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- Joined
- 30 Dec 2003
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- 2,254
Hi,
Following my previous thread relating to a faulty toilet inlet valve I got a plumber in to replace it. Since this I have noticed a minor issue (or two - not sure if they are related).
1) There is a constant small drip into the toilet bowl. Approximately one drip every three seconds.
2) The inlet valve opens up for a short time (less than five seconds) approximately once an hour.
Originally I assumed that the two problems were related. I guessed that the "leak" was probably a duff seal on the flusher valve and in turn the water level in the cistern was falling lower enough to trigger the inlet valve to open. As the drop would have been small the inlet only needed to open for a short time.
In order to verify this I did a basic test. I'm certainly not a plumber but I thought this made sense. I flushed the toilet to let the cistern fill to the fill line. I isolated the toilet using the service valve and left this overnight. I checked the water level in the morning (approximately seven hours later) to notice the cistern level had dropped by approximately one inch (off of the drop of my head - did not measure at the time and this was a few nights ago).
I expected that upon turning the service valve back on the inlet valve would open to fill the deficit. It did not, so I can only assume that the small amount of water lost was not sufficient to cause the inlet to open.
Remember, usually the inlet opens approximately once an hour. If the cistern water level had only dropped by a small amount in seven hours I cannot imagine that the amount by which it would drop in one hour would be sufficient for open the inlet valve, especially at a frequency of once an hour as is now usual.
This has lead me to believe, though I'd love to be straightened out if I am wrong, that issue 1) and 2) above are not related.
If this is the case I am not overly bothered by issue 1), if it is dropping by such a small amount it hardly seems an issue, and certainly the "lost" inch (over night) is not enough to reduce the performance of the flush. Typically the toilet would be used more frequently than once every seven hours anyway.
Issue 2) however does concern me. Why does the inlet valve need to open if no water is needed? The water level never seems to go higher than the cistern fill line and (considering that the water loss due to the trip) therefore I cannot understand why it turns on (or what it is doing). Initially I was concerned of the water wastage and the cost of keep filling up the cistern. Irrespective of this, the sound of the inlet opening once an hour (approximately) is getting very annoying. Living in only a one bedroom flat the bathroom is located near to the living room meaning it can be heard every time it opens up.
Can anybody advise what they think the problem may be? Any suggestions on how to proceed would be most appreciated.
I would like to avoid calling out a plumber as the cost seems prohibitive and I have yet to inform (and hence recover funds) from the landlady for the replaced inlet valve... I'd rather avoid having to get more work done and try to charge this to her as I cannot imagine it being an easy process. Likewise, calling the plumber seems problematic as he'd have to wait for up to an hour to see the "ghost flush".
Any ideas?
Thank you.
Following my previous thread relating to a faulty toilet inlet valve I got a plumber in to replace it. Since this I have noticed a minor issue (or two - not sure if they are related).
1) There is a constant small drip into the toilet bowl. Approximately one drip every three seconds.
2) The inlet valve opens up for a short time (less than five seconds) approximately once an hour.
Originally I assumed that the two problems were related. I guessed that the "leak" was probably a duff seal on the flusher valve and in turn the water level in the cistern was falling lower enough to trigger the inlet valve to open. As the drop would have been small the inlet only needed to open for a short time.
In order to verify this I did a basic test. I'm certainly not a plumber but I thought this made sense. I flushed the toilet to let the cistern fill to the fill line. I isolated the toilet using the service valve and left this overnight. I checked the water level in the morning (approximately seven hours later) to notice the cistern level had dropped by approximately one inch (off of the drop of my head - did not measure at the time and this was a few nights ago).
I expected that upon turning the service valve back on the inlet valve would open to fill the deficit. It did not, so I can only assume that the small amount of water lost was not sufficient to cause the inlet to open.
Remember, usually the inlet opens approximately once an hour. If the cistern water level had only dropped by a small amount in seven hours I cannot imagine that the amount by which it would drop in one hour would be sufficient for open the inlet valve, especially at a frequency of once an hour as is now usual.
This has lead me to believe, though I'd love to be straightened out if I am wrong, that issue 1) and 2) above are not related.
If this is the case I am not overly bothered by issue 1), if it is dropping by such a small amount it hardly seems an issue, and certainly the "lost" inch (over night) is not enough to reduce the performance of the flush. Typically the toilet would be used more frequently than once every seven hours anyway.
Issue 2) however does concern me. Why does the inlet valve need to open if no water is needed? The water level never seems to go higher than the cistern fill line and (considering that the water loss due to the trip) therefore I cannot understand why it turns on (or what it is doing). Initially I was concerned of the water wastage and the cost of keep filling up the cistern. Irrespective of this, the sound of the inlet opening once an hour (approximately) is getting very annoying. Living in only a one bedroom flat the bathroom is located near to the living room meaning it can be heard every time it opens up.
Can anybody advise what they think the problem may be? Any suggestions on how to proceed would be most appreciated.
I would like to avoid calling out a plumber as the cost seems prohibitive and I have yet to inform (and hence recover funds) from the landlady for the replaced inlet valve... I'd rather avoid having to get more work done and try to charge this to her as I cannot imagine it being an easy process. Likewise, calling the plumber seems problematic as he'd have to wait for up to an hour to see the "ghost flush".
Any ideas?
Thank you.