How To Re-Seal A Toilet

cally6008

The plumber was last here months ago and fit new insides in the cistern. He was giving it a good yank and tugs a lot and since then there has been water on the bathroom floor. I flushed the toilet earlier and was shocked to see water coming down so easily from the bottom of the cistern.

It looks similar to this -
http://www.germes-online.com/catalog/13/14/721/206888/sell_two_pieces_toilet_0307.html

Water is coming from here (red arrow) -


Is it possible to put some sealant stuff round this bit or best to call landlord to call plumber ?

latecomer

Get your landlord to get the plumber back and sort it out. Its not your problem and I wouldn't get involved.

cally6008

Yeah but if the plumber is going to put sealant round it, why shouldn't I do it instead and save bothering the landlord and costing him money and save messing about waiting for plumbers to arrive (which is a big hassle cos am working dodgy shifts for next 10 days)

latecomer

to fix the problem is probably going to involve removing the cistern and putting in a new seal where the cistern joins the pan. Putting silicon round the outside is a bodge which probably wouldn't work anyway or not for any length of time.

dougk_2

The nut(s) that secure the two parts together may have simply come loose (or not been tightened enough in the first place). You may simply be able to gently tighten these up.

I agree in some ways with the OP's comment - why call a plumber in the first instance for a simple problem that you can resolve yourself without damage as in the end result will be costs for the landlord which may be passed onto you at some point with increased rents.

jimbo_the_jetset

There is a big 'o ring' that makes a seal between the cistern and pan (cistern held down by 2 wing nut bolts usually which squash the o-ring). Over time the o-ring degrades and if it has been on a long time and you take the cistern off the rubber is so old it doesn't regain its original shape. So unless it is 'seated' exactly as it was the rubber won't mold to the new shape and there is a gap. Try re-seating and tightening the nuts or get a new o-ring from a plumbers merchant, can be much more that a couple of quid

latecomer

I would check that the landlord is happy for the OP to touch the plumbing to ensure there is no comeback should things not go well.

27col

If you do decide to put on a new O ring, Which I always call a doughnut washer. You should put the washer over the outlet thread of the cistern and then lower the cistern onto the pan. If you put the doughnut washer onto depression in the pan and then lower the cistern on to it, it is quite likely that the doughnut will deform as it tries to ride over the cistern outlet thread and it will almost certainly leak.