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I hate plumbing
Jun. 8th, 2025 09:17 amThe worst part of owning a house are the DIY plumbing jobs. 'Cos water is a real PITA.
So my toilet fill valve needed replacing. I've done it before on the downstairs toilet, but now the other toilet needed fixing.
Now the process is pretty simple; turn off water at the stopcock, flush it, get as much water out of the cistern as possible, unscrew the fill pipe from the old valve (have something to catch water), unscrew the valve mount from underneath the cistern (catch the water), clean it up, put the new valve in, tighten the mount, connect the fill pipe, tighten, turn on the water. Adjust level.
In practice the stopcock hasn't been turned for 25+ years. Fortunately it was only stiff. The pipe disconnected cleanly.
The first main problem was removing the mount; it was so stiff and hard to turn that I ended up using a dremmel to cut it off. I just couldn't get the adjustable spanner to stay on to turn it.
Once I managed that putting the rest together was easy enough.
And now we're at the drip-drip phase of things. It's possible I need a new fill pipe connector 'cos the rubber seal may not be so good. Also the stopcock may be dripping 'cos it's so old and hadn't been turned for so long. And I may not have tightened the mount enough.
And that's why I hate plumbing; it's the drip drip drip of a slow leak whenever you touch anything!
So my toilet fill valve needed replacing. I've done it before on the downstairs toilet, but now the other toilet needed fixing.
Now the process is pretty simple; turn off water at the stopcock, flush it, get as much water out of the cistern as possible, unscrew the fill pipe from the old valve (have something to catch water), unscrew the valve mount from underneath the cistern (catch the water), clean it up, put the new valve in, tighten the mount, connect the fill pipe, tighten, turn on the water. Adjust level.
In practice the stopcock hasn't been turned for 25+ years. Fortunately it was only stiff. The pipe disconnected cleanly.
The first main problem was removing the mount; it was so stiff and hard to turn that I ended up using a dremmel to cut it off. I just couldn't get the adjustable spanner to stay on to turn it.
Once I managed that putting the rest together was easy enough.
And now we're at the drip-drip phase of things. It's possible I need a new fill pipe connector 'cos the rubber seal may not be so good. Also the stopcock may be dripping 'cos it's so old and hadn't been turned for so long. And I may not have tightened the mount enough.
And that's why I hate plumbing; it's the drip drip drip of a slow leak whenever you touch anything!
