How to Repair a Noisy Toilet | Ask This Old House
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- Опубліковано 25 бер 2016
- Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey installs a new flush valve. (See below for shopping list, tools, and steps.)
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Richard installed the Flush All Replacement valve, manufactured by Keeney Manufacturing [bit.ly/35w33aU].
Shopping List for How to Repair a Noisy Toilet:
- Replacement flush valve
Tools List for How to Repair a Noisy Toilet:
- Pliers, for loosening and tightening hex nuts
- Slotted screwdriver and open-end wrench, for removing the tank bolts
- Large sponge or cotton cloth, for sopping up water
Steps for How to Repair a Noisy Toilet:
1. Close the shutoff valve behind the toilet to stop the flow of water.
2. Remove the lid from the toilet tank. Flush the toilet and hold down the flush lever to drain as much water from the tank as possible.
3. Use a large sponge or cotton cloth to sop up the remaining water from inside the tank.
4. Disconnect the water-supply line from the underside of the toilet tank.
5. Use a slotted screwdriver and open-end wrench to remove the two bolts that hold the toilet tank to the bowl.
6. Lift the tank off the bowl and use pliers to remove the large nut on the underside of the tank. Remove the old flush valve from the tank.
7. Install a new flush valve to the tank; securely tighten the mounting nut with pliers.
8. Attach two new brass bolts to the tank.
9. Place the rubber spud gasket onto the bottom of the flush valve, then set the tank onto the toilet bowl.
10. Put washers and hex nuts onto the brass bolts, then alternately tighten the nuts to secure the tank to the bowl. Be careful not to overtighten the nuts or you'll crack the toilet.
11. Reconnect the water-supply line to the underside of the tank.
12. Adjust the flapper chain to the correct length.
13. Turn the water back on and flush the toilet to ensure it's operating properly and quietly. Adjust the flapper and overflow tube, if necessary.
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How to Repair a Noisy Toilet | Ask This Old House
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I love This Old House, have for years, but this was the first time I actually tried to fix something myself using one of your UA-cam videos. Long story short, my toilet is fixed and you all are awesome! Thanks for everything you guys and gals do, and please keep it up 🤙
Lol she really doesn't care she just wants it fixed 🤣
O
Hahaha I would be the same way! Worst case scenario it breaks, just call him again!
Cut to the chase, just fix
She just wanted it to stop making noise. LOL
I am plumber from 🇨🇦 he is very professional plumber
I want to thank you. I was able to take care of my toilet, my sink. And my shower because of the tips I have learned watching this show
I have always used nuts and washers on the bottom of my tanks before setting the tank back onto the bowl. I'm glad I see you do it, Richard....probably not a necessity, but a good idea, none the less.
Thank you for making this videos the way you explain makes everything looks so easy
I have been binge watching all the videos! Very Useful ! Thanks for sharing!
All thanks to u sir , am so greatful for having you.
I just love how all the hardware comes apart SO EASILY! I have to drill out one of the those BRASS screws since it will not turn!
by me I see bolts that are fully decayed
.
lol on this show everything is always perfect
Those American Standard bolts are great. I almost never have bad experiences with them
Rich I've respected your work for years. You really know your stuff.
As a landlord who's constantly trying to save money (thanks real estate bubble/crash) my advice: 1.) Make it so the water shuts off a little sooner first...if that doesn't work 2.) replace the flapper....if that doesn't work 3.) check for debris on the stopper/fill guy seal.....if that doesn't work 4.) replace the guts.
I know that's not how an infinite budget done 100% correctly guy would do it, but since it's almost always 1 or 2 (ghost flushing/filling or worn flapper) you'll save so much money, and time so you can move on to the next project, that for practical purposes that's what I do.
(I've probably had to fix ~20 ghost flushing, ~40 flappers, ~4 debris, and ~2 guts...so odds wise an earlier stop and new flapper almost always fixes it)
Most Landlords are CHEAP
It makes it much easier to remove water from the tank if you close the toilet lid and set a plastic container on it. Then as soon as you bring the sponge, (which is much better than a rag) up over the tank the water goes right into the container, and not all over the place.
