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07-02-2017, 04:19 PM
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#21
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Flyover country
Posts: 25,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerry1
So usually a few trips to the store are needed and often the part I need is not at the local hardware . . .
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Over a lifetime of DIY, I've learned there is one iron-clad rule about plumbing repairs. No matter how small the job, it always requires three trips to the store.
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I thought growing old would take longer.
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07-02-2017, 04:34 PM
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#22
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Upstate Ruralia
Posts: 356
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If the Toilet is clogged, the overflow pipe wont work will it?
All the water must ultimately go down the toilet...
Also re: the wax ring...old technology!!!! See the new SaniSeal waxless gasket....about 15.00 on Amazon. Comes with two toilet bolts. You can install Two of them on each other if your floor is uneven!
Try a plunger first to unclog the toilet. Maybe the toilet is clogged and the water filling the toilet tank pushed the float up where it kept running.
Was the water coming from the toilet bowl or tank? (OK re-read see you said the tank).
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07-02-2017, 04:52 PM
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#23
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Independence
Posts: 7,297
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lcountz
...
Was the water coming from the toilet bowl or tank?
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Best comment. The tank is the reservoir with the flapper valve and the ceramic cover. The bowl has the seat bolted to it. MAYBE the tank was overflowing from the handle area (lower than the rim), but I'd bet on a plugged bowl.
This morning I addressed a tenant complaint - shower going from proper temperature to over-hot while she was showering. Sounded like someone flushing a toilet as one is showering. Four units there, up and down, back to back. Tenant reported hearing a toilet refilling every few minutes, so first some calls to find out who has the faulty john. Once that was determined it was just a quick visit and replacement of flapper chain. Tenant hadn't wanted to bother me (wonder if their rent is going to be late) so had the tank lid off and was lifting the flapper by hand and not getting it re-seated properly. Cost me less than an hour for the fix, including drive time, and got two happy tenants. Not bad return on effort.
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07-02-2017, 05:39 PM
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#24
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Fair Lawn
Posts: 2,959
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Quote:
Originally Posted by braumeister
Over a lifetime of DIY, I've learned there is one iron-clad rule about plumbing repairs. No matter how small the job, it always requires three trips to the store.
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OMG, never were truer words spoken. I used to be fairly good at DIY jobs (even if it did take those multiple back and forth trips to the store). But even though I know I'm paying a LOT, it sure is easier to just write a check to the plumber.
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07-02-2017, 06:42 PM
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#25
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Chicago West Burbs
Posts: 3,014
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Replacing the valve ass'y in the tank is a fairly easy job. That is until you go to shut off the water supply valve and it hasn't been turned in 20 years and won't shut off the water. Or if it will shut off the water, the 20 year old packing on the stem will leak when you turn it back on. Been there. Done that.
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07-02-2017, 07:18 PM
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#26
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 12,654
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I have a $50 an hour rule. I estimate how many hours it would take me to do something I have never had to do before, screw it up while learning how to do it, and then hire somebody to fix the mess I made during the learning process. Then I find out how much a professional would charge. If it works out to less than $50 per hour of my estimated time, the job gets hired.
I'm even a good painter, but it took me 10 hours to paint a bathroom that the contractor was going to charge me $400 to paint. And he would've done the ceiling, whereas I gave up because my neck hurt, and left it the way it was.
__________________
If you understood everything I say, you'd be me ~ Miles Davis
'There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.’ Christopher Morley.
Even a blind clock finds an acorn twice a day.
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07-02-2017, 07:21 PM
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#27
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 751
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CRLLS
Replacing the valve ass'y in the tank is a fairly easy job. That is until you go to shut off the water supply valve and it hasn't been turned in 20 years and won't shut off the water. Or if it will shut off the water, the 20 year old packing on the stem will leak when you turn it back on. Been there. Done that.
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+1 had this problem a couple months ago. On top of it all, it was a very stormy night and could not get a plumber out. Had to turn off the water to the whole house and pay the plumber $200. to replace the shut off valve in the morning plus about another $150. for "service fee" and to replace the toilet innards. My arthritis plus Mr. Murphy makes repairs even easy ones difficult for me now.
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07-02-2017, 07:24 PM
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#28
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,358
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This thread is a hoot. I can't count the number of toilet repairs that I have made. Only had one issue... on the last one that I did at my Mom's the very last half turn installing the toilet back to the floor after tiling I cracked the base but luckily not enough to leak so no major disaster.
BCG, does you Mom have another bathroom that she can use until Monday or Wednesday?
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
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07-02-2017, 08:18 PM
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#29
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,511
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A while back I bought a landlord pack of toilet innards... so I have some spares. This was useful when I woke up at 4am and heard water running.
One thing to watch out for is the use of chlorine based toilet cleaners that work from the take... we use to call them bleach pucks... not the real name. These would either lie in the bottom of the tank or in a little plastic holder. The issue is that these harm some of the replacement parts for toilets... mainly gaskets and seals. This makes them deform and and become hard.... not compliant. Fixing this will require a complete rebuild to replace all gaskets. The most involved is the seal/gasket connecting the tank to the bowl. This can be done by simple DIY... but is more involved that a flapper or valve.
