Here at NOBARS we feel that it is important for everyone to educate themselves to the best of their personal ability on the “inner workings” so to say, of their collective spaces and personal spaces. Whether it’s your bedroom, your bathroom or anything else that is shared by you or others it’s important to keep these things working properly. How can we expect to fix our communities problems when we can’t even fix a clogged sink!? Think of how many times you have been to someone else’s space and they tell you the toilets broke, or watch where you step cause you might fall through a hole in the floor or bring extra clothing because the windows broken in the middle of winter. The reality is that we don’t live in perfect buildings; we live in ones that need constant maintenance. Most of us rent from shitty landlords who never fix anything and if we do attempt to complain about their building, they take forever to fix the problem and if you're squatting its all on you. So we are left with 2 options, either leave the problem to get worse or fix it ourselves. The truth is that most problems are easy to fix ourselves with simple tools and knowledge of what we are working on. If you have internet access (which you should if you are reading this) then any problem you may encounter you can find the solution to online if you search for it. Lots of people have already taken the time to put together YouTube videos with step by step instructions to fixing everyday problems with your space or home such as repairing roofing, broken toilets or clogged sinks. Not only are there videos on how to fix things but there are also easy improvements that can be done to make your space more functional such as adding fixed lights or building walls where they are needed. We have taken the effort to search the internet and compile the best information and videos we could find on the topics along with posting our own 2cents where we feel its needed. If you see anything we may have missed or have more information that can be added please send it to us and we will be sure to get it up on the blog. Another tip for cutting down the cost of DIY home repair is to go to the local flea market to purchase your tools, you can find all tools you will need at a fraction of the price along with the parts you may need to fix your problem.
Here are some good helpful sites:
http://www.doityourself.com/
http://www.instructables.com/
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/plumbing/how-to-repair-a-toilet.htm
http://www.diy-power-tools.co.uk/power_saws.htm- This site explains different power tools and their uses.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
REPAIRING A BURST PIPE
*If you have a burst pipe in your home or space the first thing to do is to shut off the water. this is done through the water meter to the building. placement of the water meter or water main varies from building to building so its important to locate this ahead of time, even before you have a burst pipe, in case of an emergency.
Video how to shut off your water meter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEfXVOwEFiE&feature=related
Frozen water expands quite dramatically, and if contained in a pipe where no expansion room is available, the pipe will split. This in itself, is not the problem. The problem occurs when the ice thaws out again!
Rather than wait for a freezing spell and wish a burst pipe on somebody, we have used a pipe with a deliberate nail hole in, to explain the mending procedure.
Pipe lagging:
Incidentally, burst pipes can be avoided with the correct lagging applied to them, the minimum recommended thickness of pipe insulation are:
•15mm pipe: 25mm
•22-28 mm pipe: 19mm
•35mm and over pipe: 9mm.
Nail holes in pipes:
Nail holes can be avoided by a careful search of the area you are nailing in with a pipe and/or cable detector. These are available from most diy stores at about £12.00.
Burst pipe repair method:
First turn the water off as soon as you realize there is a problem. A small amount of water will dry out, a large amount will cause a great deal of damage. If, when you are reading this project and you do not know where your main stop cock is; go and find it!
Locate the burst or nail hole, remember this may not be directly below the visible signs of water. The ceiling may slope, or the pressure may have forced a spray of water away from the actual split, so search thoroughly.
For a single nail hole or small split, proprietary slip on couplers are available from the plumbers merchants.
These are lengths of copper pipe, threaded at either end. Using a pipe cutter, hacksaw or pipe slice, cut the section of pipe containing the split or hole, away. Make sure you have cut far enough back to a section of the pipe that is still completely round and not distorted by the burst or force from the nail.
If a hack saw is used, you may need to file the ends of the pipe free of burrs, to slide the olives on.
The olives slide into the slip on coupling and are compressed by tightening the nuts. This gives a seal as in any other compression fitting.
Slip on coupling:
If the hole, burst or pipe distortion is longer than about 2 inches, you will need to insert a section of pipe. This is achieved by using two small compression couplers either side of the new section.
