ChatterBank21 mins ago
F A O 'The Builder' Please.
24 Answers
This is regarding my previous post here.
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I haven't done anything since that post as I am in Lockdown. The dripping/gurgling is still going on and I recently received my latest six-monthly water statement saying my DD will be increased. A guy from a neighbouring flat told me his bill had actually gone down.
So, he checked my water meter while all taps were turned off in my flat and videoed my meter which showed the clock moving slowly upwards!!!
The Builder, does this still lead you to think it is a Fabric of the Building matter, or down to me? Thank you.
https:/
I haven't done anything since that post as I am in Lockdown. The dripping/gurgling is still going on and I recently received my latest six-monthly water statement saying my DD will be increased. A guy from a neighbouring flat told me his bill had actually gone down.
So, he checked my water meter while all taps were turned off in my flat and videoed my meter which showed the clock moving slowly upwards!!!
The Builder, does this still lead you to think it is a Fabric of the Building matter, or down to me? Thank you.
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Yes .. if you have no overflow pipe at the side of the cistern, that would mean you have an internal overflow. Should the inlet valve be dribbling, this would cause a dripping noise. But you would have no indication of this as it would be leaking inside the cistern .. and it would cause your meter to creep when everything is turned off.
Thank you Alava. Just checked and no, there is no pipe coming from the side of the cistern. The cistern is next to the bath/shower just a bit further along the same wall. So could I be mistaken thinking the noise is coming from behind the shower but is actually coming from inside the cistern and is echoing along the wall perhaps? Is it just the case of taking the lid off the cistern and doing .... what, to fix it LOL??
Modern toilet cisterns seem to have abandoned the good old-fashioned ballcock-controlled entry, siphon tube exit, in favour of a complex Heath Robinson contraption full of floats and levers etc which is meant to handle input, output, and overflow. These (in my experience) are prone to faults, and mine has for a long time now allowed a continuous slight trickle inward, which of course then discharges as overflow internally into the bog. This does make a slight dribbling sound but can only be heard at night when the house is totally silent and since it can't be heard from the bedroom I just put up with it (I'm a bit of a cynical scrooge and resent rip-off repairmen who would no doubt charge me for a complete new unit).
OK I've had a look. I thoughtful was quiet then I noticed a quiet but slow drip, say one every 5-6 seconds at a guess. It is coming from the back on the R/H side. There is one contraption at the front of the cistern and another one at the back with a big blue round thing on the end. It is coming from the one at the back but at the opposite end to the big ball thing, ie on R/H back. Good technical description? Does that make any sense to you?
It makes sense and it is exactly what I thought it would be .. your inlet valve is leaking. It's not the end of the world but it will be annoying especially at night when you lie listening to it! There is no need to worry as the overflow is dealing with the leak, and you won't get flooded.
Are you capable of suppling a photo of the inside of the cistern, this is really the only way of cutting out all the guess work !
It is a fairly simple job to repair I might add.
Are you capable of suppling a photo of the inside of the cistern, this is really the only way of cutting out all the guess work !
It is a fairly simple job to repair I might add.
Canary ... As a rule it is far cheaper to replace a whole unit .. it is not possible to carry every spare .. for every cistern. Any resonable handyman would carry the basics on his van.
What I would do is visit the customer, identify the problem, go to the nearest merchant or supplier. Then buy the part and return and fit it.
These days you would find it hard to spend much more then £20 for most inlet and flush valves.
All of these cheap toilet and cisterns that people have fitted, always have some cheap obscure parts supplied as part of the package .. you try obtaining spares for these, they dont exist !
You only have two choices .. you get the parts and fit them yourself or you get someone else who is capable of doing it !
Sorry you have a third choice .. you keep your cash and you put up with the noise .
Seriously the modern type of dump valve has a tendency to leak from the sealing washer at it's base. It is just a case of twisting the whole valve and removing it, checking for scale around the washer and it's seat and reffitting it. No need to even turn the water off.
What I would do is visit the customer, identify the problem, go to the nearest merchant or supplier. Then buy the part and return and fit it.
These days you would find it hard to spend much more then £20 for most inlet and flush valves.
All of these cheap toilet and cisterns that people have fitted, always have some cheap obscure parts supplied as part of the package .. you try obtaining spares for these, they dont exist !
