rusty bolts on toilet tank

[Stephen DeCosta]

A recent situation cane up recently . In the inspection the usual slight movement
of the bowl showed it to be tight. A few weeks later someone leaned back and the
water tank to bowl bolts were badly rusted , one broke with the leaky results [messy]
The system had hard water causing rust, and the bolts were steel instead of brass.
Is this a more common item that I'm not used to ?

[Matt Fellman]

Brass or not they all seem to rust over time. My routine with toilets is to put a foot on each side and gently 'wiggle' the bowl with mhy knees and also lightly nudge the tank to bowl connection. After that I check for leaks. If some gorilla moves in and 'reclines' against the tank and breaks it off it's not my problem.... nor should it be yours.

Between working on toilets while doing property management and puking in them when I was younger I know my way around them better than I care to admit. Bolts can rust, corrode, grow gunk on them and still hold on for years without rusting through. It's never anything I'd look for on an inspection or call out if nothing is loose or leaking.

[Mike Truss Guy]

I wish someone would invent everlasting toilet hardware. I have 3 in my house and it seems I have to replace something inside them every month or two. :(

[A.D. Miller]

I wish someone would invent everlasting toilet hardware. I have 3 in my house and it seems I have to replace something inside them every month or two. :(

MTG: You are not allowed to speak such truths in a consumerist society.:D

[Derek Lewis]

MTG

Stop buying plumbing parts from Home Depot and Lowes.

[Jerry Peck]

Is this a more common item that I'm not used to ?

Yes, always lift the tank lid and look at the bolt heads.


Brass or not they all seem to rust over time.

No, brass does not rust.


I wish someone would invent everlasting toilet hardware. I have 3 in my house and it seems I have to replace something inside them every month or two. :(

As Derek said, you need to either but "BRASS" and make sure it is "brass" at the Big Box stores or go to a plumbing supply place and buy real "brass" bolts and hardware. 'Brass" plated or brass looking does not count, it needs to be real brass.

I would not want to call brass "everlasting" but, it will sure come close. ;)

In the old shipwrecks they find, what is still in them? All the old brass hardware. If only the house the toilet is in would last that long. :cool:

[Mike Truss Guy]

MTG

Stop buying plumbing parts from Home Depot and Lowes.

Do you have a better supplier? I'm listening. Seriously.

[Rick Hurst]

Ever wonder why you don't see Super-sized toilets?

[Jerry Peck]

go to a plumbing supply place and buy real "brass" bolts and hardware. 'Brass" plated or brass looking does not count, it needs to be real brass.


Do you have a better supplier? I'm listening. Seriously.


Seriously.

The Big Box stores do carry real brass bolts for that purpose, at least the ones near me do, but you have to look for them as they sell more of the steel ones (cheaper) so those are always first and foremost shown. Look around and dig around, you will likely find the brass bolts, probably in a dusty box with dust all over the plastic bags (because they do not sell as many of them).

[Ron Hasil]

The big box stores by me carry Diecast brass bolts which is junk. Just head to the plumbing supply and tell them you need a tank to bowl bolt set.

[Stephen DeCosta]

as to the water damage etc., caused by the rusty broken bowl bolts, One can no
doubt, excuse oneself of being at fault . Would the better long term solution and customer relationship be better served by paying the 200 dollar expense to the client?:o

[Jerry Peck]

as to the water damage etc., caused by the rusty broken bowl bolts, One can no
doubt, excuse oneself of being at fault . Would the better long term solution and customer relationship be better served by paying the 200 dollar expense to the client?:o

If one feels they are at fault for not checking and reporting their condition, sure. :)

[Vern Hallas]

Ever wonder why you don't see Super-sized toilets?

Great John Toilet Co. (http://greatjohn.com/)

[Joshua Hardesty]

Maybe instead of catering to the greatly overweight people out there to make their existance easier perhaps we should work on actually fixing the obesity problem. Anyways, back to the topic...

