So, after yesterday's success with the electrical switch - I decided to take care of the toilet. A few weeks ago, it got to where it wouldn't stop running. It's one of those new-fangled ones - so 'jiggling' the handle doesn't fix the problem. The floaty-thing (that is the technical term) stopped being floaty. The water would rise, and it wouldn't.
So, I figure it's an easy enough fix - I'll just replace the floaty-thing. So, I drain the tank, shut off the water, disconnect the old floaty-thing and put in a new one. Turn on the water and get sprayed. Turn off the water. Find the leak, put on more plumbers' tape and tighten the plastic nut down a bit more (it's already so tight I'm afraid I'm about to break it). Turn the water back on again and get sprayed again - from a different spot. Shut off the water, find that spot, and tighten down a different plastic nut. Turn the water back on.
Another spot starts dripping. This is one of the two long bolts that hold the tank to the bottom part. Water off. There's a bit of water in the tank now, but not a lot. So I put a bucket under the bolt. I figure it will all just drain out when I pull out that bolt and replace it. As I am figuring out how to get that bolt out (it involved three hands and twisting my body into a position a pretzel would envy) - the second bolt starts leaking. I only have one bucket.
Did I mention the three hands and the pretzel? Good. Because changing out the other bolt involves doing everything backwards from the first one. I'm convinced now the builders of the house put that toilet in
before putting in the walls around it.
First bolt replaced. Second bolt replaced. Reconnect the water. Tightly. I reach to turn on the water. I stop. I tighten again. I turn on the water.
Success!
Next time, I'm going to hire a plumber. I want an oblong toilet rather than a round one anyway.
