how do you fix a stuck urinal flush valve

How to Repair Urinal Plumbing Problems

Full Answer

What to do when a urinal won't stop flushing?

Fortunately, there's a built-in flush pressure regulator on most urinals. You just need to unscrew the cap protecting it and then turn the regulator – typically, turning clockwise will decrease flow, while turning counterclockwise will increase flow.

What causes a urinal not to flush?

When the water does not drain in a urinal, the problem can be simple or complicated. Simple meaning maybe something is clogging the urinal internal drain; complicated meaning the plumbing drain line may need to be "snaked." In some instances, the vent stack may also need to be cleaned.

What causes a urinal to keep running?

Because the pressure within a building's plumbing system fluctuates, with higher pressure often occurring at night, when the building experiences low or no use overnight. This pressure, without a control stop in the fully open position, will cause the flushometer to overflow the urinal with water.

How does a flush valve on a urinal work?

These urinal cisterns typically come in plastic, and they're usually installed behind wall cladding. The system flushes thanks to an auto-siphon that releases stored water down into the sparge pipes. This will cause the urinal to flush once the water reaches a certain level.

How do you know if your flush valve is bad?

0:101:58How to Know When Your Fill Valve on a Toilet Needs Replacing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow a lot of times what happens is either the bottom washer ends up deteriorating and causing a leakMoreNow a lot of times what happens is either the bottom washer ends up deteriorating and causing a leak or the toilet fill valve just won't fill anymore.

Why do flush valves fail?

Flushometer Valve Sends Too Much Water into the Toilet or Urinal or Flushes for Too Long a Time. Inadequate water pressure in the water supply line can cause the relief valve to fail to seat properly.

How much does it cost to replace a flushometer?

Costs can range from $350 up to $550, depending on how extensive the remodeling requirements might be.

How do you change a urinal diaphragm?

3:054:16Sloan Regal Flushometer | Diaphragm | Repair and Replace - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst remove the relief valve. Next unscrew the guide assembly. And discard the old diaphragm. PlaceMoreFirst remove the relief valve. Next unscrew the guide assembly. And discard the old diaphragm. Place the new diaphragm over the guide. The side marked this side down should not be visible.

How do you fix a Sloan automatic flush valve?

1:393:10Sloan Optima Flushometer | Sensor | Repair and Replace - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst shut off the water to the flush ometer unscrew and remove the solenoid. I'll check inside theMoreFirst shut off the water to the flush ometer unscrew and remove the solenoid. I'll check inside the housing and remove the cap or any old rings that might be stuck.

What is the difference between flush valve and flush tank?

The flush valve is a mechanism used to flush a toilet or urinal while a flush tank holds fluid in reserve for flushing. A flush valve releases water from the toilet tank/overhead tank and into the bowl. These toilets do not require a tank, unlike the cistern or PVC flush tank.

Where is the water control screw on a urinal?

0:000:59How To Turn OFF Water To Urinal - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhen doing this once you remove this cap. And if you evolve right here in the back. You'll want toMoreWhen doing this once you remove this cap. And if you evolve right here in the back. You'll want to turn this clockwise. All the way to the off position.

How does an automatic flush valve work?

The sensors in the toilet flush valve installed above the cistern, senses motion once the toilet is used and flushes automatically. The sensors capture the heat waves from the body of the person using the bathroom and once they move away, due to the loss of heat, the toilet automatically flushes.

Where is the shut off valve on a urinal?

0:080:59How To Turn OFF Water To Urinal - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWhen doing this once you remove this cap. And if you evolve right here in the back. You'll want toMoreWhen doing this once you remove this cap. And if you evolve right here in the back. You'll want to turn this clockwise. All the way to the off position.

Do urinals have water in them?

Conventional toilets and urinals contain water that can harbor disease-causing bacteria to be released into the air and onto surfaces when flushed. Waterless urinals, on the other hand, have no flushing action and are designed to dry out between uses, so they can't release contamination in this way.

How do you change a urinal diaphragm?

3:054:16Sloan Regal Flushometer | Diaphragm | Repair and Replace - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFirst remove the relief valve. Next unscrew the guide assembly. And discard the old diaphragm. PlaceMoreFirst remove the relief valve. Next unscrew the guide assembly. And discard the old diaphragm. Place the new diaphragm over the guide. The side marked this side down should not be visible.