Compression joints:
A compression joint, as mentioned above, is so called because of the compression of a brass ring, or "olive" against the copper pipe, by a nut tightening onto a thread. The openings on compression fittings are made to accept the pipe, and a small amount of the olive, which is accommodated in a small bevel machined into the fitting. The nut is then tightened, while the fitting itself is held fast with another spanner. The olive is compressed, forming a water tight seal between the pipe and fitting. Care must be taken not to overtighten these fittings as it can lead to squashing the pipe slightly causing the joint to leak. No amount of tightening, should that occur, will remedy the situation.
Push fit repair:
The easiest way to effect a repair in a leaking pipe is with a push fit system. Simply cut out the burst, as described above, and push on this purpose made repair pipe.
The concepts of repairing a burst pipe can also apply to buildings where the copper pipes have been removed, it will just involve measuring and acquiring the new copper piping. The proper method for this though involves soldiering or "sweating" the pipes which we will go over in another post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQYoz9blTFw Video on repairing a burst pipe.
Video how to shut off your water meter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEfXVOwEFiE&feature=related
Frozen water expands quite dramatically, and if contained in a pipe where no expansion room is available, the pipe will split. This in itself, is not the problem. The problem occurs when the ice thaws out again!
Rather than wait for a freezing spell and wish a burst pipe on somebody, we have used a pipe with a deliberate nail hole in, to explain the mending procedure.
Pipe lagging:
Incidentally, burst pipes can be avoided with the correct lagging applied to them, the minimum recommended thickness of pipe insulation are:
•15mm pipe: 25mm
•22-28 mm pipe: 19mm
•35mm and over pipe: 9mm.
Nail holes in pipes:
Nail holes can be avoided by a careful search of the area you are nailing in with a pipe and/or cable detector. These are available from most diy stores at about £12.00.
Burst pipe repair method:
First turn the water off as soon as you realize there is a problem. A small amount of water will dry out, a large amount will cause a great deal of damage. If, when you are reading this project and you do not know where your main stop cock is; go and find it!
Locate the burst or nail hole, remember this may not be directly below the visible signs of water. The ceiling may slope, or the pressure may have forced a spray of water away from the actual split, so search thoroughly.
For a single nail hole or small split, proprietary slip on couplers are available from the plumbers merchants.
These are lengths of copper pipe, threaded at either end. Using a pipe cutter, hacksaw or pipe slice, cut the section of pipe containing the split or hole, away. Make sure you have cut far enough back to a section of the pipe that is still completely round and not distorted by the burst or force from the nail.
If a hack saw is used, you may need to file the ends of the pipe free of burrs, to slide the olives on.
The olives slide into the slip on coupling and are compressed by tightening the nuts. This gives a seal as in any other compression fitting.
Slip on coupling:
If the hole, burst or pipe distortion is longer than about 2 inches, you will need to insert a section of pipe. This is achieved by using two small compression couplers either side of the new section.
Compression joints:
A compression joint, as mentioned above, is so called because of the compression of a brass ring, or "olive" against the copper pipe, by a nut tightening onto a thread. The openings on compression fittings are made to accept the pipe, and a small amount of the olive, which is accommodated in a small bevel machined into the fitting. The nut is then tightened, while the fitting itself is held fast with another spanner. The olive is compressed, forming a water tight seal between the pipe and fitting. Care must be taken not to overtighten these fittings as it can lead to squashing the pipe slightly causing the joint to leak. No amount of tightening, should that occur, will remedy the situation.
The easiest way to effect a repair in a leaking pipe is with a push fit system. Simply cut out the burst, as described above, and push on this purpose made repair pipe.
The concepts of repairing a burst pipe can also apply to buildings where the copper pipes have been removed, it will just involve measuring and acquiring the new copper piping. The proper method for this though involves soldiering or "sweating" the pipes which we will go over in another post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQYoz9blTFw Video on repairing a burst pipe.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Removing/replacing/installing doors, door knobs and locks.
