Oh joy, toilet out of commission

11 years ago

I was mopping and cleaning in the bathroom this afternoon when I bumped something behind the toilet near the underside of the tank - a nice stream of water proceeded to flood the floor. I did have the sense to flush and then shut off the intake valve. Got my tools and tried my best to tighten a bolt I thought was the culprit - could not find the right size crescent wrench or even get in a position to reach the nut on the bolt.

So I phone the guy who does my work for me - he's working in Dayton and won't be able to come fix it until Wednesday. However, he'll call his dad and have him come over - but not until 7pm. Ok. Well, dad doesn't get here until 8pm and shows up with the wrong size bolts and left with the tank off the toilet base. He's coming back tomorrow around noon. Meanwhile it's the ole' bucket routine. ugh. Not that I have no experience with that due to all the power outages and freezes over the years but I still don't enjoy it. At least the toilet can be used, so I should be grateful for that.

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Comments (11)

ntt_hou
11 years ago
Yuk, so sorry for your home problem. Any plumbing issue is unpleasant. I just went through with sewage back up myself.

It will soon pass and everything will go back to normal.
alisande
11 years ago
Oh, dear. I have no running water in the kitchen (faucet handle failed), but I've been saying at least I can flush the toilet. Hope you get a fix soon!
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petaloid
11 years ago
Not fun.

Hope all is quickly fixed for both schoolhouse and alisande.
Sue_va
11 years ago
When I started reading this, I thought Oh, you need some of Ntt hou's gadgets. ;0)

Sue
ntt_hou
11 years ago
Being physically disabled, I've always had the need to be prepared of disasters as much as possible. I can't jump as quickly as most people. That was one of the reason I had things around the home to help fixing and cleaning up a bit easier.

I tell you, living alone, when home disaster knock at your door, I do tend to panic a little. And yet, I'm mostly calm and patient inclined. It took me a few minutes to remember that I have all the needed gadgets to do the clean up and calmed me down. So, I know how Schoolhouse and Alisande are going through now.

I talked to my brother, a very handyman, after the sewage back-up disaster. He was quite impressed with how I handled it. He told me that once it happened, we learn much from it and will handle things better next time. Oh, how I wish he lives here nearby us.

I'd rather be without electricity than without water & sewage.
joyfulguy
11 years ago
Not much joy around your house these days, ole joyful figures.

So - I'm wondering about the use of the bucket.

Is that for some receptacle on which to sit when one has business in mind - and flowing out?

Or for filling from the bathtub faucet (or kitchen sink) after one has sat on the toilet, in the usual fashion ...

... or hubs, if he's been in the habit of doing the stand-up routine (as do some comics) ...

... that one can pour into the toilet to carry away the portion of one's goods that's no longer needed (well, part of the stuff that's no longer needed).

ole joyfuelled ... whose toilet gets flushed as usual ... but sometimes needs to have it done about three times, if it just swirls round and round and doesn't end in a gurgle

Landflord figures that maybe the septic tank needs pumping - guess that'll wait till srping.
schoolhouse_gw
Original Author
11 years ago
. "that one can pour into the toilet to carry away the portion of one's goods that's no longer needed (well, part of the stuff that's no longer needed). "

Yepper - that's the reason for the bucket ole' joyful.

Toilet is fixed as of 10:30a this morning. He had to replace all three bolts on the tank plus the seal between the tank and the base. Before he left he advised, "Keep an eye on that valve on the intake pipe, I notice it's wet, might be sweating or a leak. Let me know". Ok. It wasn't leaking before. hmmm.

Something happened that I'm sure all us ladies can relate to. Last night after he left, I was cleaning up in there, moving his tools aside until morning ect. and looked behind the toilet. I had put an old towel down to catch the water and evidently that got soaked. Instead of asking me for another old cloth, here he had gotten one of my good bath towels from atop the armoire and wadded it up back there. It was soaked with dirty water. Why do men do stuff like this? So before he came back this morning I had washed and dried the other two old ones and put them near for him to use. Men.
mawheel
11 years ago
So glad your problem got fixed sooner than you expected. Working plumbing is something we tend to take for granted-- till it's not working, that is. We keep a plunger in our bedroom closet, so it's handy,if needed.

Alisande, hope your plumbing issue gets resolved, soon, too.
ntt_hou
11 years ago
Schoolhouse, I can sure related to the leaking water valve behind the toilet.

Since my home didn't have a sewage cleanout, the plumber had to take the toilet out in order to drain it. Obviously, he had to use the valve to turn off the water. When he left, it began to leak. I had placed some towels by the toilet and had let the plumber know to use them as needed. Of course, it went in one ear and out the other. Fortunately, I went in there to check his work after he left. There was no towel in placed and puddle of water under the valve.

Not long ago, I was sorting my shoes to get rid of some that I can no longer use. I remembered, I had some empty plastic shoeboxes. I took one and placed it under the leaking valve/hose. The plastic shoebox fitted nicely in that area.

The plumber came back to fix the problem, no more leaks.

I now place a plastic shoe box (without lid) under the back valve in each of the toilet just in case.
joyfulguy
11 years ago
Some Big Drips ...

... can be caught in a yogurt container.

ole joyful
susanjf_gw
11 years ago
i'd have to get a room for the night! no way i could ever bucket it! glad we have 2 bathrooms, and i'll keep it that way as long as possible!

Oh joy, toilet out of commission

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Oh joy, toilet out of commission

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