How important is it to tighten the nut 1/2 turn beyond hand tighten?
Replaced the overflow tube and flapper but water still leaking from tank to bowl. NEED HELP!
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Jeff Handy
Pro Handyman, NOT A Pro Plumber
It is important that everything be tight.
But 1/2 turn beyond hand tight can be ambiguous, might need more than that or less.
Experience and feel and instinct are your guides to tightening anything, you will learn from your failure which we all have along the way.
You can almost always use caution and tighten less if you are afraid of breakage of a part.
Go back and tighten more if if needs it.
Going extra tight might be needed, or might cause something to break or get stripped.
If you ever take your tank apart to fix the leak, take the whole flush valve off again, and make sure all sealing surfaces are clean and smooth, and no nicks or burrs in the way.
There are several things you could apply to goop up the surfaces for a better seal, but you should not need them.
But 1/2 turn beyond hand tight can be ambiguous, might need more than that or less.
Experience and feel and instinct are your guides to tightening anything, you will learn from your failure which we all have along the way.
You can almost always use caution and tighten less if you are afraid of breakage of a part.
Go back and tighten more if if needs it.
Going extra tight might be needed, or might cause something to break or get stripped.
If you ever take your tank apart to fix the leak, take the whole flush valve off again, and make sure all sealing surfaces are clean and smooth, and no nicks or burrs in the way.
There are several things you could apply to goop up the surfaces for a better seal, but you should not need them.
I may well be coming in after all has been suggested. If so, please bear with me.
I do not live in the USA. Safe to say I am from an emerging country. Here it is common to use plumber's putty rather than rubber seals at the exit from the cistern (tank) to the bowl. Over time this becomes brittle and if one fiddles with almost anything the putty cracks and, hence, leaks. Tightening exacerbates the problem rather than fixes it.
Use it, lose it with my compliments.
Incidentally, despite my geographic wilderness I really enjoy the posts and have learnt much.
I do not live in the USA. Safe to say I am from an emerging country. Here it is common to use plumber's putty rather than rubber seals at the exit from the cistern (tank) to the bowl. Over time this becomes brittle and if one fiddles with almost anything the putty cracks and, hence, leaks. Tightening exacerbates the problem rather than fixes it.
Use it, lose it with my compliments.
Incidentally, despite my geographic wilderness I really enjoy the posts and have learnt much.
House Doc
"If it's broken we fix it
I always keep a small tube of silicone sealer in my toolbox. A small smear on both sides of the tank to bowl gasket and it's good to go.
The tank should be tightened until the tank doesn't "rock". If you don't have the original gasket find one.
The tank should be tightened until the tank doesn't "rock". If you don't have the original gasket find one.
If the large nut under the tank was loose you would have water on the floor. Its either the new flapper is bad or
the seat that the flapper sits on. Also make sure the chain has a little bit of slack like Geofd mentioned. Take the
flapper off and make sure its clean and no marks on it and rub your finger on the seat and see that there are
no burrs or anything.
the seat that the flapper sits on. Also make sure the chain has a little bit of slack like Geofd mentioned. Take the
flapper off and make sure its clean and no marks on it and rub your finger on the seat and see that there are
no burrs or anything.
Just curious, what country are you from?