Removing Old Door Knobs
There are several types of door knobs - but most all knobs can be removed in just a few simple steps. Replacing a damaged or worn door knob is not a task that requires special skills or a large amount of time. It is always best to choose your replacement hardware before removing the old knobs. While door knobs are sold in standard sizes, there are a few different varieties out there. These instructions are written to cover the removal of most all types of door knobs.Normally, the only tools you will require is a screwdriver. It is best to keep both types on hand, regular flat head and a Phillips head. With the tools in hand, let's take the removal of the door knob set one step at a time.
1. The round trim, or plates, are called the Rosettes. It is best to loosen the Rosettes first. Some Rosettes snap into place while other may be screwed into the wood door. To loosen the Rosette plates, simply unscrew them. If they snap in place, you will need to pry the Rosettes from the door mechanism. Take special precaution as to not damage the wood - search around the Rosette and you will find a small indentation where a small screwdriver can be used to pry it from the door.
2. Once the Rosettes are loose, you can then remove the door knobs. The knobs are attached together by a 'Spindle Rod'. Some old-style door knobs have a simple set-screw at the base of the knob. Loosen the set screw and you can then un-screw the door knobs from the spindle. Some other door knobs have a small indentation at the base of the knob - this style is 'spring loaded.' To remove these knobs, simply push in the metal indentation at the base and the knob will easily come off of the spindle rod.
3. Once one knob is removed, you should now be able to pull the knobs apart and out of the door completely. Once the doorknobs are out, you'll note two screws holding the door mechanism in place. Remove both screws and the bolt.
4. You may also wish to replace the strike plate. The strike plate is the small metal plate that catches the bolt or lock and it is located on the door frame opposite to the knob. Note: This is an unnecessary step in most doorknob replacement jobs.
Once the knobs are removed, you are ready to replace the door with the new hardware
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjAn21prEJw video on installing a door knob
Diagrams of doorknob pieces
Removing/installing deadbolt locks
• Start by gaining access to the inside of the door, If the bolt is locked or jammed,enter via a window or removed ceiling panel, if possible.
Removing Screws from Inside Faceplate
Locate the screws on the inside faceplate of the deadbolt. In the example pictured here, the screws are on either side of the handle used to turn the bolt manually. Select the proper type and size of screwdriver (standard flat or cross-recess), and remove the screws. The shanks of the screws are long, with a fine thread, and it usually requires a fair amount of time to remove them. Make note of the sequence in which you remove the parts, in the event that you will want to replace them in the correct order and location.
Removing Inside Faceplate
Remove the inside faceplate. In some cases, it might be necessary to turn the faceplate counter-clockwise to unscrew it from the fitting, but most often, the faceplate will simply pull straight out.
Removing Front Faceplate
Remove the outside faceplate from the opposite side of the door. Generally, this plate must be turned counter-clockwise to be unscrewed. In some cases there might be a small set-screw on the bottom side that must be removed before the faceplate can be turned. Inside the front faceplate is the locking mechanism for the deadbolt. If the lock is designed for keyed entry, the mechanism will slide out with the faceplate. In other designs, the mechanism is underneath the faceplate and will need to be removed separately. After this is accomplished, the bolt can usually be unjammed or unlocked by inserting a flat-head screwdriver into the slot where the shaft of the locking mechanism was previously placed, and turning it manually.
Remove the sliding bolt by turning the door to the narrow edge and locating the set-plate, which has two screws, one on the top of the bolt's end and one below. Remove the screws with a screwdriver. The set-plate will often be attached to the bolt and its sleeve, and will slide out as one unit. In some older models, the plate and bolt with sleeve are removed separately. The task is now complete.
