My girlfriend who lives miles way has this problem with toilet cistern. I'm going to visit her in a week time so wanted to prepare myself with a ready solution-idea. So the water keeps overfilling the tank, strangely enough now it got worse as it is happening even when turning water on in the kitchen (one level apartment). From what she says, after each flush of the toilet she need to move that plastic piece inside the cistern, so the water stops filling in. How do I fix it? Which part need to be replaced? Chris
Thank you. I will do that. I noticed there is no overfill tube attached either at her flat and I at my place where I checked my toilet too but on youtube I saw installers connecting that little tube. Is it really necessary?
Replace yes but it could be fixable and quite simple to do if it is just overfilling ie. the valve is not faulty or blocked. Just reduce the height of the float operating the valve so it will close that when the water is at a lower level. There should be some form of screw adjustment possible to do this but I do not recognise that particular type so cannot give specific advice.
Your overflow is integral to the flush valve. It's the vertical white tube ( next to the blue / yellow coloured bits ). If cistern overfills , water runs down it into the pan ,so an external overflow isn't strictly necessary. Your original post is slightly misleading. By overfilling ,do you mean the water level gets to the overflow level ? Or is it just continually allowing water in without it reaching the overflow level ? If it is the latter ,the issue is with the flush valve not the float valve as I previously advised to change. Please clarify your description of the problem.
Thanks for your post. Yes I mean the water level gets to the overflow level and keeps overflowing via the overflow pipe unless she twist that black filling valve. I'm going to see her on Wednesday and already bought this valve. https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta...mDbfhaz6gniBJ7NIUXxoCnMYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Hopefully all goes well
You will need suitable replacement washer to fit between the supply and the float valve ,none are supplied with the float valve, as there are more than one type of connector ,each needing a different type of seal.
I'd also suggest that the OP uses some Fernox LS-X sealant whatever connector/sealing washer is being used. It is quite expensive and the tube will go off, likely before you have need to use it again, but it adds an extra level of security that the new fill valve will not leak during its lifetime. Another thing you'll probably need is some hosepipe or similar to use to syphon out as much water as possible. Even when you've turned the water off and flushed the loo there will probably still be a significant amount of water in the bottom of the cistern. If you try to remove the old valve with it still there you will likely regret it even with bowls or towels strategically positioned.
It’s worth checking with the current fill valve that the float isn’t catching on any part of the cistern wall or flush valve and that it can move up and down with no restriction It’s just you say that your gf has to ‘move the plastic piece to stop water from filling’ - so once float has fully risen up to its pre-set level, seems that the water does actually stop ‘if’, and it’s only an if, the float is catching on any of the cistern internals, then the float can’t fully rise with the water level alone to shut off the inlet valve But could also be a faulty valve, not unusual, can buy spare parts / diaphragm etc for some known brands but as you’ve found, it’s not expensive to replace the complete unit As Terry mentions, post a photo of water supply to fill valve tail to see if anything further may be needed - better to be fully prepared with parts. Hopefully local isolation to fill valve to shut off water, makes the job easier Just remove remaining water from cistern after flushing with a sponge / rag / and squeeze out into toilet or if fair amount of water remaining (flush valves don’t necessarily empty all the water each flush) scoop out what you can with ‘anything’ to hand, such as an empty yoghurt pot, then the rag to fully empty Sealing paste / LSX / etc / shouldn’t be needed to make connection to new valve tail but if tap connector with fibre washer - always worth starting with a new washer. If a flexi hose, just check condition of internal rubber washer and should be ready to go, with no further ‘gunge’ required
I didn't mean it was necessary to use LSX just that it will guarantee a watertight seal in all circumstances. An extra layer of security, that's all. Plumbers thread or PTFE tape is 'generally' recommended for metal to metal screw thread joints but I've never been sure whether to use it on metal to plastic joints which I have with both my toilet cistern's fill valve, the loft the hot water supply tank and expansion tank. All of which I've fitted myself. So, at the time, before the internet, I got some advice, recommending LSX and saying that it would do the job as a jointing compound without any of the hassle of using plumbers' thread/tape. I've used it ever since and 25 years of no leaks from any of the DIY plumbing jobs I've done over that time proves it works. The work I did fitting the valve was later endorsed by a professional plumber bought in to replace the leaking cistern isolation tap as quote......"a pretty good job".