I just did a rebuild of my toilet tank. It looked like the old gasket on the drain valve was starting to disintegrate. I was getting a leak that I tried to fix by replacing the flapper gasket, but the leak persisted. That's when I looked closer at the drain valve gasket. The gasket looked fuzzy and small bits would float off if I touched it. The overflow tube was adjustable just like in the video. Easy install. Although I had to replace the supply line stop valve as the old one wouldn't completely turn off the water. I also decided to replace the hose line connecting the tank and stop valve. The refill valve, drain valve and replacement mounting screws all installed just like in the video. I had also worried about having metal washers touching on the tank so I bought some rubber gaskets just to be safe.
I always check the bottom of the "flapper" our flush valve. It often has a build up kind of a slim that won't allow it to seat water tight. Wipe it clean,,, occasionally does the trick. 👍👍
Always enjoy your videos!!
You mean seal
I do the same and add a thin layer of Vaseline around the seal...lasts about a year before you need to clean and re-apply.
But on a toilet that hasn't been serviced since the 1990s. You better off just buying a Toilet tank complete repair kit. It comes with everything and is only $25-30
I just love this old show
I need this guy with me. He explains everything in a way that allows even dummies to understand how complicated it is. Cause when I exsplain they seem to think any monkey can do it. Like there's no skill
thanks, helpful information !!
After so many decades, you'd think Richard would get himself a set of ratcheting wrenches. ;)
What for?, if that nuts weren't fastened, were instaled a moment before and taken out by a production tramoyer mam.
@@kefrenferrer6777
Can you repeat that in English? :/
time is money ;)
P
I am surprised that Richard did not investigate and diagnose the problem. It was more likely a leaking flapper. I have had the same problem because the water level would drop, and after sometimes hours, it would refill, which was the noise heard. I took the flapper out and there was a break in the flapper, where it connects to the chain. Replaced the flapper and success.
That was his diagnosis. Most of what he did was to get rid of that inner liner...
The type of job I used to do a lot before I retired. The filler valve looked as though it had been
replaced recently, it was too clean :) ... I would have put silicone around those bolts just to make sure.
I was surprised they didn't come with wing nuts. ...I would have also put a flush valve in which had a push
button control. Much nicer to operate,
thank you for the video now i can do mine
Nice. I was looking to do this task. Thanks
That's the cool thing about toilets. You can change pretty much every single part and it's a new toilet
Good video, thank you
I only have one thing to say,thats wonderful
Yehhh that's great no one did it before!!!
The toilet was making noise because it was screaming to be clean.
It could mean there is a lot of Minerals in that water that stains the tank.
Homepros NYC
Or just to be changed
Homepros NYC, but with all new parts no need to clean anything except the bowl & tank. Which can be cleaned by dropping in some of those clorox tablets.
www.amazon.com/Clorox-Automatic-Toilet-Bowl-Cleaner/dp/B00A9T30I6
Like Jason c said drop in some Clorox tablets and it will clean the tank. Stay Safe 👮🏻♂️🚔🚨
Oh, if you think that is dirty, you have not walked in my shoes. You would think a homeowner would clean a bit before hiring someone to make a repair, but they rarely do.
this man is livin the dream
Pause at 0:26, why wouldn't you adjust the screw on the fill valve first. It looked like the water level was already too high in the tank and constantly overflowing in the overflow. Should have unscrewed the adjustment screw first on camera to show if that was the problem. Could have been a cheap and easy fix if that was the issue.
2:57. now you see, this is probably what my dad missed when replacing the flush valve, i dont think they included a spud gasket. ended up being an emergency replacement of the entire unit.....but it was an early dual flush that was always finicky (trying to defend mistakes)
Textbook replacement nice job
Who's been doing upper deckers in this toilet?
Upper decker, love it!!!
Richard has to know what an upper decker is
Good job I enjoyed it 😎
very knowledgeable thank you sir
Definitely, she has an old style toilet tank like I have. One of my toilet tank covers was broken, but I was luckily found online few years ago.
