Home › Forums › Archives › Old Bulletin Board Archives › Cracked Toilet Tank More Info
- This topic has 2 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 25 years, 6 months ago by John D. Moore.
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3 May 1999 at 11:14 pm #282534lvsully
Thanks HJ, and Thanks Bud at Suncoast Plumbing for your advice. Howsomever, Im still not convinced. More info: The tank is 13 years old and thus 3.5 gals and thus cannot be replaced w/o replacing the whole shebang. Also the tile flooring is shaped around it so it would have to be replaced also. AND: I caused the two cracks, approx. 2 and 3 inches long radiating from the bolt hole, last fall by tightening the bolt too tight. They didnt leak until two weeks ago and they have not gotten longer. The cracks seem to be real hairline cracks that dont even let rust through because the rust is building up in the cracks. It seems to me that that a thorough brushing and cleaning with solvent, followed by a bead of silicone caulk, followed by checkups for several months might be worthwhile. Whadaya think? Also, why didnt the cracks leak before? Thanks Again!
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7 May 1999 at 6:18 am #306096John D. MooreParticipant
When you overtightened the bolts, you simulated the same thing that happens when a tank crack by itself. Corrosion of the bolts, fill valve shank, or trip lever will create localized stress and eventually cause a crack. Whether it initially leaks at that point depends on the other stresses holding the crack closed. At some point the initial stress will overcome the others and the crack will increase in length and width, at that point it will leak, and if the stress is released quickly enough, it will break. You are not to that point yet, but I have never seen one that did not eventually reach that point. When, and if, the tank should break, it is almost certain not to happen when you are available to turn off the water before it damages the residence. The potential for major damage is too great to be gambling on a halfway patch. The problem with the flooring is why I try to convince customers to always remove the toilet before doing any floor replacement. But they seem to always believe that the toilet will not have to be removed or replaced, and that there will always be new ones the same shape and size. They are invariably wrong on all three counts. : Thanks HJ, and Thanks Bud at Suncoast Plumbing for your advice. Howsomever, Im still not convinced. More info: The tank is 13 years old and thus 3.5 gals and thus cannot be replaced w/o replacing the whole shebang. Also the tile flooring is shaped around it so it would have to be replaced also. AND: I caused the two cracks, approx. 2 and 3 inches long radiating from the bolt hole, last fall by tightening the bolt too tight. They didnt leak until two weeks ago and they have not gotten longer. The cracks seem to be real hairline cracks that dont even let rust through because the rust is building up in the cracks. It seems to me that that a thorough brushing and cleaning with solvent, followed by a bead of silicone caulk, followed by checkups for several months might be worthwhile. Whadaya think? Also, why didnt the cracks leak before? Thanks Again!
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7 May 1999 at 6:18 am #306128John D. MooreParticipant
If what we have told you has not convinced you, then nothing will. It does not matter what we think. If you want to patch it with silicone, try it. If it works, and if the tank does not crack any further, then you ae home free. If it does break while you are away from the house or on vacation, then you made the wrong choice. All I can say, is that if a customer asked me to patch his tank rather than replace it, I would be a complete idiot to do it.: Thanks HJ, and Thanks Bud at Suncoast Plumbing for your advice. Howsomever, Im still not convinced. More info: The tank is 13 years old and thus 3.5 gals and thus cannot be replaced w/o replacing the whole shebang. Also the tile flooring is shaped around it so it would have to be replaced also. AND: I caused the two cracks, approx. 2 and 3 inches long radiating from the bolt hole, last fall by tightening the bolt too tight. They didnt leak until two weeks ago and they have not gotten longer. The cracks seem to be real hairline cracks that dont even let rust through because the rust is building up in the cracks. It seems to me that that a thorough brushing and cleaning with solvent, followed by a bead of silicone caulk, followed by checkups for several months might be worthwhile. Whadaya think? Also, why didnt the cracks leak before? Thanks Again!
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