Repair the cistern yourself - water runs after, what to do?

• Construction - cistern
• Signs of a defect
• activities
  • Button is ineffective
  • Water runs permanently
• Use toilet deliberately
  • Tips

A defective cistern can be very expensive if it goes unnoticed. Permanent trailing water is a big waste. Fortunately, the problem can often be resolved in a few simple steps. In this guide, we show you how to proceed systematically and what to do with other defects in this module. But you first have to understand how such a cistern works. In addition, we will inform you in this text about the benefits of a shower toilet.

Powerless control

The advantage of a cistern is that it works without electricity. Alone the water pressure is sufficient to control this flushing device and to reliably fill it with water again. He uses with each rinse always only a defined amount of water. This makes it much more economical compared to the pressure flushes. In addition, the cistern is much quieter.

Construction - cistern

The cistern consists of the following components:

• Angle valve and flexible hose
• Filling or inlet valve
• Float with float adjustment on the filling valve
• Drain valve and overflow, possibly with economy functions
• Actuating mechanism, if necessary with economy button
• and of course the box itself.

The angle valve and flexible hose are located in front of the cistern at the inlet. It is connected to the connecting line of the domestic water supply. The angle valve opens and closes the water supply to the cistern. The flexible hose is the connection to the cistern. A flexible hose facilitates assembly considerably and has no disadvantages compared to a rigid solution.

The filling or inlet valve is located inside the cistern and is supplied with water by the flexible hose. It remains open until the set amount of water is reached.

The float with float adjustment is located at the filling valve. It consists of a small plastic box or a Styrofoam block. The float has the task to close the filling valve when the set amount of water has run into the cistern. For this, the float is attached to a lever.

The drain valve is the long plastic tube that sits exactly in the middle of the cistern. It is hollow inside to overflow the water if the float or check valve fails. This is to avoid flooding in the bathroom.

The actuating mechanism is the small button or the pull rod on the cistern. It is connected to the drain valve via a lever. Modern cisterns have a saving function.
When the rinse button is pressed, a lever lifts the drain valve. The water from the cistern now runs into the bowl and does its work. After releasing the flush button, the drain valve closes again. Now the water from the angle valve runs back into the cistern. It raises the float, which triggers the shut-off valve via a lever. The water supply is closed and the toilet is ready for the next store.

Signs of a defect

How does a defective cistern ">

A defective cistern can:

• run permanently through the toilet bowl (visible and audible)
• drain water permanently at the overflow (audible only)
• fill only very slowly (audible)
• have no effect when pressing the key (felt)

A defective cistern is basically no disaster or a reason for the plumber emergency service. In fact, if this module fails in the way that it can not be repaired by home remedies, simply turn it off. All you need to do is turn off the water at the angle valve. You can also wash away the "shop" with a provided water bucket. Inform yourself then in peace and exchange in the worst case, the entire unit.

Why does damage occur to a cistern?

Where water is, lime is also. The of lime in drinking water varies considerably between regions. In closed systems, which are rarely controlled, however, sooner or later calcification always occurs. The lime settles everywhere. Among other things, it blocks levers and joints or reduces the sealing effect of O-rings. If a joint in a cistern is calcified, the forces used are no longer transferred as intended. Then levers can hang. A cistern, however, can achieve a very long life with a little care.

activities

There are many "Quick-n-Dirty" tips that revive the cistern with funny tools. We advise against that. This mechanical component is very reliable in most of the time and deserves proper care when indicated. Always work properly and conscientiously. The mechanics of the cistern consists mostly of thin plastic elements. Be careful not to break any of the components. If you ever break a lever, you can usually repair the replacement part with epoxy resin or buy new in the trade.

Button is ineffective

If flushing does not occur when you press the button, there are two possible causes:

• Cistern is empty
• Lever of the button is unhooked

You can already distinguish these two errors by pressing the key. If the usual resistance is built up when pressing, there is probably no water in the cistern. Check the angle valve if it is open or if there is a problem with the house water supply.

However, if the button simply pops down without resistance, it is likely that the lever is off. Open the cistern and look for the button. The lever is usually wrong and just needs to be clipped. However, this case usually occurs when the calcification in the cistern is already quite advanced. Just before the next night's sleep, put a half-liter bottle of vinegar essence in the water of the cistern, and then flush as usual the next morning. The calcification should be resolved.