It means it will use enough water to get rid of solid body waste though
@@stephensnell1379 Get a Toto toilet, always flushes on the first flush. Its true what they say and its worth the hassle and cost even for the low flow versions. Never once gave me any issues at my parents place or here at my own. I don't know what sorcery they put in it to make it work so well, but it works and that's good enough for me.
Bought a house with abysmal toilets that rarely flushed even with liquid waste. Those types of low cost low flow toilets that we had give low flow toilets the bad rap that everyone complains about. It was maddening. Got a low flow Toto and never looked back.
That being said, unless your solid waste is the size of an ROUS or you use enough toilet paper to clean a whole army with in one sitting that is...... no toilet can help you other than an outhouse pit.
A Very Good Quality Product
I was surprised he did not do a final flush to see if everything worked right.
They did not on camera though
@@alial-faesly2902 No, I believe the toilet keeps unflushed to this day, with a pristine brand new installation.
Why wouldn't the very first course of action be a new flapper? They're under 2 bucks and can be installed in 2 minutes. It solves this problem 95% of the time. And vice a versa 95% of the time the two bolts are so corroded that it's almost impossible to get them off.
Cause the thing on the left when broken can make strange noises. In fact mine used to singe at A sharp. craziest toilet.
@@KnightofAntiquity the thing on the left (fill valve) was already replaced. I usually replace the flapper first and see if it works, if not, I replace the flush valve. I don't keep flush valves on truck but do keep a few flappers so I might as well try them before driving to a store.
Water level was set to high by husband :27, before Richard took the tank of you can see the water surface tension was just holding it from going down the fill pipe
As a landlord you would just ignore the black mold? What a tool.
But on a toilet that hasn't been serviced since the 1990s. You are better off just buying a Toilet tank complete repair kit. It comes with everything (flapper, chain, tank bolts, washers, fill valve, etc.) and is only $25-30
I wish I could get the Keeney Toilet parts here in AZ. Much better than fluidmaster budget ones in the big box store!!
Richard is a beast. He held that toilet in his lap like it was a little baby. The lady looks like she's grossed out the whole time. lol
Nice
How to repair a noisy toilet?
Simple answer, lay off the bean burritos…
She actually went on TV about her toilet with a straight face, I love the part where she knocked her husband “ my husband replaced it but of course that didn’t fix it” 🤣
Not even a test flush for your dedicated viewers? I am disappoint!
Blaine Bugaski you meant to say disappointed
@Liberty AboveAllElse the word is disappointed
There was poop in the bowl
My wife would demand a new toilet
Maybe a little cleaning was in order beforehand
it wouldn't cost enough to make a show :-)
Rich was like, you didn't clean it for me, I'm not cleaning it for you.
It's the inside of a toilet tank. Does it really matter?
Oscar Muffin It wasn’t just the inside that was dirty.
Looks fine to me. Don't know what OP is on about.
(not read all the previous comments - and, this comment is only regarding the black staining and other 'coloring' below the water line of the reservoir). I see the black staining below the water line every week with my work as a problem water specialist in the PacNW. A quick water test for Manganese would provide an answer if it was from dissolved minerals (Mn), or other source. At least in the region I operate, it is 90% of the time dissolved Mn causing the black staining. Easily taken care of it you know probelm water. Adding bleach, chlorine or other oxidizing agents in to water if it has dissolved minerals, in an attempt at 'cleaning' will accelerate the staining rather than cleaning it up, because the oxidation process pulls the dissolved minerals out of solution and promotes staining. This also happens with ferrous iron - if you introduce an oxidizing agent the iron will come out of solution and stain laundry and the toilet reservoirs where a 'bleach puck' has been dropped in.
I love that show did you know that
Nice video
I know why he did what he did: the ultimate fix and you don't want to be called out again. I would be curious if just changing the flapper would've done the job.
this happened to me but it was silent and just changing the flapper did the trick. Water company called me and said that my meter was showing that there was continuous water flowing through the meter. I put some blue food coloring in all my tanks overnight and checked it in the morning and one of them showed blue in the bowl. I changed the flapper and repeated the test the next night and everything was fine. I also checked the water meter in my front yard and it went from showing flowing water before the change to no more flow after!