I failed! Still need you guys please So the problem is this: The water keeps overfilling the tank. To stop the water, one need to completely twist the black thing - fill valve. (the whole thing, not just the floating part) So I prepared myself with all the advice, I bought new fill valve. Which should not be difficult to replace by the definition itself. But the construction of the toilet is kind of one build piece attached to the wall. There is no access to the water valve, and same no access to the bottom screw under the cistern. Also, after the flush, when the cistern is filling up with water, there is some kind of "damage" in a sense that water is leaking/spraying out from the top part of the black part. Also, the filling up process, for some strange reason is initiated when turning water in the tap, or in the kitchen! (same level flat). So my reasoning is this: Two ways of fixing it: 1. Dismantling the whole toilet and pulling it out from the floor to get the access to the bottom of the cistern and then replace the whole fill valve. Big job! or 2. Perhaps? There is a way from the top, just to somehow take the fill valve mechanism apart from the top by removing just the top part only? and then plugging in a new part? Not sure how to do it? and what part would be compatible?
I was wondering if there would be that sort of problem as somebody here very recently posted about fitting a new toilet seat and because of a similar installation couldn't easily get access to the mounting screws. Another problem here is that somebody looks to have used filler or grouting between the cistern and the wall behind. If you have to take off the cistern which, according to this thread is what you may have to do, you're likely to have an additional repair job as well. I hope somebody here can come up with an easier solution or more advice as I've no direct experience with this particular type of installation. Who on Earth decided that such toilet designs were a good idea? It seems like a deliberate decision to require a professional plumber to do any replacement or repair job which otherwise someone with basic DIY skills could do easily.
It's a back to wall wc ,it's been siliconed to the wall and floor. Option 1 is required to replace the float valve. If outside your skill set, engage a plumber to do it.
A professional plumber booked. He looked at it and will be removing the whole toilet. Thanks for all advice!
I was afraid that was going to be the solution. Likely > £120 plus the parts cost and I wouldn't be surprised if it was double that ie. two hours work just to replace something you can buy for <£20. Any toilet design that forces you to bring in a pro-plumber for such a relatively simple repair should be banned IMHO. How difficult would it be to design an easy access facility into almost any toilet installation?
The Fluid Master fill valves are both very reliable and well designed in the fact that if / when they fail, you can simply remove the top section with the working parts and stem and leave the tail in place Just need to turn off water feed to valve and flush cistern but remaining water in cistern can stay in place - no need to fully empty cistern or play around with water connection to fill valve Really is a 2 minute job to swap over with new valve, nothing in the tail to ‘go wrong’ so it may as well stay in place and simplify the job, especially when no / limited access to underneath cistern Won’t help the OP in this case, although does look a little like a Fluid Master valve but with top cap missing May help others though when considering a new fill valve and simplified future maintenance plus, great quality parts Other brand fill valves may also have this feature, I really don’t know, just diy me so don’t pretend to know it all !
If there are other fill valves like that Fluid Master mentioned ^ which can have the faulty part replaced without needing to remove the tail please share the information because it could save other people finding this thread several hundred pounds in plumbers' bills.
All repaired! As discussed the plumber had to remove the toilet. Flomasta fill valve installed. It has the top part replacable. It took 2.5h to the plumber to do the job.£70. All looking good. Thank you all for hints and advice!
You can't be in the SE/London then because London plumbers would be charging you £120 (£100/hr + VAT) unless you negotiated with them beforehand and managed to persuade them you were as poor as church mouse. . The decent/honest pro-plumber I last had to use because of a leak from somewhere under the kitchen sink I could identify still charged me £50 even when it turned out the leak was caused by a small 50p washer than had hardened over the years and only needed replacing. That took less than 10mins to find and fix - London plumbers usually don't do half-hourly rates so I was lucky to get it fixed for just £50.
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