Where is the overflow tube in a toilet

Take note of the water level inside the tank. Turn off the water supply to the toilet. Examine the float and fill valve.

Examine the toilet tank's float height. Use a screwdriver to raise or lower the float height. Flush the toilet to test the water level. Modern toilets do have an integral overflow , it'll go straight into the pan under fault conditions.

The external overflow is surplus to requirements, feel free to remove and fill hole if you so desire. To adjust this type of valve , you simply turn an adjustment screw located on the top of the valve. To raise the water level, turn the adjustment screw clockwise; to lower the water level, turn the screw counterclockwise. The water level must be below the top of the tank's overflow tube. Overflow tube : This keeps excess water from overflowing into the tank and spilling onto the bathroom floor.

It is connected to the flush valve. Supply line: This connects the water supply to the toilet , usually at the base of the toilet tank, and allows for proper flushing. It includes a shut-off valve. How do I know what size flush valve I need? Measure the tank discharge flush tube the hole the flush valve flapper covers , to determine the size flush valve you need. The hole might be slightly larger or smaller then 2", but close enough is close enough.

How much does a toilet flapper cost? Slide a tank bolt through each hole and tighten a nut onto each one from underneath, using adjustable pliers. Avoid overtightening the nuts. The tank may still wobble a bit when they are tight because of the sponginess of the spud washer. Connect the flapper to the overflow tube either by hooking it to the posts on the tube or sliding it over the tube.

Make sure it seats completely inside the valve opening, then connect its chain to the flush handle. Reconnect the supply hose and turn the water on. Let the tank fill, then flush the toilet. Lengthen the chain if the flapper doesn't seat all the way and the tank leaks, and shorten the chain if the flapper doesn't rise all the way when you flush.

Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. Asked 7 years, 4 months ago.

Active 5 years ago. Viewed k times. I know I must be missing something obvious, but I can't see it. Improve this question. Buck Buck 2 2 gold badges 8 8 silver badges 10 10 bronze badges. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. That tube provides water to refill the bowl. Without it, you'd only refill the tank.

Improve this answer. During the flush, the siphoning action through the trap pulls more water out of the bowl than is necessary to maintain a water seal, the water is replenished by the bowl refill.

More to the point, the water in the bowl is responsible for blocking sewer gases in the drain line from reaching the room. If the bowl were left empty after a flush, the room would likely get very stinky. That makes sense, but then if the water going down the overflow is refilling the bowl , how is the tank itself being refilled?

Is there some kind of splitter valve, down in the base of the overflow pipe, such that some of the water goes into the bowl, but some gets diverted into the tank?

Water fills the tank from the very base of that water intake tube. I flushed my toilet and stuck my hand around that big tube where the water comes from and could feel the water coming in at the very base in addition to the refill tube spraying into the overflow tube.

I see this base-water-source labelled "water supply valve" on one diagram but it is missing from almost all googled diagrams. Tester Tester k 73 73 gold badges silver badges bronze badges. The refill tube goes into the overflow tube and that water fills the bowl after each flush.