Read more: How to Remove a Deadbolt Lock From a Door | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_5009864_remove-deadbolt-lock-door.html#ixzz1f4GP9dLW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNX5MQZNWmk video on installing a dead bolt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuL6v5QDIV4&feature=relmfu video on drilling a strike hole for the dead bolt (the hole in the jam)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuHoapkDieQ&feature=relmfu drilling the piolet holes for the deadbolt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy4auXWoHNM&feature=relmfu sawing the hole for the deadbolt
Removing an old door
Tools:
. Hammer
. Flathead screwdriver or thin blade/chisel
. Nail or thin Phillips head screwdriver
1. Place the chisel just underneath the top of the pin and tap upward until it comes loose. It’s always good to have a friend around to help brace the door. Once the pin is loose you can pull it out by hand the rest of the way. If you are having trouble getting the screwdriver under the head of the pin try taking a nail and tapping the pin up from the bottom to get it loose
 |
| Tap upwards here with a nail or screwdriver |
2. Repeat this process for the remaining one or two hinges then carefully slide the door off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhHFqy0fw8c video on removing a door from its hinges
Monday, November 28, 2011
BASIC TOILET REPAIR
Welcome to Fix It Yourself Vol 2. We are going to explain the how-to of fixing a toilet. Toilets (if your space has one) is something that everyone in the space uses and usually makes everyone happy when it is working at its best. If you take apart a toilet and really look at how it functions it’s quite easy to operate. After the first week of moving into our apartment the toilet broke (in two places) and we had to figure out how to fix it, we are proud to say that with a spoon and a plunger we now have the toilet rigged with optional auto flush. Anyway, we are going to include a link to a page which shows a video on toilet repair that we're sure it will help, along with the usual instructions and detail of what tools you will need. To start out, these are some of the tools that you will need for sure when dealing with a toilet.
. Rubber gloves (if its messy than get some that go up to your elbows if you can find them)
. 2 five gallon buckets
. Goggles or safety glasses
. Plumbers pliers
. Screw driver
. old towels
. large Tupperware container
. wrenches (size depends on what bolts were used)
. Plunger
.some cash for new parts (or sticky fingers)
Before we begin with the solutions to problems, it may be helpful to understand just how a toilet works. All the parts rely on one another and when one is out of wack. The whole toilet won’t function properly.
Here is a detailed picture of a standard toilet.
Ok, well first we will start off with the most basic problem, a clog. If your toilet is clogged you’re going to be having all the shit and piss stuck in the bowl and flushing the toilet will just make it overflow or make the water rise almost to the very top. If the water is rising quickly in the bowl and about to over flow you can stop this by opening up the back of the toilet and push the rubber plug down which is letting all the water flow down or immediately shutting off the water supply to the toilet If your clogged toilet has water all the way up to the top of the bowl and it won’t go down then you may need to bail some out of it before you plunge. Get one of your 5 gallon buckets and put it next to the toilet. Grab a cup you don’t mind loosing and put on your gloves. Start to bail out water into the bucket until the water goes down enough where if you are plunging it won’t splash water everywhere. Once this is done (if you even needed to do it) take your plunger and put the suction end over the hole in bottom of the toilet. Push down on it to get a suction gasket and then begin to push up and down on the plunger vigorously (don’t break the air seal) try to plunge for about 5 seconds and pull out the plunger. If the clog is removed then the water will suck down.
If it doesn’t, then you didn’t fix the clog. Keep trying to repeat this process a few times. If you still have no luck then you may need to get a little dirty. For this next step I recommend you get your rubber gloves that go to your elbows ( can be substituted with using two bags that newspapers come in doubled up.) and your safety glasses. Using a bandana or a mask may help too because its gonna smell….like shit. The glasses are just to help prevent urine or feces from splashing your eyes. When you are ready stick your hand in the hole and reach down as far as you can to find what may be clogging it. If you can pull it out then do it. If not then you may need to rig up something with a coat hanger to help fish it out. Here is a side profile of what a toilet looks like and where the clog may be stuck at. If you are unable to pull out the clog your next move should be to try to push it all the way through. If you haven’t in a while, you may want to use drain-o or a similar product to clean out your toilet once you have removed your clog.
Problem # 2 My toilet won’t stop flushing. This is the original problem that we faced when our toilet first broke. There are a few reasons this may be and the first ill start with is the *float arm broke. (See above picture A). When this snapped off due to being old and rusty the water kept pouring into the toilet and stayed on auto flush.
This was due to that *float arm* breaking, this part controls the right amount of water that needs to be filled into the back of the toilet, a quick fix for this is to grab where the float arm broke from the *ballcock valve* and lift up. This will stop the water flow. You can stick a spoon where your hand is and weigh the other end of the spoon down with a toilet plunger. Now the float arm in picture (A) may not be what you toilet has. Some toilets are what are shown in picture (B). Depending which toilet you have will determine what parts you may need to buy. Even though the part may still be fully intact, it may just be broken and needs replacement to stop the water from constantly flowing.