0:06 “This toilet has droon (?) me absolutely crazy.”
Oh My . 😁∞ ❤ly job
I love this show, but I would replace whole toilet. Clean, brand new, not expensive for a descent one
I'm in your camp. I replaced one of our original house toilets which was about 30 years old. The flapper was forever hanging up and leaving the toilet running. I replaced it with a Gerber Viper comfort height toilet. One of the best reno's ever for me.
U know I was dealing with the tanks kept over flowing after valve replacement but I never replaced the actual tube to the fill valve I came to find a pin hole in the small tube and over few outs it would fill the tank up and over flow one thing to pay attention to
Ps I got 400 units and most of them the over flow part is higher than the handle so that's where the water comes out of fyi
Most toilets in the UK still use the ball mechansim
Feel like he could have at least told the viewers to check the flapper first and make sure it created a good deal before doing anything else. 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
@@billybob042665 with labor rates being what they are he should have replaced the toilet and solved the black mold problem.
Is the water coming in at full city water pressure ??
New parts designed to work for a long time and do the job right.
One other thing I do when reinstalling the tank is to use a level; a 2-footer should be sufficient. Just lay it on top of the tank (with the lid off) and tighten the nuts back and forth until it's sufficiently tight. Leave the level standing upright so you can easily see the bubble. Don't over-tighten the nuts, as you may squeeze the rubber gaskets (if used) too much and cause a leak. I've found that using a 3/8-drive "shorty" ratchet speeds the process along, compared to using a combination wrench as Richard does in this video. I think you also get a better "feel" for when everything is tight. The other reason to be careful is that you could inadvertently crack the body of the tank if you tighten the nuts too much. Easy does it, though, and you should be fine.
Maybe the Mold should have been cleaned before putting the tank back on the bowl or at least wipe it down first..
He chewed up the plastic nut on the fill hose pretty good too. It's supposed to be hand tightened, but he used tools. He knows how to do the repair, but doesn't seem to take much pride in his work
Sometimes, every few hundreds flushes, the chain gets tangled leaving the water running 24/7 until someone pull the lever again.
I made it to 2:20 before I knew I had to come to the comments to see people talking about not wearing gloves.
My water valve is making that humming and vibrating noise. So, when I touch the water valve noob, I can feel the valve vibrating and humming. So, I may need to change this. The only way the noise would stop if I cut off the water valve. Thank you. I will run a couple of checks to see if this my problem.
That has to be the master bedroom bathroom. It has a weird layout with the shower in front of the door and the vanity and toilet set on the other side of the partition wall.
Only thing I'd have done differently is once the old flush valve is removed, you clean the opening with a clean rag and possibly some open mesh sandcloth in case there is worn, residual rubber around the opening. Furthermore, I would pipe dope only the beveled gasket that goes inside the tank, as well as the first four threads from the top down. 31 years of service work has taught me this precaution
good info.
How did the cameraman get inside of the bowl to look up at Richard?!!
They probably use some kind of GoPro camera (small).
what is the fill hose used for, it appears the water was filling from the left of the tank and not coming out the end of the fill hose
The refill tube sends water into the bowl to refill it and the tank will fill at the same time
The larger hose is what lets the water in from the mains supply
I want to know what brand name the new flush valve was. I would carry 1 of thos in my van. Although I haven't changed one out in years.
Keeney
@@bryandiel6773 funny thing. I need to change one out for the Boys and Girls club. Who carries the Keeny brand flush valve? Are they 1.6 gallon flush?
Do you know what they cost?
@@ltsgarage7780 check them out online. Plumbing supply might have something
@@bryandiel6773 my supplier has never heard of them.
@@ltsgarage7780 they are all over the northeast
I wish I had customers as nice and pleasant as her.
