Replace ballcock to tame broken toilet

Is your toilet not functioning properly? Maybe it flushes poorly, runs continuously or leaks water?

Fortunately, most of these problems are fixable. Best of all, you can repair them yourself without shelling out for a plumber.

Last week I outlined some easy repairs and quick fixes, this week I’ll focus on more specific repairs. If the chain or water level is fine but your toilet is still giving you problems, you may need to replace the ballcock.

Replacing an old ballcock with a floatcup will fix your toilet and make it more water-efficient.

The floatcup variety is made of plastic so you do not have to replace it as often.

A brass plunger-valve ballcock can warp and rust while the plastic of the floatcup stays intact.

Step one: Empty tank. Shut off the water by turning the angle stop — the shut-off valve at the bottom of the toilet.

Flush the toilet to empty the water in the tank.

Soak up any remaining water with a mop or sponge.

Step two: Undo supply tube and remove ballcock. Using a wrench, disconnect the supply tube from the tank. The supply tube is the tube that runs from the angle stop to the tank.

Take off the mounting nut and remove the ballcock.

Step three: Install new ballcock. Place the new ballcock through the hole in the tank.

Adjust it so that the lid fits on the toilet.

Bend the refill tube so the tip fits into the overflow tube on the flush valve.

Step four: Reattach supply tube. Attach the coupling nut on the underside of the tank with the wrench.

If you don’t have any more repairs to make, you can reattach the supply tube to the tank.

Step five: Open angle stop. Turn the water back on at the shut-off valve.

Step six: Correct water level. Adjust the water so that it is 1⁄4ins below the top of the overflow tube.

Adjust the ballcock by pinching the spring clip. This moves the floatcup up and down.

Move the floatcup up to raise the water level and move the cup down to lower the water.

Next week I will cover how to replace a flush valve. If this is faulty it can cause the toilet to run continuously.