How do you identify a Sloan flush valve?

Q: How do I identify a Sloan flush valve? A: You can identify a Sloan flushometer a couple different ways. On the flush valve, there is an identification sticker on the bottom backside of the valve body. On OEM Sloan repair parts, the model number will also be engraved in the vacuum breaker, cap, and cover as well.

How to stop water from going into urinal?

With the use of the screwdriver, turn the water supply going to the urinal off by turning the water shut off screw. You should make your turn towards your left side. This will effectively stop water from going into your urinal.

How to bring water back to urinal?

To bring the water supply back to the urinal, turn the secondary shut off back or to your right. Do this slowly.

Why does my urinal smell?

Old urinals also tend to smell, which is caused by the bacteria that thrives in uric sludge, bio film and lime scale build up on the inlet side of the waste trap and outlet. It could also be caused by seepage coming from the connection between the waste trap and outlet.

Why do urinals clog drains?

Urinals could also have clogs in the drain pipe and this is caused by fragments of chemical blocks, lime scale build up in the pipe and waste trap and by uric sludge. However, the most common problem you can encounter with urinals is their propensity to “run.”.

How to find a diaphragm in a syringe?

To locate the diaphragm, look inside the flush head. It is a large disc that is black in color and occupies much of the space inside the flush head. Hence, it should be very easy for you to find it. Remove it and put your new diaphragm in.

Where is the secondary water shut off in a toilet?

The secondary water shut off in your urinal is usually located at the first joint that juts out from your toilet wall or tile. Typically, a chrome cap is used to hide it but it can easily be popped off by means of a screwdriver.

Where is the bolt on a flush head?

With the use of the channel locks, turn the bolt that is located on top of your flush head. It is hexagonal or octagonal in shape and it is the only like it on the flush head.

How to break up a clogged urinal?

You can use a regular plumber’s snake, but you’ll get better results with an auger designed for urinals. Remove the drain mat and cover, and then insert the auger cable down the drain opening. Crank the auger handle, pushing its head through the drain line. Slowly reel it back, and repeat as needed to break up the clog.

How to remove flushometer head bolt?

Use channel lock pliers to remove the flushometer head bolt. Next, remove the flush head cap so that you have access to the diaphragm inside. Water will probably spill out around the open head cap.

What Causes a Urinal to Overflow?

When a urinal starts draining slowly, an overflow can’t be far behind. Fixture components aren’t complicated, so that makes it easier to identify the best repair options. Most urinal overflows are caused by one of these two problems.

What is the Sloan valve on a urinal?

This part of a urinal flushometer is also called the Sloan valve. Replacing it usually stops a urinal from leaking when it’s flushed. Follow these three steps for fixing a leaking urinal flush valve. 1.

Why does my toilet need a flushometer?

Toilets rely on gravity to complete a flush, but a flushometer use s in-house water pressure to complete a flush cycle. When a urinal keeps running or leaks after a flush, it’s time to replace the urinal flush valve and diaphragm inside the flushometer. These parts can fail due to age or constantly fluctuating water volume and pressure.

Why do urinals overflow?

Clogged Drain Lines – Urinal drain screens and mats keep large items from falling down into the pipe, but small debris can bypass both and accumulate down in the p-trap. Sediment Buildup – Over time, sediment deposits build up in urinal drains.

What is the black disk in a flush head?

The exposed black disk in the flush head is the diaphragm. Remove it, and replace it with a new diaphragm. Secure the flush head cap back in place, and wipe down wet surfaces. Flush the urinal to confirm that parts are working properly.

How does a hydraulic urinal flush work?

Lastly, the hydraulic valve urinal flush controls are installed in line with the water supply inlet pipe into the cistern. It senses short-term drops and pressure inside of the water supply and when registered, the valve releases a measured amount of water into the cistern causing the flush.

How to turn off water pressure on a flushometer?

1. Grab a flat screwdriver. Whether your flushometer is facing left or right, you should see a slot for the screwdriver on either side of it. Use the flat screwdriver to turn the screwdriver slot and shut off the water.

How to tell if a urinal is exposed or concealed?