-The fun part-
As I mentioned before
Whether you have toilet (A) or (B) depends what part you need to buy. The overall method of replacement will be the same for both, just hooking up the parts will be slightly different. A good way to remember what it is supposed to look like is to take a picture of what you’re about to work on before you actually take it apart; it may help when putting it back together.
Tools you will need: large bowl, towel, plumbers pliers, scissors
Step 1- get the new part you need for your toilet
Step 2- shut off the water to the toilet. This is done by turning the water shut off switch located under or next to the toilet clockwise.
Step 3- flush the toilet so the remaining water in the back drains out.
Step 4- place the bowl under where the water hookup is connected to the toilet.
Step 5- unhook the water supply line from the toilet (make sure water is shut off) some water may drain out of this
Step 6- unscrew bolt at the bottom of the toilet connected to the part which you are replacing, usually you can just do this by hand but if it stuck on too tight try to use your plumbers pliers (try not to strip the bolt or break it. The bolt us usually plastic) after this is unscrewed more water should drain out into your bowl.
Step 7- remove the broken part from the toilet, unhooking what may be necessary if anything
Step 8- take out your new part and replace it in the same way the old one was. There may be a piece of rubber or plastic tubing which the water flows through that may be too long if this is the case you may need to cut it to the proper length as the old one was. As the purpose of this part you are replacing is to keep the proper water level in the back of the toilet and to stop water from constantly flowing you will probably need to adjust the right height of your part to match the old one. Different brands may have different ways of doing this so I suggest just reading the directions for it.
Steps 9- follow these directions in reverse to complete the job.
This video helped me out for this task: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZSMmy_LLT8
Another reason that your toilet may not stop flushing is due to a broken (or just needed to be adjusted *flapper).
The flapper is the part which lifts up allowing water to flow out of the tank into the toilet bowl allowing it to flush, it functions the same as a plug you use in a tub to take a bath so the water stays in the tub. Try to look into the back of the tank and see if the flapper is resting tightly in the hole or if there is a slight gap in it. If there is a gap it can be from the chain attached to the flapper being too short and simply needs an adjustment to allow the flapper to rest properly, or the flapper is too old and needs to be replaced. Replacement of a flapper is simple. Just turn off the water to the toilet, flush the remaining water out, unhook the old flapper and install the new one.
Problem 3- the toilet takes forever to fill back up.
For this problem there may be a couple of reasons. Maybe the *water supply valve* somehow got turned down causing only a little water to be flowing through. Try to turn it more to the left to open up the water flow. If this does not work then there may be a clog in the tubes.
Step 1- turn off the water
Step 2- drain the tank by flushing the toilet to ensure there is almost no water in the back.
Step 3- remove the toilet *fill valve tube*
Step 4- straighten it out and hold it up to the light to look through it. If there is a clog then you won’t be able to see light on the other end. If there is a clog then try to use a pipe cleaner or a thin rod to clear out the clog. If you don’t have any of these at hand try to pinch the area where the clog is to loosen it up then run sink water through it.
Step 5- if the fill valve tube is clear then the problem may be a clog in the *bowl refill tube*. Try to repeat the same process as step 4 with this tube. If you still cannot find a clog then your refill or ballcock valve may be broken and needs to be replaced. For this refer to problem 2.
Problem 4- Leaking Toilet Bowl
For this you will need a towel, wrench/ratchet, a new *wax ring (see parts guide at the back of this zine) and gloves
Another problem is discovered when you stand up and realize that your socks are wet. Water leaking out onto the floor from the base of the bowl is indicative of a few different problems. While it could mean that the porcelain has cracked, it's not very likely that this could happen without you knowing it. Something would have to hit the toilet quite hard for this to happen.
Most likely, this leak is cause by a faulty wax ring. If a toilet is not bolted to the floor firmly, it will rock ever so slightly whenever someone sits on it. Over time, this subtle rocking motion will cause the wax ring to work loose. Don't worry; this is something you can fix.
