Concealed flush with handle- not working consistently

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by Harsh, Oct 11, 2021.

  1. Harsh

    Harsh New Member

    Hi All,

    Grateful for some help.

    My partner and I just moved into our first home and we realised that the flush in the main bathroom doesn’t work well. Sometimes the flow of water is fine but in most times it’s too weak. There’s no problem of flow in any other tap in the house.
    The flush is a handle and the tank etc is concealed behind tiles in the bathroom wall.

    Any suggestions on how to fix this would greatly help. We really don’t want to have to break open the tiles on the wall.

    I have attached a photo of the toilet.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. If there is no access(ridiculous that a fitter has left it like that but it happens), the only option is to break in, normally a removable shelf is left on the top.
    Most likely issue is the syphon needs changing or rewashered
     
    Harsh likes this.
  3. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    There’s no correlation between the poor flush of your loo and the water flow from any tap in the house ! Just doesn’t work that way

    From the looks of the staining down the back of the pan, would suggest that the flush valve is letting water pass constantly into the pan, along with other issues giving a poor flush

    As ridiculous as it seems - some toilets, even though all parts are in good order, just don’t flush well, due to poor design - often a case of form over function

    As above, without a means of gaining access to the cistern, no further investigation can take place. The tiled top isn’t just held in place with a bead of silicone I guess ?

    Utter madness boxing in a cistern with no ease of access - no toilet is ‘fit and forget’

    You may well have become the new owners of someone else’s stupidity and lack of foresight - good luck
     
    Harsh likes this.
  4. just pumps

    just pumps Screwfix Select

    Look closely where the tiles on the front panel reach the shelf on top, is there not a gap.
     
    Harsh likes this.
  5. Harsh

    Harsh New Member

    Thanks all very much for your response.

    the silver coloured beading which joins the tiles to the shelf on top may be removable ? Or so I hope.

    I have no experience with this but is it possible to gain access by removing the handle? Would that allow to look into the cistern behind
     
  6. just pumps

    just pumps Screwfix Select

    You might be able to remove the handle (look for a grub screw) but then the shaft will stay where it is. I am more inclined to look at removing the top shelf over the two larger central tiles.
     
  7. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    The silver beading is simply a tile trim that will be fitted underneath the tiles on the top section and held in place with tile adhesive

    There is a gap underneath the trim but this doesn’t necessarily mean the top is removable ,,,,, but it may be !

    Just need to take a close look and try and work out the construction method

    One common method would be the top section would be made of plywood, treated with a tile primer, then tiled

    Walls would be tiled first, and the top sits inside the walls

    This would then be supported by the frame of the cistern housing / battens. A neat bead of silicon around three sides would cover the tile edge and hold the top in place. A quick slice with a snap off knife would cut through the silicon and make the top easily removable and then, easily reinstated

    Take a close look at construction, give a gentle tug upwards, so if you can slip a blade between gaps under silver trim

    It’s a bit of detective work at this stage :)

    Removing flush handle isn’t going to help access at all - it’s not like ‘key hole surgery’ !!

    The only time this may help is with those large, ugly flush plates that’s some folks like

    Good luck ​
     
  8. just pumps

    just pumps Screwfix Select

    The silver trim is cut one tile in from the right which makes me think the central section might be removable.
     
    WillyEckerslike likes this.
  9. Hopefully the top is removable and the flush valve is a two part type syphon that can be changed from above. If not it’s possible that the pan may have to come out too as it’s very difficult to access the bottom nut on a concealed cistern.
     

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