I have a nosey toilet, but it’s a Leakey fill value
if this happens to u, just check the chain if its lose or not before calling he didnt check the chain at the start.
What's the model of that flush valve? Need to look it up and buy it.
Keeney FlushAll - as mentioned, they sell them at Lowes or Home Depot.
Keeney K835-79
why not use a wet dry to get out the water also the refill does not have its air gap
Never seen a tank that dirty.
@@engrey Yup A lot of the time it is from minerals because the water that goes into the tank. It can be very common if your house runs on hard water. My house ran on the city's hard water and my house two older toilets that we replaced were like that. I tried scrubbing it out to gt that off, but it doesn't come off. Hard water can have lots of minerals in it and can cause mineral build-up on sinks, in toilet tanks, and in valves and pipes. I think when I last checked in the tanks of the two newer toilets before I moved out of the house, I seem to recall them having started to have that ugly brown mineral buildup. It seems to be pretty common, especially if your house runs on hard water or well water which is also has lots of minerals.
Do you ever wear gloves sir
Top Bowl is clean water... bottom bowl is dirty
Fr tho
Most plumbers do not wear gloves. Should they? Yes. Personally I wash my hands carefully after handling anything in the bathroom.
@Alan Sawyer, most of them probably immune too all the crap they exposed to 🙊
I guarantee you he never gets sick.
Those early water saving toilets were a joke. They clogged constantly. It is basically a toilet that was designed to use 6-8 gallons, now running on just under 2. That worked about as well as you might expect. It isn't like the whole thing was redesigned, they just slapped that plastic tub on there to cut the water flow and shipped them.
What Rich carefully left unsaid here is that when he adjusted it to work properly, it is now going to use considerably more water than before. He could have replaced just the little flapper, but he got rid of the whole water saver tub because he knows they never worked right. So he just converted a water saver toilet back into being one that isn't. Maybe it won't use 6 gallons or whatever, but I bet it is now set up to use way more than the federal standard. He is not going to say that on TV, but he also wasn't going to let those people have to keep living with that design.
The good news here is that, eventually, the manufacturers figured out how to make a toilet comply with the standard and still work. But those early ones were a nightmare. We had one and eventually just replaced it when we remodeled the bathroom.
Normally, when your toilet runs constantly, you just replace the little red flapper, and it takes all of 5 minutes, because you don't have to take the tank apart. So don't think this kind of major surgery is required most of the time.
Very well said. I believe you're exactly right.
Richard did know what he was doing and it'll actually use less water and the reservoir needed removing as it was black all over
trustbuster23 if you noticed he said he adjusted it to use the same amount of water as before . The adjustable flapper system didn't exist in 1992
I still manage to clog the new low flow toilets. And I end up having to flush them so many times to makes everything go down that it would actually save water to have an old toilet that uses more water.
@@plumbingstuffinoregon2471… Since most people pee more often that they poop, the lower flush rate will probably work ok, 85% of the time. I do kinda like the option to hold the flush lever for a few seconds to get a full flush, so that might require a training session for everyone who lives in the house. Some newer toilets have a split flush where you push one side for a pee and both sides for a double flusher, but that option adds $100 to the cost of a fixture.
What kit is that you used?
I would have just cleaned around and under the rubber flapper real good, and then put a new rubber flapper on. I've done that before, and it usually fixes it. Much easier job too.
You need to test with food dye. put it in tank and see if any coloring comes into the bowl.. Leave in for 5 min if the bowl is clear then you have a tight seal.. He could of tested it before removing the tank. Just turn off the water to the toilet and flush it making sure the water is below the flapper. Use food dye drops into the tank and see if it's the flush valve gasket. If know dye is visible in bowl then it's not the flush valve.. Fill the toilet past the flapper and repeat dye test. If coloring is visible in the bowl them it's the flapper..
tmlaureanoful if its not the flapper how else would water leak into the bowl below that point?
tmlaureanoful gi
The freezing bowl was so dirty, nobody would be able to see the dye. Haha
My toilet sounds like your dragging a chair across a wooden floor at or below the base. Any help here?