You only have two choices .. you get the parts and fit them yourself or you get someone else who is capable of doing it !
Sorry you have a third choice .. you keep your cash and you put up with the noise .
Seriously the modern type of dump valve has a tendency to leak from the sealing washer at it's base. It is just a case of twisting the whole valve and removing it, checking for scale around the washer and it's seat and reffitting it. No need to even turn the water off.
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That's fine, whenever you are ready and thank you so much. I'd rather have my meal now than fiddle with the loo anyway. Good night.
That's fine, whenever you are ready and thank you so much. I'd rather have my meal now than fiddle with the loo anyway. Good night.
Good image .. at the back you have the inlet valve (the inlet valve is the thing on the right with the angled pipe on top of it ).
To keep things simple ..
The blue joint has a plastic nut and bolt on top of it ..
The white plastic nut .. turn it so it moves away towards the red valve .. about three turns.
Then with your left hand push the ball( that is floating at the end of the white arm) down into the water and hold it there. Don't worry water will run into the cistern.
With your right hand turn the plastic bolt so that it moves towards the inlet valve.. about three turns.
Now release the float and let it rise up..
Check to see if the leak has stopped ..
If it has then the job is done ..
It is just a matter of tightening the plastic nut while holding the bolt and stopping it from rotating.
If it hasn't stopped leaking do the same again only this time give it just 1 turn and then test again to see if it has stopped.
If it hasn't then I will be back again tomorrow ..
To keep things simple ..
The blue joint has a plastic nut and bolt on top of it ..
The white plastic nut .. turn it so it moves away towards the red valve .. about three turns.
Then with your left hand push the ball( that is floating at the end of the white arm) down into the water and hold it there. Don't worry water will run into the cistern.
With your right hand turn the plastic bolt so that it moves towards the inlet valve.. about three turns.
Now release the float and let it rise up..
Check to see if the leak has stopped ..
If it has then the job is done ..
It is just a matter of tightening the plastic nut while holding the bolt and stopping it from rotating.
If it hasn't stopped leaking do the same again only this time give it just 1 turn and then test again to see if it has stopped.
If it hasn't then I will be back again tomorrow ..
Haha... so, after all my nonsense on the original post, it's a simple inlet valve drip :o(
One of the delights of plumbing LB. Overlooking the obvious.
Anyway, Homer is on the case. He's probably changed more of these valves than even I have. No need to involve the Management Company of course. Unless the lease says otherwise, it'll be your pocket I'm afraid LB.
Though, it's a simple job to replace. It won't break the bank :o)))
One of the delights of plumbing LB. Overlooking the obvious.
Anyway, Homer is on the case. He's probably changed more of these valves than even I have. No need to involve the Management Company of course. Unless the lease says otherwise, it'll be your pocket I'm afraid LB.
Though, it's a simple job to replace. It won't break the bank :o)))
Gawd I dreamt of that wretched cistern last night. I was chopping up mushrooms and onions then tossing them into it. Not sure what to make of that!
Hi Builder, nice to see you. Yes Homer is looking after me very well bless him. Until I have completed his instructions I guess we won't know whether the problem is solved. I don't mind at all paying if it is down to me which it now seems likely. I'd rather do it myself if I can than have people in my flat but as you've no doubt gathered I'm pretty useless with this sort of thing.
Alava, thanks to your excellent instructions I tried to unscrew the nut thingy but it won't move. So I now have to find the right thingy/tool, and have another try. That means I have to find my tool bag first which I haven't seen it for years so it's likely at the back of the cupboard! Too hot at the moment but will come back to this later on today and let you know how/if I've progressed.
Hi Builder, nice to see you. Yes Homer is looking after me very well bless him. Until I have completed his instructions I guess we won't know whether the problem is solved. I don't mind at all paying if it is down to me which it now seems likely. I'd rather do it myself if I can than have people in my flat but as you've no doubt gathered I'm pretty useless with this sort of thing.
Alava, thanks to your excellent instructions I tried to unscrew the nut thingy but it won't move. So I now have to find the right thingy/tool, and have another try. That means I have to find my tool bag first which I haven't seen it for years so it's likely at the back of the cupboard! Too hot at the moment but will come back to this later on today and let you know how/if I've progressed.
