[Misc] NSC Plumbing Question

[Eeyore]

I have a very old toilet, which has been fine. But in recent times it has been seemingly filling for a few seconds then stopping. It's now doing it very minute. Stop start.

I guess the only solution is to call a plumber out, but given that my water bills have jumped £30 a month, I'm guessing I need a short term fix till then.

First question is how to simply isolate the water to the toilet. I could then do bucket flushes. Yet there seems to be no isolation valve. See pictures. Is this the only solution to shut off the cold water to the fault and then just turn it on when needed. A pain, but a temporary solution. Or is there a mysterious isolation valve in their somewhere ?

Oh, and I've tried turning it off and on again, just to pre-empt the smart Alecs.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Hmm….this isn’t one were you can turn it off and on or kick it….pass

 

[BN9 BHA]

The flush valve (part in the middle) has worn out…the seal has come to the end of it’s life and is letting water into the pan.
The valve in your photo looks very old.

If you turn off your water but don’t flush the toilet the cistern will slowly empty, this will confirm the above.

Unfortunately some not very clever person has buried the other end of the flexible connector to your cistern.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Easy job. Turn water off change unit

https://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/fill-flush-valves/cat831618

Take the old one if unsure.

I've saved you £100's

 

[BN9 BHA]

@Eeyore
@Wrong-Direction lives not too far from you, maybe worth asking him to sort it out.
He will curse whoever fitted that flexible pipe

 

[KZNSeagull]

5 minute job

 

[BN9 BHA]

Easy job. Turn water off change unit

https://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/fill-flush-valves/cat831618

Take the old one if unsure.

I've saved you £100's

Turn off water, remove cistern and change flush valve.
Not easy if bolts are rusted.
Try and sort out the dodgy mains connection.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Easy job. Turn water off change unit

https://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/fill-flush-valves/cat831618

Take the old one if unsure.

I've saved you £100's

Turn off water, remove cistern and change flush valve.
Not easy if bolts are rusted.
Try and sort out the dodgy mains connection.

5 minute job, blimey I wonder how some people survive

 

[BN9 BHA]

Easy job. Turn water off change unit

https://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing/fill-flush-valves/cat831618

Take the old one if unsure.

I've saved you £100's

5 minute job, blimey I wonder how some people survive

And hopefully these screws holding the cistern to the wall will undo

 

[BN9 BHA]

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

And hopefully these screws holding the cistern to the wall will undo
View attachment 189650

if you have to take them out not hard, sorry. If the ball valve is faulty no reason to remove.

 

[Eeyore]

The flush valve (part in the middle) has worn out…the seal has come to the end of it’s life and is letting water into the pan.
The valve in your photo looks very old.

If you turn off your water but don’t flush the toilet the cistern will slowly empty, this will confirm the above.

Unfortunately some not very clever person has buried the other end of the flexible connector to your cistern.

Thanks. A neighbour suggested this as an interim. Would it be right ?

'Get long length of string. take off lid of cistern, and tie string around the ballcock support arm and pull GENTLY up until the loo tank stops refilling. Secure string at that height (gaffer tape to outside of cistern/tiles/a cactus in Texas keeping the height of the support arm), toilet should stop filling. Call plumber'

 

[BN9 BHA]

if you have to take them out not hard, sorry. If the ball valve is faulty no reason to remove.

It’s not the ball valve (fill valve in this case) in my opinion it’s the flush valve
See post #3

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

It’s not the ball valve (fill valve in this case) in my opinion it’s the flush valve
See post #3

If so that screw will come out. Trust me.

If not drill the head off. Remove cistern. Get mole grips on the remained of screw. Job's a gooden

 

[BN9 BHA]

Thanks. A neighbour suggested this as an interim. Would it be right ?

'Get long length of string. take off lid of cistern, and tie string around the ballcock support arm and pull GENTLY up until the loo tank stops refilling. Secure string at that height (gaffer tape to outside of cistern/tiles/a cactus in Texas keeping the height of the support arm), toilet should stop filling. Call plumber'

Yes, be careful not to break it though.
If you have any odd bits of wood or a screwdriver that will go across the top of the cistern you can tie the string to that

 

[WATFORD zero]

I have a very old toilet, which has been fine. But in recent times it has been seemingly filling for a few seconds then stopping. It's now doing it very minute. Stop start.

I guess the only solution is to call a plumber out, but given that my water bills have jumped £30 a month, I'm guessing I need a short term fix till then.

First question is how to simply isolate the water to the toilet. I could then do bucket flushes. Yet there seems to be no isolation valve. See pictures. Is this the only solution to shut off the cold water to the fault and then just turn it on when needed. A pain, but a temporary solution. Or is there a mysterious isolation valve in their somewhere ?

View attachment 189642View attachment 189643View attachment 189644


Oh, and I've tried turning it off and on again, just to pre-empt the smart Alecs.

I would ask @SIMMO SAYS if he can get one of his young kids @BN9 BHA or @Wrong-Direction to fix it. After all, you want the organ grinder, not the monkey

 

[BN9 BHA]

If so that screw will come out. Trust me.

Sigh….how long have you been a plumber?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Sigh….how long have you been a plumber?

You don't need to be a plumber to be able to fit a toilet.

I've fitted numerous bathrooms, kitchens. Re-wired houses, built extensions, built oak barns, built patios, laid patio's built brick walls.

Also rebuilt car engines, jet engines.

Jobwise, aircraft engineer, publican, beer quality manager, antique dealer.

Should add recently I went on a course to learn French polishing, wow that's rewarding.

 

[BN9 BHA]

You don't need to be a plumber to be able to fit a toilet.

I've fitted numerous bathrooms, kitchens. Re-wired houses, built extensions, built oak barns, built patios, laid patio's built brick walls.

Also rebuilt car engines, jet engines.

Jobwise, aircraft engineer, publican, beer quality manager, antique dealer.

Should add recently I went on a course to learn French polishing, wow that's rewarding.

All I’m saying it’s not an easy diy job for someone with limited plumbing skills changing the flush valve in that toilet cistern.
It’s been there for ages as the flush valve is obsolete, the cistern fixing screws are rusted and probably swollen up in the china cistern holes…..care needs to be taken to remove these as the cistern can break.
I can’t see rubber washers behind the rusted screws.

I’m sure the bolts and wing nuts holding the cistern to the pan are probably rusted too.

30+ years plumbing experience, own business 22 years.

I wouldn’t tell a non plumber that this is an easy job, I’m giving an honest opinion to a fellow Albion fan and decent regular on NSC

 

[Weststander]

You don't need to be a plumber to be able to fit a toilet.

I've fitted numerous bathrooms, kitchens. Re-wired houses, built extensions, built oak barns, built patios, laid patio's built brick walls.

Also rebuilt car engines, jet engines.

Jobwise, aircraft engineer, publican, beer quality manager, antique dealer.

Should add recently I went on a course to learn French polishing, wow that's rewarding.

But how quickly can you drink a yard of ale?