ATOT Plumbers needed, bubbling toilet!

[Cuda1447]

It seems like since becoming a homeowner once I fix one thing, another breaks. Currently its the toilets.... yes, both of them. One day the thing that connects the handle to the flap snapped. Busy week, so we just started using the other toilet. A few days later, that one snapped. So off to ace hardware, two new flappers. These flappers are a bit different, but the concept is the same, right?



So I install both the flappers, while installing one the float switch thingy in one toilet actually cracked. The metal rod was all busted and it had a crack in it already. I'll replace that. But to fix the other toilet first...

Everything seems to be working fine, flushes fine, no problems at all. Except that it bubbles ever so slightly. When the water is full inside the tank it still bubbles, enough that you can hear it from the bedroom. If I reach my hand down in the tank and put a slight amount of pressure on the top of the drain flap it stops bubbling, but as soon as I release it bubbles again. Ive tried readjusting the way the flapper was secured on. I even tried another flapper, but to no avail. Should I just super glue a few gram weights to the top of the flapper? wtf is causing this, why wouldn't the flapper seal correctly?



cliffs:

toilet flapper isn't sealing entirely
slight pressure on top of flapper stops toilet from bubbling
when I release pressure on top of flapper toilet bubbles again

 

[EagleKeeper]

There may be some residue on the rim where the flapper is sitting. If not, then you have a flapper that is not completely compatible (as you suspect).

Whether it is a defect, cheap or just bad luck....

Either replace the flapper with something different or add a some mass to the flapper to simulate your finger.

 

[FoBoT]

if you replaced just the flapper and it didn't work, then replace the entire assembly as unit , so the flapper matches the flapper base thingy

 

[Mojoed]

Perhaps you need a new ball & cock?

 

[sdifox]

just get this


http://www.homedepot.com/webap...owse_now&storeId=10051


no need to deal with fucking floating ball and stick.

 

[iGas]

Call a plumber if you are not handy. I'll fix it for free if you fly me down from Canada, give me a couch to surf, and pizza/beer for the weekend.

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: sdifox
just get this


http://www.homedepot.com/webap...owse_now&storeId=10051


no need to deal with fucking floating ball and stick.

..they work good. I installed a bunch of those in my rentals.

 

[Paperdoc]

One thing that can cause a leaky flap valve is the chain that connects it to the handle. It MUST have a little slack in it so the valve can close. Make it tight, and you may be just slightly pulling it open. Also verify that the rod from the handle comes out to be right above the flap valve, so that the chain is pulling straight up, not pulling the valve to one side.

Check two other things with the water supply valve off. One: open the flap valve and feel the seat that the flap sits on. Any nicks or cracks it it? Now check the flap itself by feel. Any nicks or bumps in its sealing surface? Two: check the distance from the flap's hinge point to the hole. Does it match the flap itself so that the flap is exactly centered on the hole?

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Nice new toilets from Kohler are about 100 bucks.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: sdifox
just get this


http://www.homedepot.com/webap...owse_now&storeId=10051


no need to deal with fucking floating ball and stick.

Yep buy a complete rebuild kit and that should do it.

 

[shortylickens]

BUMP!
Somewhat same issue. Every 6 months or so the cheap little rubber flapper seems to turn to shit and loses its sealing power. Toilet running at all hours. I dunno if our hard water rots the rubber or what, but its a regularily replaced item.

Looked around online and the best thing I could find was
http://www.thehardwarecity.com/products/Heavy-duty-Flapper/5427000
They claim it resists chemicals and hard water but I dunno. At 3 bucks I am tempted to think I can do better. Have not been able to find heavy duty flappers that look like they were made for Al Bundy use.

Help?!

 

[Rubycon]

Call a plumber if you are not handy. I'll fix it for free if you fly me down from Canada, give me a couch to surf, and pizza/beer for the weekend.

That's pretty dangerous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x9ulafv-Sk

Looks like fun though.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

BUMP!
Somewhat same issue. Every 6 months or so the cheap little rubber flapper seems to turn to shit and loses its sealing power. Toilet running at all hours. I dunno if our hard water rots the rubber or what, but its a regularily replaced item.

