If all the amenities in the house or apartment work perfectly, then often no one notices. However, as soon as only one node fails, the situation begins to resemble a serious technological disaster. Various malfunctions associated with the toilet can be safely attributed to this particular class of incidents. According to experts, often the cause of the malfunction is a toilet float located inside the tank mechanism. We’ll talk about him today.
The device and principle of operation of the float
This product is a ball or cylinder. Inside the product is hollow and filled with air. Due to air, this element of the drain mechanism does not sink in water.
The float is involved in controlling the valve mechanism that shuts off the water supply to the drain tank at the moment when it reaches a certain level. When draining water from the tank, the float falls to the bottom of the tank due to gravity. The valve thus closes.
Kinds
Two types of toilet floats can be distinguished. This is a spherical product and an easel-shaped float. The product of the first type is mounted in the upper part. The float is mounted on a lever by which the tank valve is controlled. This design is almost never used - it is outdated and also has a number of design flaws. These shortcomings do not allow the system to work without noise. Also, due to design features, this part cannot perform its functions for a long time. After a few years, the product loses its tightness.
Glass-like floats of the toilet flush cistern are more advanced structurally. The product has the shape of an inverted glass. He moves along a special rod vertically. This element is filled with air at the top. As the tank fills, a lever is actuated to shut off the water supply. This design is located at the bottom of the tank. Therefore, glass-like floats work with virtually no noise. As for the resource, it is significantly higher than the life of a spherical product.
Malfunctions of the float mechanism and their causes
Despite the fact that the float for the toilet is designed very simply, it is able to significantly ruin the lives of residents of an apartment or house. We will analyze the most frequent breakdowns of this node.
The following situations report faults. So, water may not enter the tank. In another case, it will be received, however, its recruitment will not stop, even if it reaches the maximum level. A membrane mounted on a culvert valve may fail. Often, breakdowns are associated with the quality of the material. Valve openings are also clogged. The fault here is water of dubious quality. Due to these blockages, fluid cannot flow normally into the reservoir tank.
The design of the float may be different. If a malfunction occurs with a spherical product, then this is due to a violation of the tightness and filling the float with water. The second type of product withstands the effects of liquids is much better, but may be contaminated. It also affects the performance of the design.
Trouble-shooting
If the float for the toilet is out of order, the first thing to do is find out exactly what happened and which element is working incorrectly. In the case when the breakdown is associated with a violation of the tightness, then repairing the product in this situation is useless. You can solve the problem only by replacing it with a new one. It is much simpler and cheaper than repair.
In the case of contamination of the glass float, it is enough to clean the part from dirt. After that, the product will rise again.
In case of membrane breakdowns, any repair is impractical. But often something is simply impossible to do. It is much easier to purchase a new part in any hardware store. It is very important when buying to pay attention to the quality of the material. The lifetime depends on this. However, even if the membrane is made of good material, due to the poor quality of water, it will not last long.
If the valve hole is clogged, then this problem can be easily solved. This is done by simply cleaning the channels. As a result, the valve will again work as it should.
How to choose a quality float
Sometimes it happens that the already installed float in the toilet bowl cannot be repaired. In this case, you need to purchase a new item. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the quality of the material. It is best to remove the broken device and, taking it with you to the store, pick up the same one. If the tank has the old design of the drainage system, then the float must be bought the appropriate one.
Adjustments
Most toilet problems can be resolved by simply adjusting the mechanism. Let's see how to adjust the float in the toilet.
To begin, the float should be brought to the desired position. It depends on the material from which the part is made. The brass lever can be bent. And the necessary position is regulated by raising or lowering the lever. If the latter is made of plastic, then it is equipped with a special adjusting screw or plastic ratchet. The screw allows you to change the bend of the lever. And with the help of a ratchet, the lever is locked in position.
Adjustment of the toilet float on more modern models is carried out by rotating the screw. With it, you can raise or lower the part to the desired level. The higher this element is installed, the more fluid will enter the reservoir.
Recommendations of specialists
During the operation of the tank, there may be problems with providing the system with water. It must be remembered that most often the cause is in the float, the membrane of the transmission valve or in the valve opening.
After the cause is found, you can begin to repair or replace the damaged part. If you need to purchase a new float, then pay attention to the type of toilet flush. The choice of product depends on it. Installing a new float is the job that any home craftsman can handle. The main thing is not to forget to shut off the water.