Slow filling toilet

boffin54321

Any advice on how to fix a slow filling toilet after flushing? It takes hours for the cistern to refill (u can hear the drops).

It there a part I need to replace/ turn off water first ? thanks

Joey the lips

Yes you might need to change the inlet float valve for a low pressure one. Its quite a common problem on modern toilets because the come from china are specified for pumped system operation and used in irish gravity systems. I am baseing this on the assumption that you have a top flush modern toilet.

Its something you can do yourself if your half confident but something I would alsways suggest you get a plumber to do,

The valves are available in B&Q if you want to try it yourself. They can be used along with a braded flexi hose. Thats what most DIYERS do

http://www.pulsardirect.co.uk/plumbing-supplies/addtocart.asp?ProductCatId=944&ProductSubId=94

Braided hose

http://www.oursbiz.com/Company/189711/Flexible_Hose_Connecting_Hose_Plumbing_Hose_Braided_Hose_Hp_220_Series.aspx

ART6

Depends on the valve. If it's a brass cylindrical one then the piston might be jammed or the nozzle blocked. In that case waggle the float arm up and down a few times and see if it frees it. If not then you will need to dismantle the valve. Take out the split pin that holds the float arm in place and remove the float arm. Undo the screw cap on the end of the cylinder and withdraw the piston. Check the rubber insert in the end of the piston and poke a bit of wire into then end of the nozzle inside the valve. Turn the water on and see if you get a proper flow. If not, repeat.

If it's a plastic valve with a larger diameter cap immediately before the float attachment, empty the cistern and unscrew the large cap. Inside there is a rubber diaphragm that might have perished and gone hard (they do that!). In that case it's cheaper to just go and buy a new valve from any DIY store.

Whatever -- turn off the water to the cistern first -- Check if it's mains fed or from an attic tank by turning off the mains and seeing if any water flows. If it does then it's tank fed. Personally, in the latter case, I go into the attic and stick a wine bottle cork into the outlet -- saves draining the whole tank.

Stratocaster

boffin54321 wrote: »

Any advice on how to fix a slow filling toilet after flushing? It takes hours for the cistern to refill (u can hear the drops).

It there a part I need to replace/ turn off water first ? thanks

Before giving advice, best to know if your only experiencing this slow fill problem now, or has it always been filling slow?

Stratocaster

ART6 wrote: »

Depends on the valve. If it's a brass cylindrical one then the piston might be jammed or the nozzle blocked. In that case waggle the float arm up and down a few times and see if it frees it. If not then you will need to dismantle the valve. Take out the split pin that holds the float arm in place and remove the float arm. Undo the screw cap on the end of the cylinder and withdraw the piston. Check the rubber insert in the end of the piston and poke a bit of wire into then end of the nozzle inside the valve. Turn the water on and see if you get a proper flow. If not, repeat.

If it's a plastic valve with a larger diameter cap immediately before the float attachment, empty the cistern and unscrew the large cap. Inside there is a rubber diaphragm that might have perished and gone hard (they do that!). In that case it's cheaper to just go and buy a new valve from any DIY store.

Whatever -- turn off the water to the cistern first -- Check if it's mains fed or from an attic tank by turning off the mains and seeing if any water flows. If it does then it's tank fed. Personally, in the latter case, I go into the attic and stick a wine bottle cork into the outlet -- saves draining the whole tank.

Good advice.

Only thing to add would be turning off the cold water by the valve in the hot press, Its hard to find a cork to fit into the attic tanks 350, so I would tie up the ball cock and drain through bath, leave the bath tap open and drain off the WHB beside the toilet, that should remove all the water.

Best to locate the valve in the hotpress, it may be seized or become seized, you should then replace the valve if it's a gate valve, replace with a lever action valve. Only if the valve is giving trouble.

boffin54321

Thanks for the advice.

No it hasn't alwayd been slow filling. Just in the last few weeks.

How do you know which lever in the hotpress turns off the water flow to toilet?

The float arm is plastic, and there is a rubber diafram. Can you buy the diafram on it own or do u have to buy the complete arm/float?

Stratocaster

boffin54321 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice.

No it hasn't alwayd been slow filling. Just in the last few weeks.

How do you know which lever in the hotpress turns off the water flow to toilet?

The float arm is plastic, and there is a rubber diafram. Can you buy the diafram on it own or do u have to buy the complete arm/float?

Look in your hot press, there should be a couple of different valves, the cold water valve is normally on a 3/4" pipe with a red handle, it should come from the ceiling and go into the floor with no other fittings etc, clock wise to turn off, horizontal to the pipe if its a lever handle.

Its very hard to find replacement parts for every fill assembly so you might have trouble, it may not require a new part, could be some dirt in the pipe work causing a blockage. Best to take your time and figure out how to take it apart, take a few pictures of it as you take it apart, you will have a reference to put it back together. When you have all the water off and the fill assembly apart, have someone open the cold valve slightly while you stay at the toilet holding your hand over the assembly in the toilet, this will push out any other dirt that might be in the pipe work. Before putting the assembly together wash it out in your kitchen sink, it will clear off any dirt which could of effected the fill in the first place.