Toilet won't stop!

[Karl Masks]

Our toilet won't stop running. The flush button doesn't seem to work. We're also getting some leaky drippage through the kitchen roof below. Since no bloody plumber we've tried can be relied on to actually turn up, should we turn the mains water off at least overnight? We aren't going to see anyone till the morning. I have no idea how to fix this myself and the cistern is built into a cabinet behind the toilet which I cannot seem to access, even if I knew what the fuck I was doing. I'd rather not have the kitchen roof collapse and wake up underwater.

 

[Ax^]

fill up the kettle and turn the water off outside now

toilet water in the kitchen won't be nice

or
their is a flapper in the cistern that if you can find and push down it should stop the flow of water

also try raising the float and tieing it up as this will cause the flapper to close and shut off the water flow

 

[JimW]

No tap/valve on the pipe serving the cistern? Is the panel the cistern's behind just clipped in? Might be worth feeling around, surely they won't have sealed in in.

 

[Numbers]

Yep, switch it off and make sure you have drinking water too.
Water damage can be a right bastard.

 

[danski]

Take a pic of cistern housing. We’ll suss it

 

[Supine]

If you have a bath fill it before turning the water off. Will be useful for toilet flushing!

 

[editor]

I've had the same thing and it's almost certainly the stopcock valve - and that can be fixed by forcing it up.

 

[danny la rouge]

I've had the same thing and it's almost certainly the stopcock valve - and that can be fixed by forcing it up.

This. You can probably bend the ballcock arm to achieve this.

 

[pesh]

sounds like the overflow pipe has an issue as well, hence water getting into the kitchen ceiling

 

[Karl Masks]

Ok these pics are the best I can do as the plot light is broken and I don't have a torch

EDIT; these pics suck. Sorry, I don't have much else that can work. Also I thought you could slide off the panel on top but it doesn't move for love nor money. There must be another way int

 

[danski]

Ok these pics are the best I can do as the plot light is broken and I don't have a torch

EDIT; these pics suck. Sorry, I don't have much else that can work. Also I thought you could slide off the panel on top but it doesn't move for love nor money. There must be another way int

At a guess, the flush button might have a bezel that unscrews and the panel should clip out if you pull it forward. Possibly.

 

[Karl Masks]

At a guess, the flush button might have a bezel that unscrews and the panel should clip out if you pull it forward. Possibly.

The flush button is situated in a holder cradle thing that you can unscrew. But then there's something else holdng it in place and I didn't want to disturb that

 

[weltweit]

It is possible the flush mechanism may have failed leaving water to run through the cistern into the toilet below.

But that shouldn't cause water to leak out of the system into the ceiling below.

 

[danski]

The flush button is situated in a holder cradle thing that you can unscrew. But then there's something else holdng it in place and I didn't want to disturb that

You’re not going to make it worse. You need to get inside to solve your problem. Either you or a plumber.
You might be able to clip that panel out with it all intact. If not, see what you can do to release that cradle thing as it may prevent the panel unclipping.

 

[Karl Masks]

what do i do if i unscrew tht inner cradle? Won't i need to get into the cistern itself? If i could do that i might be able to effect a repair as it doesn't seem too hard.

 

[danski]

what do i do if i unscrew tht inner cradle? Won't i need to get into the cistern itself? If i could do that i might be able to effect a repair as it doesn't seem too hard.

Chances are, the connections on the back of the button have come off, meaning the flush mechanism doesn’t work so you might be able sort it once you can see.
As long as you don’t force anything as it’s most likely all plastic, you’ll be fine.
The only problem you have is water and that can be (is?) turned off

 

[Karl Masks]

Chances are, the connections on the back of the button have come off, meaning the flush mechanism doesn’t work so you might be able sort it once you can see.
As long as you don’t force anything as it’s most likely all plastic, you’ll be fine.
The only problem you have is water and that can be (is?) turned off

I think the water can be turned off, i just can't remember where. But what i was asking initially is whether it's safe to leave it. I don't think it's wise but my old dear, who gets very flustered and has had a nightmare dealing with plumbers all afternoon, seems to think leave it be. Unfortunately she's like that

 

[danski]

I think the water can be turned off, i just can't remember where. But what i was asking initially is whether it's safe to leave it. I don't think it's wise but my old dear, who gets very flustered and has had a nightmare dealing with plumbers all afternoon, seems to think leave it be. Unfortunately she's like that

That’s fair enough. Keep going though, you can probably sort it.

 

[Karl Masks]

Ok i've unscrewed the flush button and it has a tube on the back. I'm not sure what to do next. I can't see anything that looks like a problem and i don't want to pull the tube all the way in case i break something more and drown in a tidal wave of toilet water

 

[danski]

Ok i've unscrewed the flush button and it has a tube on the back. I'm not sure what to do next. I can't see anything that looks like a problem and i don't want to pull the tube all the way in case i break something more and drown in a tidal wave of toilet water

You won’t!

 

[moochedit]

When i had that issue i just removed the lid and flushed by pulling the lever inside it directly (until i got a plumber out).

 

[danski]

Can you get your fingers in the hole and try to gently tug the front panel off?

 

[JimW]

Can you get your fingers in the hole and try to gently tug the front panel off?

Lucky old front panel.

 

[Karl Masks]

When i had that issue i just removed the lid and flushed by pulling the lever inside it directly (until i got a plumber out).

i can't see a way into the cistern. there's no lid. It's all in a cabinet, that's the problem

Can you get your fingers in the hole and try to gently tug the front panel off?

I've pulled the tube and it brings up something that it's connected to but it's not going to come out through the hole. I don't know that there is a front panel to remove

 

[danski]

Lucky old front panel.

Someone’s got to enjoy this

 

[danski]

i can't see a way into the cistern. there's no lid. It's all in a cabinet, that's the problem

I've pulled the tube and it brings up something that it's connected to but it's not going to come out through the hole. I don't know that there is a front panel to remove

In your pic it’s the white panel of wood that holds the button

 

[Karl Masks]

Lucky old front panel.

Splashtastic Voyage: Golden Edition

 

[Karl Masks]

In your pic it’s the white panel of wood that holds the button

Ok so I need to pull that off

(JFC, this is turning into confessions of a plumber)

 

[platinumsage]

I've never been tempted by a built-in toilet cistern. Even those toilets that cover the bit around the waste pipe are well dodgy as you can't see leaks. Sorry this isn't much help.

 

[moochedit]

i can't see a way into the cistern. there's no lid. It's all in a cabinet, that's the problem

I've pulled the tube and it brings up something that it's connected to but it's not going to come out through the hole. I don't know that there is a front panel to remove

Your toilet may be different but on mine you just turn the button until it comes off (can't remember if clockwise or anti clockwise) and then the lid just lifts up. I'm not very DIY minded but i was then able to figure out that the button was connected to a tube which in turn pushed a lever underneath it so i just needed to push that lever to flush it. I just left the lid off until the plumber finally came. Water inside is clean and won't overflow with lid off.