I get why you changed the whole flush valve, but isn't there a repair kit that more simple? It includes a new flapper and seat.
He didn't mention a common mistake with a fluidmaster ball cock valve. The refill tube must use the clip that holds the tube above the level of the water in the tank. If that tube is shoved in the overflow, the B.C.V. will cycle as water is siphoned from the tank. I see it all the time.
Why is the tank so nasty looking? What can be do to keep it clean?
***** Cool. Thank you
Um, clean it?
oh! oh! i know, use the neighbor's toilet. ;)
Using less water per "cycle" means less water per flush but multiple flushes per deuce. Net effect means more water used.
A 20-year-old toilet will have deposit buildup in the bottom jet hole that will cause poor flushing. Use copper or brass tools to scape the deposits. Don't use steel tools.
just get a new toilet at that point lol
That whole bathroom is 1992 all day long lol
If the flush valve is leaking why is the water level all the way up to the top of the tube? You'd think that the water level would have to get down to a low level before the fill valve triggered a refill. I think the fill valve is set wrong.
The flush valve can be open every so slightly. You wouldn't notice water level difference
She was actually a fairly good actress. The homeowners on this show are usually so clearly homeowners and not actors.
seeing those channel locks made me feel like less of a man
I usually wear gloves when doing any plumbing
steven82 haven’t watched the show in years
What genius came up with the design that has 3 holes at the bottom that can leak and destroy the house?
I thought he would test-flush after the work he did to make sure everything was working properly and that the toilet was flushing much quieter than before.
its not the flush that was loud, it was the tank constantly refilling since it was leaking water
the new replacement tank looks like someone else's old tank.. geez cant they find a brand new one? lol
a thorough cleaning and disinfected with chlorine to the tank would have been very helpful to that dirty tank!
My neighbor upstairs above me has a nightmare freaking toilet that flush by itself 24/7 every 2 minutes, the noise of a Foss Iguacu, Water Fall, Lousiania broken dam. I am having headaches. Even closing the door of the bathroom, it does not cover up the noise. I am concerned about my water bill. Isn't this crazy toilete impacting the tenants water bill.
Any recommendation to keep the tank from being so dirty?
I think the brown inside the tank was from minerals. I had a house that ran on hard water and both of the older toilets (we later replaced them) we brown like that inside. Hard water has lots of minerals in it, and the minerals from it can cause build-ups. Hecke even after we replaced them, I seem to recall noticing that the two new toilets were starting to look that way inside. I am not sure exactly how to combat it. i have tried scrubbing it out to get the brown out of the tank with no luck.
Vinegar.
@@cecyaglr4351 It's worth a shot. It won't make it perfectly white, because a lot of time the scale from the hard water stains the interior of the tank. You are correct that thats how you dissolve the scale.
What size is the industrial pliers?
Those are the channel locks from hell!
Why didn't u change the flapper and check the seal
Richard the old 3.5 or higher toilets won’t flush right if you drop the GPF below what it’s intended for. It won’t have enough water to create a swirl (siphon) to complete the flush and the bowl needs to be replenished to it’s original level when filling up. Those are scam gadgets that claim to save you water using the old toilets. Go to a specialty Plumbinhg repair parts store and get the OEM parts. Even the new toilets are designed differently by each manufacturer and you should install OEM parts not these so call fits all toilet parts to make them work correctly.
@6:40, what is the purpose of the tiny "refill tube"?
The water coming out of the refill tube and going into the overflow tube is refilling the bowl!
Sometimes a refill tube is unnecessary though. The way my toilet flushes, the bowl refills on it's own. I have the water that's supposed to go in the bowl going directly into the tank. It refills the tank a lot faster too.
Imagine having a bad flapper and you change the entire flush valve.... a 2 minute job into a 30 minute job.....
I was waiting to see if she would shake his hands after messing with the toilet without gloves. She was smart enough not to! 🤮
Ex Member he should be wearing protective gloves when ever he messes with the toilets. Stay Safe 👮🏻♂️🚔🚨