Servant's Toilet

When I re-plumbed the laundry room, I disconnected the water to this toilet. It was the "servant's" toilet in the basement. Not a very glamorous setting...

Whenever I'm working in the basement and have to use the toilet, I have to run upstairs. I've gotten tired of that, so figured it was time to reconnect this one. And it's good practice for some other plumbing work that's coming soon.

The toilet was working before I disconnected it, but it took forever to fill because the old galvanized supply line was full of mineral buildup and corrosion. I ran the new PEX supply line (left of the toilet in both pictures) and installed a shut-off valve. Now there's a concept - now we have the ability to shut off the water to a single fixture instead of the whole house!

Then I connected the supply to the fill valve and turned on the water. And the supply valve didn't work. And worse yet, it leaked (note water on the floor in the "after" picture). The old one and gaskets are shot.

So off to the home center to get a new fill-valve assembly.

Drain the tank. Install the new valve. Turn on the water.

The new fill-valve works and doesn't leak. Woohoo!

But the flush-valve ball is leaking AND the flush-valve is leaking around the base. It's no suprise that the ball is leaking; it appears to be ancient and the rubber has disintegrated. The gaskets around the base of the flush-valve don't look right to me though... Off to the home center again. I find the new ball easily enough, but cannot find the right gaskets. The salesman suggests I try a plumbing supply house. Of course, they are closed until Monday.

I end up at Gopher Plumbing Supply with the entire valve assembly and gaskets. The salesman doesn't think the gaskets look right either, but gets me replacements that match.

I install them and, of course, they still leak.

So back I go and they hook me up with the right gasket and...

No Leaks!

So that's what I get for assuming what's there is the correct part. How many times am I going to need to learn this lesson with this house? Oh yeah, and there were two of the wrong gasket ($1.49 each). The right one (flush valve shank washer) costs $2.59.

Didn't someone once talk about doing it right the first time???

While I'm at it, I clean the bowl & tank. And I remove the old, nasty seat and replace it with a new one. And find a generic lid that will keep junk from falling into the tank.