Water runs permanently

Constantly trailing water has the following causes:

• Clamping mechanism on drain valve
• Defective / incorrectly adjusted float
• porous seal on the drain valve

This damage event is a good opportunity for a thorough maintenance of the cistern. Turn the angle valve to and press the flushing. The cistern is now empty and you can work on it without having to handle the water.

First, look at the float. If it is a Styrofoam float, it may lose its effect over time. The Styrofoam shrinks and sucks with water full. Then the swimming effect is no longer sufficient and can lead to the damage described. Swap the float for a new part and the problem is usually resolved. If necessary, remove the drain valve and replace the drain seal as a precaution. A new float costs about 5 euros, a drain valve seal about 1 euro.

If the drain valve does not make a particularly appetizing impression, you can put it in a bucket with vinegar essence overnight. Since you are replacing the gasket anyway, you can still use the full concentration. The plastic can not harm the vinegar essence. If that too does not lead to a satisfactory result, replace the mechanics of the cistern. The trade offers specific or universal solutions for about 15-50 euros. This is still much cheaper than replacing the whole cistern.

If the cistern fills very slowly, the inlet valve is usually clogged. With a vinegar treatment, it is usually free again. But first check, if maybe just the angle valve is not turned on completely.

You can extend the life of your cistern if you descale it regularly. To do this, spray the mechanics above the waterline with lime cleaner and pour a bottle of vinegar essence into the tank once every six months. Let it work overnight. So their mechanics of the cistern always remains lime-free and smooth. For even better results, treat all joints with tap grease. This guarantees a particularly smooth running of all movable components of the toilet flush.

Use toilet deliberately

The sewage treatment plants and municipal utilities sound the alarm. The way in which the "business" is done today has a dramatic impact on sewerage and sanitation. There is talk of wet toilet paper.

Moist toilet paper should be a particularly hygienic and pleasant solution for cleaning after a bowel movement. So practically wet toilet paper is in the application as well - it is so harmful in its disposal. So that moist toilet paper does not decompose already in the packaging, it must be very resistant. This means that, in contrast to normal toilet paper, it does not dissolve in the water. The sewage treatment plants and municipal utilities are constantly fighting against huge amounts of used, moist toilet paper. It clogs the sewers, it blocks the settling tanks and it is extremely difficult to dispose of.

Please avoid your contribution to this huge problem. There is a very simple solution that is much more practical, hygienic and environmentally friendly than using moist toilet paper. There is talk of a toilet-shower.

In Muslim and Asian cultures, the shower toilet has long been an integral part of normal households. Although one of our own companies is a market leader in this field, it has not yet been able to prevail in this country.

A shower toilet is initially an investment. The cheapest variant, the shower toilet seat, already costs over 400 euros. However, the benefits are so great that they more than justify this investment. In addition to relieving the wastewater treatment plants, this solution provides extremely pleasant, hygienic and economical body care where it is most needed. Most of the time, this solution is an incredibly comfortable luxury. For digestive problems, but she is guaranteed to be her best friend.

Installation: shower toilet

Installing a toilet seat is easy. It is particularly suitable for toilets with external cistern. For this purpose, only the angle valve of the cistern needs to be extended by a T-piece. The water pipe of the shower toilet is connected to the T-piece. Then the shower toilet still needs a connection to the mains - ready. It is also mounted on the bowl, just like any other toilet seat.

Tips

Two tips should make it easier for you to use your shower toilet:

1. Switch between the socket and plug of the shower toilet a switch socket. This costs about 5 euros. Only switch on the shower toilet during use. You avoid unnecessary power consumption for the integrated water heater

2. If you notice loud knocks in the water pipe when using the shower toilet, slightly reduce the water supply. In most cases, the beats then decrease or disappear altogether.

Tips for quick readers

• Decalcify cistern regularly.
• Replace seals regularly
• Replace only required components
• In case of total failure simply turn off the water and rinse with a bucket
• Use shower toilet
• Look for brand quality in the shower toilet (Geberit)