Looked around online and the best thing I could find was
http://www.thehardwarecity.com/products/Heavy-duty-Flapper/5427000
They claim it resists chemicals and hard water but I dunno. At 3 bucks I am tempted to think I can do better. Have not been able to find heavy duty flappers that look like they were made for Al Bundy use.

Help?!

do you use toilet tank tablets?

 

[Sea Moose]

Perhaps you should eat more fibre? That way, when you take the dump, you wont utterly destroy the throne.

 

[shortylickens]

do you use toilet tank tablets?

Nope. We add nothing to the tank. The water itself must be destroying the flapper every 6 months. We use a water softener, but apparantly thats not enough.

And its irrelevant. I want a flapper that can stand up to all kinds of abuse. But I dont have the knowledge of plumbing parts to find exactly what I need.
Was thinking about maybe Toto parts but I dont know if they will fit in my toilet.

 

[iGas]

Bubbles is an indication that water is seeping past the flapper. Make sure the flapper is install properly and no debris on the seat. It would be wise to install the entire flushing assembly (including the flush handle) if more than 1 part fails because it is likely that the rest of the assembly will fail soon.

 

[iGas]

Nope. We add nothing to the tank. The water itself must be destroying the flapper every 6 months. We use a water softener, but apparantly thats not enough.

And its irrelevant. I want a flapper that can stand up to all kinds of abuse. But I dont have the knowledge of plumbing parts to find exactly what I need.
Was thinking about maybe Toto parts but I dont know if they will fit in my toilet.

Water doesn't destroy flapper that quickly because flappers are made out of rubber.

Check the seat to see if it is damaged or malfunction due to manufacture defect.

<--- plumber/gas/HVAC mech

 

[shortylickens]

BUMP! Again.

Seat was fine. Got another cheap Home Depot flapper. It lasted for a little while but still wasnt great.
I am still needing a recommendation on high quality flappers. If you guys dont help me I'm just gonna go to Amazon and buy every flapper they have until I get a good one. Looks like a Toto flapper wont work unless I have a Toto toilet. So I'll skip that one.

 

[krylon]

Maybe buy a toilet with a different mechanism for flushing. Already getting nickel and dimed.

 

[shortylickens]

Maybe buy a toilet with a different mechanism for flushing. Already getting nickel and dimed.

I already have one of those new fancy ones with the slider as opposed to the big floaty rubber ball.
Did you mean one of these?
http://www.powerflushusa.com/

 

[glenn beck]

found the problem

 

[DrPizza]

just get this


http://www.homedepot.com/webap...owse_now&storeId=10051


no need to deal with fucking floating ball and stick.

I hate the floating ball and stick too. But I've switched over to using these: http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/FILLpro-FV75-Toilet-Tank-Fill-Valve/86339/Cat/1224


Regardless, it's the flush valve, not the fill valve that the OP is having trouble with. If his fill valve is working just fine, then there's no reason to replace that. But, the OP said that the thing connecting the flapper broke - he probably should have left the original flapper, but replaced the chain. If he still has the old flappers, he could try putting them back & replacing the chain. Else, try adding a little weight as he suggested (if there's a simple way to do that.) Otherwise, probably has to replace that whole part, which is a minor pita to do - have to take the tank off the bottom half of the toilet. (Not hard to do, the pita part is disconnecting the water line & dealing with the last 1/2 inch of water in the tank.)

 

[Rubycon]

Toilets can be funny...
Until brown stuff comes out
All wet and runny. D:

 

[Phoenix86]

Hmm...

:twisted:

 

[alkemyst]

just get this


http://www.homedepot.com/webap...owse_now&storeId=10051


no need to deal with fucking floating ball and stick.

QFT...I never have had luck just doing the flapper. What sucks is right after I replaced all my Fluidmasters they came out with the Whisper models. They are night and day silent compared to mine.

Of course I could bite the bullet for about the price of a dinner at Friday's and an hour or so of my time and upgrade.