Toilet pan connector leak?

[EdDenton]

Hi All,

I would really appreciate some advice. The toilet at my Mother's place is leaking, and I think the source is the pan connector seal but its very hard to see (PICS ATTACHED) - drips are slow but when flushed water appears to flow from the seal and then drip down the U-bend.

I want to get a better look before I call someone out. Its a Vista Retro close coupled open back toilet (FIRST POST SO CANT EMBED LINKS: bathshop321. com/toilets/close-coupled-toilets/vitra-retro-close-coupled-toilet) with a dual push button. I went to remove the cistern lid and tried unscrewing the outer ring of the button but met some resistance and I don't want to force it until I'm sure. Does anyone know if unscrewing is the right way for this make/model?

Secondly, if I am looking at a broken seal on the pan connector, does anyone know roughly what £s I should expect for parts/labour on a (I'm guessing smallish) job like this?

Thanks for any info you can give me.

Ed

 

[Ch4 plumbing]

Firstly make sure it's not dripping from above...could be the doughnut washer!
if it's defiantly the pan connector then just replace yourself, easy for any competent DIY'er.

 

[lame plumber]

yep its a smallish job that could turn into a real nightmare if you know nought, remember that you pay folks for their knowledge, not just their time.

It only takes 10 minutes to do a vasectomy, so thats a smallish job, would you want the person doing that to be a complete beginner and pay them peanuts or rather use a experienced gp/surgeon on around £150k a year.

 

[EdDenton]

Firstly make sure it's not dripping from above...could be the doughnut washer!
if it's defiantly the pan connector then just replace yourself, easy for any competent DIY'er.

Appreciate the reply. I dont think its coming from the washers above - i've done a couple of checks and its either the pan connector (of which I'm pretty confident) or the siphon itself. I want to check over the whole toilet to be 100% though.

Any thoughts on the dual push button removal so i can get to the cistern? Model is VitrA Retro - shown here: bathshop321. com/toilets/close-coupled-toilets/vitra-retro-close-coupled-toilet (can't embed yet sorry), and i can take a photo of the button if needed?

 

[EdDenton]

yep its a smallish job that could turn into a real nightmare if you know nought, remember that you pay folks for their knowledge, not just their time.

It only takes 10 minutes to do a vasectomy, so thats a smallish job, would you want the person doing that to be a complete beginner and pay them peanuts or rather use a experienced gp/surgeon on around £150k a year.

Thanks for replying. I see your point about the DIY route and I certainly don't want to make it worse - can't do that to my mom!

With that said do you know how much i should reasonably pay for a job like this? I've got some quotes in but they range wildly!

Also I'd like to check over the unit so I can be absolutely sure its the pan connector. Stop clock off and drained the system but i haven't got the cistern lid off yet. The flush button is dual push and I tried unscrewing the rim but don't want to force it unless i know thats the method of release. Do you have experience of this model?: bathshop321. com/toilets/close-coupled-toilets/vitra-retro-close-coupled-toilet

Thanks again for any help, really appreciated.

 

[Best]

"Smallish" problems on toilets can be very awkward, time consuming big jobs & need some experience.
As has been said, try higher for leaks first! Put your dry hand below the cistern area & check for damp after flushing the loo. Use a mirror (preferably a telescopic inspection mirror) & a torch to look at underside of cistern before you start.

 

[Centralheatking]

Whatever happens its most likely 'pan' out if its the connector
If its the donut between the cistern and pan even worse - cistern off (water off)

This type of job is an absolute minefield for inexperienced - get a local
plumber out and save money in long run centralheatking

 

[Paulus]

Looking at the pictures, and all the staining on top of the pan connector I would put money on the leak being from the doughnut washer. The cistern needs taking off so I would recommend you get a competent plumber in.

To be honest it's only about an hours job plus parts, it may be best to change the flush valve whilst the cisterns off.

 

[kris]

The push flushes are all different some unscrew and others you need to lift up the inner button and find a screw keeping the lid screwed down, you defo need to flush toilet to see if drippings come from above or at the multikwik, when you take cistern off youl see what kind of doughnut washer you need as there are many different shapes and widths, rubber or foam , theres no point buying a close coupled set as these are for older close coupled sets, if its the multikwik which is the connection at back of toilet then slide toilet forward and replace the bent multikwick, a good site for all the parts is,

Siamp Float Valve,Toilet Spares,spare parts cistern,Toilet spare parts,Toilet parts,Siamp diaphragm,pacific flush valve

 

[Chalked]

Vitra push buttons normally unscrew.

 

[Neil K]

If you have isolated, flushed and drained the cistern clear of water then the best most definitive way to find out whether it's the multiwick (pan connector) or not is to throw a few buckets of water down the pan and check each time. Without getting water all over the place-down the pan only!