Shut off the *water supply* to the toilet and then flush it one more time. This should empty both the tank and the bowl. Unhook the water supply and then loosen the bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. Once you have it loose, simply pull straight up on the toilet and lift it off of the drain pipe where it is seated. The old wax ring should be left behind on the floor. Get a pair of gloves and remove it.
Hopefully you were thinking ahead and got a new ring before you pulled up your toilet. A new wax ring shouldn't cost more than $3.00. Set the new ring in place and then put the toilet back into place. Push down on the toilet firmly to make sure that the new wax ring is correctly seated, and then bolt the toilet back down to the floor, making sure that it is tight enough to keep the toilet from rocking. Be careful though, as you can crack the porcelain if you over tighten the bolts.
Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/repairtoiletproblems#ixzz14RFnl4Fz
Problem 5- broken flush handle
This is another problem that we faced a few days after we moved in. I’ll be honest; we still haven’t replaced the handle. You don’t have to do this and the toilet will still work fine if you just pull the chain which is attached to the handle every time you want to flush. You can even attach the chain to a wooden spoon or stick and lay it across the back of the toilet and just pull the spoon every time you want to flush
If you want to make your toilet look nice though then this is how to replace the handle.
Tools you will need: new flush handle, wrench/pliers
Step 1- remove the back toilet cover
Step 2- unhook the chain attached to the old handle
Step 3- remove the nut attached to the handle on the inside of the tank (this is a reverse nut so you want to turn it clockwise to remove it)
Step 4- remove old handle, it should just pull out
Step 5- install the new handle, remember that the threads are reversed
Step 6- reattach the chain to the new handle
Step 7- flush it to make sure it works.
Now it may come to a point where you can no longer fix your toilet and you have to replace it with a new one. This is actually a lot simpler than it seems. First thing you need to do is to shut off the water supply.
Step 2- flush the toilet and get as much water out as you can.
Step 3- unhook the water supply line from the toilet
Step 4- remove the bolts attaching the toilet to the floor
Step 5- rock the toilet back and forth to break the existing wax ring
Step 6- lift the toilet up off the bolts attaching it to the floor and set it to the side.
Step 7- using a scraper or putty knife, scrape off the remaining *wax ring left on the *flange
Step 8- make sure that the bolts and the flange are both still in proper condition. If broken and need to be replaced I recommend watching these two videos, the first one does not explain how to reinstall a new wax ring but the second one does. The first video covers how to replace a broken *flange 1.http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20344342,00.html
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZz1zih7_xo((((video
Step 9- after a new wax ring is in place you can install a new toilet, just line up the bolts with the holes in the toilet and push straight down.
Step 10- re attach the toilet to the floor and hook the water supply back up.
*toilet flange* the flange is a plastic or metal ring that will be around the hole where the toilet sits on the floor.
. Rubber gloves (if its messy than get some that go up to your elbows if you can find them)
. 2 five gallon buckets
. Goggles or safety glasses
. Plumbers pliers
. Screw driver
. old towels
. large Tupperware container
. wrenches (size depends on what bolts were used)
. Plunger
.some cash for new parts (or sticky fingers)
Before we begin with the solutions to problems, it may be helpful to understand just how a toilet works. All the parts rely on one another and when one is out of wack. The whole toilet won’t function properly.
Here is a detailed picture of a standard toilet.
Ok, well first we will start off with the most basic problem, a clog. If your toilet is clogged you’re going to be having all the shit and piss stuck in the bowl and flushing the toilet will just make it overflow or make the water rise almost to the very top. If the water is rising quickly in the bowl and about to over flow you can stop this by opening up the back of the toilet and push the rubber plug down which is letting all the water flow down or immediately shutting off the water supply to the toilet If your clogged toilet has water all the way up to the top of the bowl and it won’t go down then you may need to bail some out of it before you plunge. Get one of your 5 gallon buckets and put it next to the toilet. Grab a cup you don’t mind loosing and put on your gloves. Start to bail out water into the bucket until the water goes down enough where if you are plunging it won’t splash water everywhere. Once this is done (if you even needed to do it) take your plunger and put the suction end over the hole in bottom of the toilet. Push down on it to get a suction gasket and then begin to push up and down on the plunger vigorously (don’t break the air seal) try to plunge for about 5 seconds and pull out the plunger. If the clog is removed then the water will suck down.
