How to Turn Off the Water Supply to a Toilet
Look for a faucet/tap on the pipe that leads to your toilet cistern/tank., If you have an older system (pre-1970s) your toilet may not have a shut-off valve., Try slipping a narrow length of wood under the lift arm/float lever (3) and straddling the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for a faucet/tap on the pipe that leads to your toilet cistern/tank.
If you find a valve, first inspect the condition of the water supply valve which allows water to fill the toilet tank (shown by a red arrow in the photo).
This is usually a 90 degree angle valve.
Overtime due to minimal use, this valve can become very stiff and brittle.
Forcing it closed, and then fully open again can cause weeping, leaks, and breakage.
Carefully attempt turning the handle clockwise (without over-forcing) to turn off the water to the toilet.
If you've successfully turned it without any problem, you can skip the remainder of these steps and continue with your repair job. -
Step 2: If you have an older system (pre-1970s) your toilet may not have a shut-off valve.
Take the lid off the tank, and find the float (1).
It will be a small container of air, designed to float on top of the water in the tank.
When it floats to a certain height, the valve stops letting water into the tank; when you flush the toilet, the float falls with the water level and reopens the water valve.
This allows the toilet to refill, stopping when the float reaches the correct height again.
To prevent water refilling the tank, you must secure the float to prevent the valve from opening after a flush., If the sides of the tank are too high to do this, then straddle the board above the float lever, and wrap a length of stiff wire around both the float arm and the board to hold the float in the fully upright position. , The tank should empty, while the wood/wire strapping holds the lift arm up preventing the valve from refilling the tank. , -
Step 3: Try slipping a narrow length of wood under the lift arm/float lever (3) and straddling the board across the tank (front to back) to hold the lever up.
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Step 4: Flush the toilet to empty it.
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Step 5: After the completion of your repair work
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Step 6: simply remove the board and or strapping to allow the float to refill the tank.
Detailed Guide
If you find a valve, first inspect the condition of the water supply valve which allows water to fill the toilet tank (shown by a red arrow in the photo).
This is usually a 90 degree angle valve.
Overtime due to minimal use, this valve can become very stiff and brittle.
Forcing it closed, and then fully open again can cause weeping, leaks, and breakage.
Carefully attempt turning the handle clockwise (without over-forcing) to turn off the water to the toilet.
If you've successfully turned it without any problem, you can skip the remainder of these steps and continue with your repair job.
Take the lid off the tank, and find the float (1).
It will be a small container of air, designed to float on top of the water in the tank.
When it floats to a certain height, the valve stops letting water into the tank; when you flush the toilet, the float falls with the water level and reopens the water valve.
This allows the toilet to refill, stopping when the float reaches the correct height again.
To prevent water refilling the tank, you must secure the float to prevent the valve from opening after a flush., If the sides of the tank are too high to do this, then straddle the board above the float lever, and wrap a length of stiff wire around both the float arm and the board to hold the float in the fully upright position. , The tank should empty, while the wood/wire strapping holds the lift arm up preventing the valve from refilling the tank. ,
About the Author
Lauren Turner
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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