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07-02-2017, 08:29 PM
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#30
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pb4uski
.............. on the last one that I did at my Mom's the very last half turn installing the toilet back to the floor after tiling I cracked the base but luckily not enough to leak so no major disaster ..............
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Yea, that last turn is a tough one. Too loose and it rocks, too tight, and it cracks.
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07-02-2017, 08:36 PM
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#31
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Kerrville,Tx
Posts: 3,361
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bingybear
A while back I bought a landlord pack of toilet innards... so I have some spares. This was useful when I woke up at 4am and heard water running.
One thing to watch out for is the use of chlorine based toilet cleaners that work from the take... we use to call them bleach pucks... not the real name. These would either lie in the bottom of the tank or in a little plastic holder. The issue is that these harm some of the replacement parts for toilets... mainly gaskets and seals. This makes them deform and and become hard.... not compliant. Fixing this will require a complete rebuild to replace all gaskets. The most involved is the seal/gasket connecting the tank to the bowl. This can be done by simple DIY... but is more involved that a flapper or valve.
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Note today the packs for at least float valves say never use the tablets or their warranty is voided. This is why the underbowl holders were invented.
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07-02-2017, 09:50 PM
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#32
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 11,401
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meierlde
Note today the packs for at least float valves say never use the tablets or their warranty is voided. This is why the underbowl holders were invented.
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I never knew that. You learn something useful here every day!
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07-02-2017, 10:43 PM
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#33
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Spending the Kids Inheritance and living in Chicago
Posts: 17,087
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CRLLS
Replacing the valve ass'y in the tank is a fairly easy job. That is until you go to shut off the water supply valve and it hasn't been turned in 20 years and won't shut off the water. Or if it will shut off the water, the 20 year old packing on the stem will leak when you turn it back on. Been there. Done that.
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So true, had that happen to me, I've been replacing those valves with the 1/4 turn ones.
Also reminds me of when I replaced a tenants toilet flapper, a quick job, and the toilet stopped running, a week later I go traveling, and then get a call from tenant the toilet is running again. I called a plumber
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07-03-2017, 02:15 AM
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#34
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Midwest
Posts: 1,795
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Quote:
Originally Posted by travelover
You can buy a whole new toilet for less than $100 at Costco. They are only held to the floor with 2 bolts and a wax ring.
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Yeah, that's what I thought also...
Replaced 2 toilets in a rental a few years back for that very reason (30 years old, why call a plumber to rebuild them when they are easy to replace, right?). Bought 2 at Home Depot, and installed. Renter called me 2 nights later and said BOTH would not stop running all night long. I tried adjusting but no dice. Called the plumber, $200 to "repair/rebuild". Went back to HD and showed plumber bill to mgr. He said they would refund the purchase price, but I WOULD NEED TO BRING THE TOILETS BACK FOR THE REFUND!!! I tried to explain the defective logic of that, but the best I could get was a $40 gift card for future purchases.
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07-03-2017, 05:38 AM
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#35
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2,511
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meierlde
Note today the packs for at least float valves say never use the tablets or their warranty is voided. This is why the underbowl holders were invented.
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My point exactly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Meadbh
I never knew that. You learn something useful here every day!
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And this is why I posted that info. Many people don't.
I'm not sure if that rule was in place back in the 80's when I did my first one. But after you do a couple you don't always read the instructions after you do something a few times.
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07-03-2017, 06:22 AM
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#36
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 661
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Quote:
Originally Posted by travelover
You can buy a whole new toilet for less than $100 at Costco. They are only held to the floor with 2 bolts and a wax ring.
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Or you could be like the owner of the company my father works for...they just built a new house and the wife bought a $9,800 toilet for one of the many bathrooms.
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07-03-2017, 07:28 AM
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#37
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,326
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ponyboy
Or you could be like the owner of the company my father works for...they just built a new house and the wife bought a $9,800 toilet for one of the many bathrooms.
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Well, they are not called "thrones" for nothing.
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07-03-2017, 07:38 AM
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#38
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Rural VT
Posts: 307
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This old gal replaced the innards in our powder room toilet a couple of summers ago. Kit was $17. I saved a fortune! Great bragging rights! I even ended up with extra parts....
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07-03-2017, 08:16 AM
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#39
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Syracuse
Posts: 3,502
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Quote:
Originally Posted by braumeister
Over a lifetime of DIY, I've learned there is one iron-clad rule about plumbing repairs. No matter how small the job, it always requires three trips to the store.
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+1
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“No, not rich. I am a poor man with money, which is not the same thing"
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07-03-2017, 08:20 AM
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#40
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Richards
Posts: 1,245
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Kind of a funny story , my nephew calls 3:00 PM in the afternoon yelling about his plumbing . He bought an older home and had it replumbed , I think to a tune of 7500.00 . He was hanging some thing on his wall and missed a stud and put a nail through his plumbing . I asked him what they replumbed his house with , he told me Pex Pipe . I told him to look where he put the nails in and cut it out and find the leak . Of course no I want it fixed NOW ! I told him find the leak go to HD buy a sharkbite maybe 10.00 and repair the hole . No he calls a plumber 395.00 dollars later it is fixed and he is fixing the hole in the sheetrock. The worse part he is a HS shop teacher.
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