another plumbing question (toilet)

[Cobra6]

My daughter called me all excited - she heard a pop, then a loud crash in her master bathroom. Since she had just gotten home from work, she knew her husband was gone, so she went to the bathroom with her LCR.

She found the toilet tank lid on the floor, and the fill valve extended above the top of the tank. The lid is heavy, so this took a lot of force to knock it off.

What (other than maybe too much water pressure) would cause this?
Is it time to get the water pressure checked coming into the house?

 

[WWIIjeep]

What (other than maybe too much water pressure) would cause this?
Is it time to get the water pressure checked coming into the house?

That's a floating cup style ballcock. You adjust the float level by screwing the upper part of the assembly up or down on the lower stem. It's locked in place with a spring clip.

If the spring clip breaks or comes loose, water pressure can force the upper part of the unit up above the top of the tank, like what happened to yours.

Google "floating cup ballcock adjustment" and you might find an illustration of my description, or just go look at one at a hardware store. If the locking clip is broken, you'll need a whole new unit. If the clip just came loose, you can push the upper assembly back down and lock it back in place, but who's to say it won't happen again since it happened once.

 

[Cobra6]

That's a floating cup style ballcock. You adjust the float level by screwing the upper part of the assembly up or down on the lower stem. It's locked in place with a spring clip.

If the spring clip breaks or comes loose, water pressure can force the upper part of the unit up above the top of the tank, like what happened to yours.

Google "floating cup ballcock adjustment" and you might find an illustration of my description, or just go look at one at a hardware store. If the locking clip is broken, you'll need a whole new unit. If the clip just came loose, you can push the upper assembly back down and lock it back in place, but who's to say it won't happen again since it happened once.

Thanks,
It sounds like time for a whole new unit. I would not have thought they would produce that much force.

 

[Moose97]

I would definitely check water pressure. If it's too high it can cause other serious issues. I had to put a pressure regulator on my supply line. We were getting 120psi at times. Not good.

 

[Cobra6]

I would definitely check water pressure. If it's too high it can cause other serious issues. I had to put a pressure regulator on my supply line. We were getting 120psi at times. Not good.

I had a line blow out on my washing machine years ago - I had regulator in the supply line, but it went bad and _ had ~150 psi in my house.

My daughter has a home warranty that will get a plumber out to check that.

 

[kbs2244]

Call the water department.
I would bet you had a pressure surge of some kind.
They should have a record of it.

 

[Cobra6]

Call the water department.
I would bet you had a pressure surge of some kind.
They should have a record of it.

Maybe - but there are three other toilets just like that one in the house and there were no other problems.

I am going to replace the fill valve, but get the water pressure checked everyone around here has a water pressure regulator on the house side of the meter, it could be worn out.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

It is not your water pressure. Don't call the town they will only chuckle at you.

You have a fluid master valve pictured in your tank. It looks to me like the plastic retaining ring broke. (maybe the original installer cracked it while putting it in the tank) That is a $12 valve. Just go buy a new one (and a new fill hose) and you ought to be able to fix it in under 15 minutes...

 

[campbell990]

It is not your water pressure. Don't call the town they will only chuckle at you.

You have a fluid master valve pictured in your tank. It looks to me like the plastic retaining ring broke. (maybe the original installer cracked it while putting it in the tank) That is a $12 valve. Just go buy a new one (and a new fill hose) and you ought to be able to fix it in under 15 minutes...

+1 The same thing happened to me.