If it doesn’t, then you didn’t fix the clog. Keep trying to repeat this process a few times. If you still have no luck then you may need to get a little dirty. For this next step I recommend you get your rubber gloves that go to your elbows ( can be substituted with using two bags that newspapers come in doubled up.) and your safety glasses. Using a bandana or a mask may help too because its gonna smell….like shit. The glasses are just to help prevent urine or feces from splashing your eyes. When you are ready stick your hand in the hole and reach down as far as you can to find what may be clogging it. If you can pull it out then do it. If not then you may need to rig up something with a coat hanger to help fish it out. Here is a side profile of what a toilet looks like and where the clog may be stuck at. If you are unable to pull out the clog your next move should be to try to push it all the way through. If you haven’t in a while, you may want to use drain-o or a similar product to clean out your toilet once you have removed your clog.
Problem # 2 My toilet won’t stop flushing. This is the original problem that we faced when our toilet first broke. There are a few reasons this may be and the first ill start with is the *float arm broke. (See above picture A). When this snapped off due to being old and rusty the water kept pouring into the toilet and stayed on auto flush.
This was due to that *float arm* breaking, this part controls the right amount of water that needs to be filled into the back of the toilet, a quick fix for this is to grab where the float arm broke from the *ballcock valve* and lift up. This will stop the water flow. You can stick a spoon where your hand is and weigh the other end of the spoon down with a toilet plunger. Now the float arm in picture (A) may not be what you toilet has. Some toilets are what are shown in picture (B). Depending which toilet you have will determine what parts you may need to buy. Even though the part may still be fully intact, it may just be broken and needs replacement to stop the water from constantly flowing.
-The fun part-
As I mentioned before
Whether you have toilet (A) or (B) depends what part you need to buy. The overall method of replacement will be the same for both, just hooking up the parts will be slightly different. A good way to remember what it is supposed to look like is to take a picture of what you’re about to work on before you actually take it apart; it may help when putting it back together.
Tools you will need: large bowl, towel, plumbers pliers, scissors
Step 1- get the new part you need for your toilet
Step 2- shut off the water to the toilet. This is done by turning the water shut off switch located under or next to the toilet clockwise.
Step 3- flush the toilet so the remaining water in the back drains out.
Step 4- place the bowl under where the water hookup is connected to the toilet.
Step 5- unhook the water supply line from the toilet (make sure water is shut off) some water may drain out of this
Step 6- unscrew bolt at the bottom of the toilet connected to the part which you are replacing, usually you can just do this by hand but if it stuck on too tight try to use your plumbers pliers (try not to strip the bolt or break it. The bolt us usually plastic) after this is unscrewed more water should drain out into your bowl.
Step 7- remove the broken part from the toilet, unhooking what may be necessary if anything
Step 8- take out your new part and replace it in the same way the old one was. There may be a piece of rubber or plastic tubing which the water flows through that may be too long if this is the case you may need to cut it to the proper length as the old one was. As the purpose of this part you are replacing is to keep the proper water level in the back of the toilet and to stop water from constantly flowing you will probably need to adjust the right height of your part to match the old one. Different brands may have different ways of doing this so I suggest just reading the directions for it.
Steps 9- follow these directions in reverse to complete the job.
This video helped me out for this task: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZSMmy_LLT8
Another reason that your toilet may not stop flushing is due to a broken (or just needed to be adjusted *flapper).
The flapper is the part which lifts up allowing water to flow out of the tank into the toilet bowl allowing it to flush, it functions the same as a plug you use in a tub to take a bath so the water stays in the tub. Try to look into the back of the tank and see if the flapper is resting tightly in the hole or if there is a slight gap in it. If there is a gap it can be from the chain attached to the flapper being too short and simply needs an adjustment to allow the flapper to rest properly, or the flapper is too old and needs to be replaced. Replacement of a flapper is simple. Just turn off the water to the toilet, flush the remaining water out, unhook the old flapper and install the new one.
Problem 3- the toilet takes forever to fill back up.
