to the button that you push to flush to let the water out.

Now, we’ve got that clear let’s look at some of the common problems.

Water is running into the bowl.

The main cause of this is a faulty inlet valve.

We always recommend replacement of the valve, it gives you a fresh start, and we don’t see the point of replacing a washer and leaving the existing plastic components. Shut the water off at the isolating point below the toilet. Disconnect the water supply from the base of the inlet valve. Install a new inlet valve and reconnect to the water supply. Note, we always recommend the outlet valve washer be renewed at this time too, as water may dribble into the bowl and cause the inlet valve to refill.

Water is dripping on the floor.

This is a common one and can have a few causes. The main ones are:

The flush cone rubber has perished.
The close-coupled seal needs replacing.
The inlet valve is overfilling and exiting the cistern via an old overflow tube.

I push the button and nothing happens.

All of these problems are to do with the outlet valves being faulty. There are many different styles in use. We always recommend using an outlet valve with a central overflow into the bowl.

This is a common problem with toilets that use geberit components. These are the ones with the button that you can’t get off. The entire outlet valve needs replacing for this problem. We strongly recommend not trying to get the button off this type of cistern as you may break the lid.

The main rules.

Always inspect the cistern prior to service for cracks. Do not, under any circumstances attempt to service a cistern that is cracked in any way. Porcelain is very sharp and dangerous when it cracks. If you must replace it, you have to install a dual flush cistern – it will save you money and water in the long run.

The correct part must be used on the brand of the toilet you are using. Parts are not interchangeable. Use genuine Caroma, Fowler and Geberit parts when they are needed.

If it gets too hard, your friendly Sydney Plumbers are just a call away on 1300362250.