# Leaky toilet tanks, it's driving me NUTS!



## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Hi folks,
I'm 99% finished with my master bath remodel. At this point everything is done except installing the pedestal sink. My wife ordered it on Tuesday and the faucet came yesterday but the sink won't be here until Monday. I decided to spend yesterday getting everything else finished up and ready to go. 

The toilet that was in there before I remodeled is an American Standard 1.6 gpf and it's about 8 or 9 years old. It was in good shape so I had planned on reusing it. I installed a new wax ring and set the bowl. But I decided to install a new set of tank bolts and washers because the old ones got black crud all over my hands when I disassembled it. I picked up new bolts and washers and installed them. After hooking up the supply and filling the tank, it started to drip from the tank bolts. I figured it was no big deal and I'd just snug up the nuts a little bit. But I can't get it to stop leaking! I've torqued the bolts as tight as I dare because I can almost guarantee it's going to break if I do.

I've pulled and reset a lot of toilets over the years and never had an issue like this. I normally just install a new washer on the bolt, put it through the hole in the tank and bowl, then put a washer and nut on and snug it up. But the bolt set I bought shows it having a rubber washer on the inside of the tank, a washer and nut on the other side of the tank, then a washer and nut on the bowl side to attach it. Tried that, still leaks. I tried to put a metal washer on the bolt and then the rubber washer, then the metal washer and nut on the other side of the tank, still leaks. I've tried five or six different combinations of washers, nuts, etc. and tightened the nuts as tight as I dare and the stupid thing still leaks! I've screwed around with this thing for almost three hours and I'm at my wits end. I'm about to say screw it and just buy a new toilet, but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Any suggestions? Thanks for any input!

John


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

The instructions with the bolt set are correct. Did you wipe the inside of the tank where the washers sit ? Check the big seal and nut under the flush valve, I have had that problem and thought it was the bolts.

Hopefully you didnt crack the tank. If all else fails try rubbing some color, shoe polish, paint etc. around the bolt holes on the outside of the tank to make a fine crack visible.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Problem solved...

I didn't want to replace it but when I got to Home Depot, they had a pretty nice dual flush comfort height toilet kit for $98 so I picked one up. Just finished installing it and all is well. I didn't think the minor difference in the bowl height would be that big of a deal, but it is. I've got a pretty major health issue going on that is making it tough for me to go up and down stairs and even just getting up off of the toilet is hard. The comfort height bowl is great! It really does make a difference and it's much easier for me to stand up from the toilet now. Well worth the hundred bucks! 

John


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## outdoor junkie (Sep 16, 2003)

Hope it's not the same one I bought when I redid my bath a few months ago. Mine has the flush buttons on top of the tank, it's a circle, silver part of button for liquid, blue part of button for solids. After about two months the button started sticking everytime we flushed it. Pain in the butt, getting ready to replace it already.


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## Little Roober (Jun 17, 2004)

outdoor junkie said:


> it's a circle, silver part of button for liquid, blue part of button for solids.


They really went and made flushing a toilet complicated too eh? :lol:


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

outdoor junkie said:


> Hope it's not the same one I bought when I redid my bath a few months ago. Mine has the flush buttons on top of the tank, it's a circle, silver part of button for liquid, blue part of button for solids. After about two months the button started sticking everytime we flushed it. Pain in the butt, getting ready to replace it already.


Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure the one I bought is the same one you're having trouble with. But there might be some good news for you. If you have the receipt for the toilet, call customer service and get them to send you a replacement push button assembly. This unit has a limited lifetime warranty to the original purchaser. Here's what it says on the last page of the manual that came with it...

Home Depot warrants this product to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as the original customer purchaser owns their home.

*Home Depot will provide free of charge, at its option, replacement parts or product for comparable product (if no longer available) to replace those which have proven defective in materials or workmanship. 

Proof of purchase (original sales receipt) from the original customer purchaser must be made available to Home Depot for all warranty claims. This warranty is non-transferable. It does not apply in the event of installation error, abuse, misuse or improper care and maintenance (whether by a contractor, service company, or member of the purchaser's household).*

It sounds to me like the button mechanism has just failed. If you've got the receipt, they should provide you with a new one. Here's the customer service number...

*1-800-831-8383
*
Good luck!

John


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## outdoor junkie (Sep 16, 2003)

Hey thanks alot John, once again you've helped me out on here. Guess I didn't pay much attention to the fine print when I bought it, maybe the wife is onto something about never reading the instructions. Hopefully yours doesn't give you any problems.


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## WoW. (Aug 11, 2011)

jpollman said:


> Hi folks,
> 
> 
> The toilet that was in there before I remodeled is an American Standard 1.6 gpf and it's about 8 or 9 years old. It was in good shape so I had planned on reusing it. I installed a new wax ring and set the bowl. But I decided to install a new set of tank bolts and washers because the old ones got black crud all over my hands when I disassembled it. I picked up new bolts and washers and installed them. After hooking up the supply and filling the tank, it started to drip from the tank bolts. I figured it was no big deal and I'd just snug up the nuts a little bit. But I can't get it to stop leaking! I've torqued the bolts as tight as I dare because I can almost guarantee it's going to break if I do.
> ...


I had the same problem a couple of years ago when I did a remodel on the bath of one of my rentals. Talk about frustrating.

I finally gave up and bought a new toilet too, it was easier than screwing around with the old one and with tenants in there, no telling how quickly they would report a leak.


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## Downstate Doug (May 8, 2001)

I like the comfort hight also. Not quite handicap height but you can tell the difference.

DD


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## caseyj (Apr 8, 2001)

I'm getting ready to replace my toilet as well and I was wondering how/where do you dispose of the old one? Fill it with flowers maybe? (lol)


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

It might make a good planter! :lol:

You should be able to put the old one out with the trash. Shouldn't be a problem. If you are in the market for a toilet, take a look at the comfort height models. They are really nice! (as stated earlier by several people in this thread)

John


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## caseyj (Apr 8, 2001)

Thanks John! I was also thinking about Habitat builders. I know they take sinks.


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

They might take it too. I've got a bunch of interior doors and bi-folds that I replaced down at my dad's place a couple months ago. I was going to take them over to the Habitat For Humanity Re-Store over in Pontiac last week. I called first and she said that they'd love to have them but they really didn't have the space for any doors right now. She gave me the number of their Detroit store and asked me to call them and request a pick up. They're coming out on the seventeenth to get these doors. I'm going to give them the wall mount sink that was in the bathroom I just remodeled. It's in good shape but we went with a pedestal sink instead. I thought about giving them the old toilet too because it's not that old. But I don't think I will because of this stupid leak issue. I've looked it over very carefully and it's not cracked but I can't figure out why I couldn't get it to seal up. I think I'm just going to put it out in the trash. I'd hate to see it get sold to someone and have them have to deal with the same headache that I had.

John


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