Even if the brass doesn't corode, the little rubber gasket is pretty worthless after a few years.

Kohler (and others I'm sure) have a toilet where the tank to bowl bolts don't penetrate the tank. The only penetration is where the flapper opens.

[Mike Truss Guy]

Maybe instead of catering to the greatly overweight people out there to make their existance easier perhaps we should work on actually fixing the obesity problem.

One good way is to get people out of internet forums and outside walking in the fresh air... :D

[Vern Heiler]

Yes, always lift the tank lid and look at the bolt heads.



No, brass does not rust.



As Derek said, you need to either but "BRASS" and make sure it is "brass" at the Big Box stores or go to a plumbing supply place and buy real "brass" bolts and hardware. 'Brass" plated or brass looking does not count, it needs to be real brass.

I would not want to call brass "everlasting" but, it will sure come close. ;)

In the old shipwrecks they find, what is still in them? All the old brass hardware. If only the house the toilet is in would last that long. :cool:


I have reopened this thread due to personal experience.

Went to the beach house last week for the first time in many months. My wife had me put the tablet type bowl cleaners in all of the toilet tanks before we left; didn't know we would not be back for such a long time. The tank bolts had corroded so badly that one was leaking before we arrived. One bolt just popped off when I wiggled the tank. I had to grind off the tops of the other bolts (three bolt tank) with a die grinder to remove the tank for repairs, no sparks so I am sure the bolts were brass all the way through. I am now reporting corrosion on the top of the tank bolts as routine item as this could have been a very costly failure if we had not seen it. Our trips to the beach have become fewer and further between as my wife's health has been deteriorating. I think the tablet type bowl cleaner creates a very concentrated corrosive water in the tank when left for long periods of time (such as in a vacant house).

Just food for thought.

[Gunnar Alquist]

In the old shipwrecks they find, what is still in them? All the old brass hardware.

I think you will find the intact hardware is bronze, not brass. Salt will weaken the brass, whereas the bronze will last much longer.

[Jerry Peck]

I had to grind off the tops of the other bolts (three bolt tank) with a die grinder to remove the tank for repairs, no sparks so I am sure the bolts were brass all the way through. I am now reporting corrosion on the top of the tank bolts as routine item as this could have been a very costly failure if we had not seen it

That would be a LOT of corrosion on brass bolts, I would examine the filings (grindings) to see: what color, magnetic or not, etc. as I suspect they were not brass bolts.

[tom daley]

Vern Heiler,

FWIW: When leaving the house empty for more than a few days i do what my old Dad (RIP) always did. That is, to OFF the water service, flush the WC, and drain down at the hose bib. Esp. now-a-days with burglars ripping out all and any metal piping.

[Vern Heiler]

Vern Heiler,

FWIW: When leaving the house empty for more than a few days i do what my old Dad (RIP) always did. That is, to OFF the water service, flush the WC, and drain down at the hose bib. Esp. now-a-days with burglars ripping out all and any metal piping.

I agree with your Dad and would have done the same. Intent was to return (many times) but never worked out. Flushing the WC would prevent large water damage in the event of a bolt failure but would not have protected the bolts from corrosive water that is always left in the bottom of the tank.

The old bolts and the Manson type flush valve are history....Gone! The ground end of the two bolts I had to grind off were brass color and did not give off any sparks. I don't have all the answers, but I do know that I am reporting heavy corrosion on the top of the tank bolts from now on.

[Jerry Peck]

The ground end of the two bolts I had to grind off were brass color and did not give off any sparks. I don't have all the answers, but I do know that I am reporting heavy corrosion on the top of the tank bolts from now on.

Interesting that you had brass bolts corrode that much. Must be some really corrosive water there?

[Vern Heiler]

Interesting that you had brass bolts corrode that much. Must be some really corrosive water there?

I certainly wouldn't drink from a tank that had bowl cleaner tablets in it!