It’s usually above the height of the urinals in the washroom. The pipes are also externally mounted and visible on the walls. If you have a concealed cistern urinal system, this means that the cistern is hidden. It’s usually behind IPS wall panels, wall cladding or within a wall void inside of the washroom. The pipes are concealed and they run behind these panels so that they aren’t viewed by the users.

Why does my toilet keep running?

Part of this system is the flushometer. The flushometer is very important for flushing your toilet and it’s likely the reason that it keeps running. There are two types of flushometers that you can have, which is an automatic one or a manual one. Also, you might want to check if there’s something wrong with a diaphragm. The diaphragm moves up and down and let’s water release to flush the toilet. A small amount of debris can get stuck underneath it to cause it to open after the flush or wear it out.

Can you call a professional to help with a urinal?

Otherwise you can always call a professional to help you whenever something goes wrong.

Can you fix a manual flushometer?

You can easily fix a manual flushometer that’s causing you issues. You likely won’t have to call a professional to fix your manual flushometer. If you have an automatic flushometer, you need to make sure that you’re careful while you’re doing the fix. You can make a mistake that makes it harder for a professional to help you. Here’s how you fix both of those flushometers and the diaphragm on your automatic flushometer.

What happens if you don't hold the handle on a flush valve?

If you don't hold the handle, the flapper drops back down over the flush valve, shutting off the water flow.

What to do if you don't have a shutoff valve?

If you don't have a shutoff valve near the toilet, don' t worry about it: you can easily fix this problem without shutting the water off at all, though you will get your hands wet. Don't worry; the water in the toilet tank is fresh. Steve Hallo.

How to align a flush valve chain?

With the flush arm in the down position and the flapper at rest on the flush valve, pull the chain straight up so there is no slack, and align the chain with one of the holes in the arm. Pinch the chain link nearest this hole.

How to check slack in toilet chain?

Check the slack in the chain when you operate the toilet handle. When the handle is depressed, the flapper should lift into a nearly vertical position so you can see the bottom of the flapper. When you release the handle, the flapper should settle down into the flush valve, with just a small amount of slack in the chain.

Why is my toilet handle stuck?

The "stuck" toilet handle appears to occur for no obvious reason, although the cause is remarkably simple. You can start to understand what is happening if you simply remove the lid from the toilet and watch the parts in action as you depress the toilet handle. When operating normally, the flush arm pulls on a lift chain ...

What to do if your flapper is corroding?

If the flapper still gives you problems, simply replace it with a new one that fits your flush valve. Flappers cost only a few dollars and are sold at all home centers. Be sure to replace the old chain, too, as these eventually corrode and can break.

Where is the water shut off valve on a toilet?

Turn off the water at the fixture shutoff valve, which is usually located near the left side of the toilet tank, where the water supply pipe comes up through the floor or out from the wall. If you don't have a shutoff valve near the toilet, don't worry about it: you can easily fix this problem without shutting the water off at all, though you will get your hands wet. Don't worry; the water in the toilet tank is fresh.

How to flush a broken flush valve?

Insert a wide stick (like one from a popsicle) into the flush valve port, which is located on top of the flush valve where the rod is. Push down on the stick to flush the system. If there’s no flush, you’ve got yourself a broken flush valve.

What to do if toilet lever is broken?

If that lever is broken, you need to get a new one and replace it, or your toilet system won’t be working again anytime soon.

How to shut off a toilet when it's filling up?

First, take the cover off of the tank and press the flush button. Watch the water level as the toilet system drains and fills again. The float will trigger the shut-off valve too early if the water is filling too quickly. You’ll need to locate the small elbow-shaped pipe that comes from your wall to your toilet’s tank.

What happens when a toilet fills too quickly?

What happens is the toilet’s tank fills too quickly after being flushed, causing the float to close off too early. That’s what makes the water continue to run until the issue is fixed. You can complete this fix in minutes. First, take the cover off of the tank and press the flush button.

Where is the rod on a tank lid?

At the end of the rod, there’s a lever.

Where is the elbow shaped pipe in a toilet?

You’ll need to locate the small elbow-shaped pipe that comes from your wall to your toilet’s tank. There’s a small valve that should have a line which (should be, in this situation) pointing along the pipe.

Do you need to take the toilet cover off of a tank?

Push the toilet button a few times to check whether or not the toilet system’s rod moves as well. Yes, you’ll need to take the toilet cover off of the tank to see this in action.