For this problem there may be a couple of reasons. Maybe the *water supply valve* somehow got turned down causing only a little water to be flowing through. Try to turn it more to the left to open up the water flow. If this does not work then there may be a clog in the tubes.
Step 1- turn off the water
Step 2- drain the tank by flushing the toilet to ensure there is almost no water in the back.
Step 3- remove the toilet *fill valve tube*
Step 4- straighten it out and hold it up to the light to look through it. If there is a clog then you won’t be able to see light on the other end. If there is a clog then try to use a pipe cleaner or a thin rod to clear out the clog. If you don’t have any of these at hand try to pinch the area where the clog is to loosen it up then run sink water through it.
Step 5- if the fill valve tube is clear then the problem may be a clog in the *bowl refill tube*. Try to repeat the same process as step 4 with this tube. If you still cannot find a clog then your refill or ballcock valve may be broken and needs to be replaced. For this refer to problem 2.
Problem 4- Leaking Toilet Bowl
For this you will need a towel, wrench/ratchet, a new *wax ring (see parts guide at the back of this zine) and gloves
Another problem is discovered when you stand up and realize that your socks are wet. Water leaking out onto the floor from the base of the bowl is indicative of a few different problems. While it could mean that the porcelain has cracked, it's not very likely that this could happen without you knowing it. Something would have to hit the toilet quite hard for this to happen.
Most likely, this leak is cause by a faulty wax ring. If a toilet is not bolted to the floor firmly, it will rock ever so slightly whenever someone sits on it. Over time, this subtle rocking motion will cause the wax ring to work loose. Don't worry; this is something you can fix.
Shut off the *water supply* to the toilet and then flush it one more time. This should empty both the tank and the bowl. Unhook the water supply and then loosen the bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. Once you have it loose, simply pull straight up on the toilet and lift it off of the drain pipe where it is seated. The old wax ring should be left behind on the floor. Get a pair of gloves and remove it.
Hopefully you were thinking ahead and got a new ring before you pulled up your toilet. A new wax ring shouldn't cost more than $3.00. Set the new ring in place and then put the toilet back into place. Push down on the toilet firmly to make sure that the new wax ring is correctly seated, and then bolt the toilet back down to the floor, making sure that it is tight enough to keep the toilet from rocking. Be careful though, as you can crack the porcelain if you over tighten the bolts.
Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/repairtoiletproblems#ixzz14RFnl4Fz
Problem 5- broken flush handle
This is another problem that we faced a few days after we moved in. I’ll be honest; we still haven’t replaced the handle. You don’t have to do this and the toilet will still work fine if you just pull the chain which is attached to the handle every time you want to flush. You can even attach the chain to a wooden spoon or stick and lay it across the back of the toilet and just pull the spoon every time you want to flush
If you want to make your toilet look nice though then this is how to replace the handle.
Tools you will need: new flush handle, wrench/pliers
Step 1- remove the back toilet cover
Step 2- unhook the chain attached to the old handle
Step 3- remove the nut attached to the handle on the inside of the tank (this is a reverse nut so you want to turn it clockwise to remove it)
Step 4- remove old handle, it should just pull out
Step 5- install the new handle, remember that the threads are reversed
Step 6- reattach the chain to the new handle
Step 7- flush it to make sure it works.
Now it may come to a point where you can no longer fix your toilet and you have to replace it with a new one. This is actually a lot simpler than it seems. First thing you need to do is to shut off the water supply.
Step 2- flush the toilet and get as much water out as you can.
Step 3- unhook the water supply line from the toilet
Step 4- remove the bolts attaching the toilet to the floor
Step 5- rock the toilet back and forth to break the existing wax ring
Step 6- lift the toilet up off the bolts attaching it to the floor and set it to the side.
Step 7- using a scraper or putty knife, scrape off the remaining *wax ring left on the *flange
 |
| *Wax Ring |
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZz1zih7_xo((((video
Step 9- after a new wax ring is in place you can install a new toilet, just line up the bolts with the holes in the toilet and push straight down.
Step 10- re attach the toilet to the floor and hook the water supply back up.
*toilet flange* the flange is a plastic or metal ring that will be around the hole where the toilet sits on the floor.
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