Panic! WC cistern-to-bowl pipe is leaking!!!

[Aulus]

Last night the kitchen ceiling began to collapse! I duly identified that when I flush the lav, (clean) water appears on the floor - & has been doing so for many weeks, but all is boxed in so has gone unnoticed.

My task tonight is to remove the boxing so I can access the back of the bowl & hopefully re-fit the flexible cistern pipe. Assuming it is intact & has simply pulled away from the pan, could anyone tell me if Hawkwhite and/or PTFE tape would be sufficient to reseal?

My heartfelt thanks in advance!

 

[JPC]

hard to say without seeing whats required..if its leaking from the the cistern to flush pipe joint then maybe undo it...refit it with some ptfe...this might do it
but they are not normally flexible, so i'm not sure if you might be refering to the pan connector.
take the boxing off...check where its leaking from...making sure you have id'd the leak and then see...

 

[Aulus]

Yes, I'm less panicky now & I have just found some other posts on this subject - seems a real perennial problem.

It's a flexible hose running from (slightly offset) Grohe cistern into back of the non-Grohe pan. The pipe's dry so def the connecting joint.

For me the hardest part will be demolishing all my lovely paintwork & grouting!

 

[Axel]

In situations like this it's best to completely remove the cistern and refit to the pan with a new seal if available - and then test for leakage for some time before retiling etc. You don't want to do it a third time!

 

[Aulus]

In situations like this it's best to completely remove the cistern and refit to the pan with a new seal if available - and then test for leakage for some time before retiling etc. You don't want to do it a third time!

Thanks Axel but I don't want to do it a FIRST time! But I'm going away tomorrow morning and am choiceless!

 

[gasbanni]

Itll be the seal that fits in the back of the pan and the flush piupe fits in to it v common problem and as long as youve got access easy to fix.
If its a concealed cistern with noaccess can be a pain having to cut tiles and remove them to do the job ! done loads in modertn apts with marble walls etc hate it!

 

[Aulus]

Yup, got the panel away, flexible flush pipe is indeed pouring water out when flushing. Pipe approaches pan at 45 degree angle & held in place by huge blob of silicone. Connector looks to be halfway out on one side, presumably a push fit that gave up.

Maybe a new pipe would be the best option? This one is quite short compared to the longer B&Q ones I've seen (hence the strained angle), but maybe Grohe cistern & Laufen pan will be non-standard size fittings??

 

[Alz0r]

rip out all of that silicone and go to a decent merchants and get a rubber flushcone (not pvc).

Might be a tight fit for the flushpipe, but you can shamfer the end of the flushpipe with a file then lube it up with washing up liquid.

never had a rubber flushcone leak on me ever! cant say the same for blobs of silicone!!!

 

[dennyboy]

in my experiance blobs of silicone and wc pans/pan connectors dont mix - probably not been installed correctly in the first place - get it done properly or you'll be ripping off the tiles again sooner rather than later

 

[Aulus]

Agreed, the pipe is reallly stretched as far as it can be, so it was only a matter of time.

Seems my BG Homecare will cover it, so DynoRod coming in today to fix.

Hopefully.

 

[Aulus]

Grate news! It's fixed!

But he just renewed the cone, the pipe is still worryingly short.

I would like to replaced the pipe, but I cannot see exactly how the flexible pipe is fixed. I see from Grohe specs that the original pipe is held by compression collar, would that be the same for a flexible pipe? (I'm worried its glued & Ill damage it by trying to unscrew!)

 

[Axel]

Leave it.

If it leaks again and causes more damage, then they who last fixed it are responsible.

 

[Nige F]

And how much did they charge _ I`ll come and make a lead cone then fill it with Red Lead Putty and rag - that`ll last

 

[Axel]

Yeah...Caulking irons & all that!

 

[Aulus]

And how much did they charge _ I`ll come and make a lead cone then fill it with Red Lead Putty and rag - that`ll last

It was sort of included in my Homecare agreement - he noted that "installation was wrong/pipe too short but repaired as goodwill gesture"

Which was nice.