Hard water can cause corrosion in your tank bolts. If you have a toilet tank bolt that is damaged or corroded, you can just cut off the nut. If your tank bolts are damaged, you might need an extra tool to remove them. Turn back on your water and give your toilet a test flush.
It’s essential to be careful, so you don’t crack the porcelain. When you tighten the nut, start by tightening it with your hand, and then gently tighten it more with a tool. Continue to hold the tank in the right position and put a washer on the bolt and under the bowl.Slip a bolt with a washer into each of the aligned holes.Now take the tank and gently place it onto the bowl.Replace any faulty spacers, bolts and washers between the tank and the bowl.Remove all the necessary bolts, washers and nuts from both the inside of the tank and below the bowl.Once your water has been turned off, follow the steps below: If there is any that won’t drain, which shouldn’t be more than an inch, use a large cleaning sponge to soak the rest up. Start by locating the water supply valve, turn it completely off and then flush your toilet just one time. In order to complete these repairs, you’re going to need an adjustable wrench and a set of bolts, nuts, and washers. To stop the leaking, these bolts or washers will more than likely need to be replaced. This secures the tank into place and prevents it from moving. Washers or spacers also sit between the tank and the bowl, and a washer made out of a metal, rubber or plastic is placed on the bolt between the bowl and the nut. With most models, rubber washers sit between the bolt head and the inside of the tank. These bolts travel through a hole at the bottom of the tank and then run through matching holes located in the bowl.
Generally, two-piece toilets have a set of bolts that attach the tank to the bowl. You have to either tighten the bolts or replace them.
By fixing the problem yourself, you’ll dodge an expensive service bill.Ī toilet that leaks from its tank bolts is usually leaking because of damaged, misaligned or even cracked washers or bolts. However, if you’re a homeowner who’s fairly unskilled, then you’ll want to take advantage of the information below. Unscrew each nut the rest of the way by hand, then remove the nuts and lift the tank off the bowl.A toilet tank bolt leak is a pretty easy problem to fix if you know what to do. The locking pliers will turn with the head until the pliers meet the bowl, at which point the nut will loosen. Turn the head of the bolt with a screwdriver - flat-head for most bolts - to loosen the nut. Lock a pair of locking pliers onto the nut underneath the tank with which each bolt is secured. Unscrew the tank bolts and remove the tank. Unscrew the water connection from the fill valve on the bottom of the tank, using your fingers or adjustable pliers.
Turn off the water valve and flush the toilet, then sponge all the water in the bottom of the tank into the bowl.
If inspection reveals the spud to be at fault, and you have to replace it, that gives you a chance to service the tank-to-bowl bolts as well. The water is usually coming from the bolts holding the tank to the bowl, but it could be coming from the spud gasket. Some plumbers call the thick rubber gasket between a toilet tank and bowl the "spud gasket," while others call it a "cone gasket." You usually don't have to worry about it, but it may need to be replaced in the rare instance when the tank spews water on the floor under the toilet.