Several Woodchucks have reported hearing a humming noise in their house that was hard to pin point. Some thought it was electrical while others thought it was in the plumbing. With some careful questioning and a little experimenting, we were able to identify the problem. The hum went away in each case when a faucet was turned on in the house. The problem was a faulty flapper valve in the toilet tank. Don’t panic, if you can make toast you can repair this problem in fifteen minutes with no tools.
- Purchase a toilet tank fill valve at any hardware or big box store. One model is a Fluidmaster #400A. They cost about $10.
- Turn off the water supply to the toilet. The shutoff valve is located on the left side of the toilet and in between the bottom of the tank and the floor.
- Remove the tank lid and flush the toilet with the water supply off, allowing the tank to empty. Use a rag to push the remaining water out of the tank drain located in the center of the tank and just beneath the rubber float flapper.
- Remove the fill valve and float from inside the tank.
- Identify the fill valve and float from the kit for installation. It’s about 16 inches long and 1-inch in diameter, it has a float that pivots up and down on one end and a rubber washer and white, threaded nut on the other. Unscrew the nut, remove the washer and insert the threaded end through the 1-inch hole on the far left of the tank. Reapply the black, rubber washer and tighten the threaded nut against the tank.
- Reattach the water supply line located between the left corner of the tank, where the float and cock valve are attached, and the floor. Turn the water valve on and allow the tank to refill. Check for leaks in the water supply connection and at the connection between the tank and the seat.
Replace flapper valve in toilet. Watch this two-minute video to see how to replace the flapper valve.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com
