How to Repair a Toilet Water Line
The toilet water line brings water from the water supply valve to the toilet. These lines are usually made out of braided rubber or plastic. A coupling at one end screws onto the water supply valve in the wall, while the other end attaches to the fill valve in the toilet. Occasionally these lines can leak, which leads to a bathroom full of water. Repairing a toilet water line is relatively simple and doesn't require any specialized plumbing tools. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Towels
- Sponges
- Pliers
- Water line gaskets
- Plumbing repair tape
- Plumber's teflon tape
- Scissors
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Instructions
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Shut off the water supply for the toilet water line you want to repair. Follow the line from the base of the toilet tank to where it meets the supply valve at the wall. Rotate the knob on the end of the supply valve clockwise to shut off the water.
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Flush the toilet. Hold down the handle as you flush. This will keep the flapper open and allow all the water inside of the tank to run out of the toilet. Mop up any remaining water with the rags and sponges.
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3
Place another towel on the ground, underneath the toilet water line. Unscrew the toilet line coupling from the bottom of the tank with a pair of pliers. Do the same for the other coupling attached to the water supply valve.
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4
Examine the gaskets on the inside of the couplings. They should be replaced if torn or worn down.
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Examine the toilet water line. Repair any leaks in the water line with plumbing tape. Dry off the line. Start wrapping the tape around the hose about 2 inches above the location of the leak. Continue wrapping downwards in a clockwise direction, overlapping the tape as you do so. Finish wrapping at least 2 inches past the location of the leak. Trim off excess with scissors.
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Wrap the toilet inlet and water supply outlet with plumber's tape. Trim off any excess. Connect the water line couplings to the water supply valve and the tank inlet. Tighten with the pliers.
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Turn the water back on. Check the line for leaks. Tighten any couplings if needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Repairing a toilet water line with tape is, at best, a temporary fix. The line should be replaced with a strong, braided water line as soon as possible.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Toilet bowl and bidet in a toilet image by terex from Fotolia.com
