If you are thinking of replacing your toilet, or something inside the tank isn’t working properly. Then, the first thing you need to do is clear the water in the tank. Do you know how to drain a toilet tank?
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Turn off the supply to your toilet by turning the knob or lever located behind the toilet.
- Flush the toilet to empty out as much water from the tank as possible.
- Take off the tank’s lid to look for the remaining water.
- Use a sponge or cup to remove any remaining water left in the tank.
- If there is a lot of sediment built up in your tank, you may need to use a brush to scrub it clean.
- Perform the repairs inside the tank
Before explaining these steps in detail, you need to know the tools you would need to drain the toilet.
Tools Needed for Draining the Tank
For clearing water inside the tank, you will need these tools.
- Sponge or rags: To soak up the water from the tank.
- Bucket: To pour out the water from the toilet tank.
- Toilet brush: It will be used for scrubbing the tank if it is dirty.
- Wrench: You will need a wrench, in case you, need to remove any bolts or screws.
Now, let’s move on to the step-wise of draining the tank.
Step 1: Turn off the Supply to the Toilet
The first thing you need to do is to turn off the water supply that goes to your toilet. Doing so will prevent any more water from entering the tank and making the problem worse.
To turn off the water, locate the knob or lever behind your toilet. It is usually located on the wall near the floor. Once you find it, turn it clockwise to shut off the water.
Now that the water is off, you can move on to the next step.
Step 2: Flush the Toilet
The next step is to flush the toilet to empty as much water from the tank as possible. This will make it easier to remove any remaining water and prevent spillage when you start draining the tank.
To flush the toilet, simply lift up the handle and let the water run out until the tank is empty.
Once the tank is almost empty, you can move on to the next step.
Step 3: Take Off the Tank’s Lid to Look for Remaining Water
After flushing, there will still be some water remaining in the tank. To remove this water, you will need to take off the tank’s lid and look for any remaining water.
Be careful when taking off the lid as it may be heavy. Also, make sure not to drop it as it could break.
Step 4: Use a Sponge to Remove Any Remaining Water from the Tank
Now that most of the water is out of the tank, you can use a sponge or cup to remove any remaining water.
Start by soaking up any water that is around the edges of the tank. Then, move on to the bottom of the tank and soak up any water that is there.
Once all the water is removed, you can move on to the next step.
Step 5: Use a Brush to Scrub the Built-up Sediment (if any)
If there is a lot of sediment built up in your tank, you may need to use a brush to scrub it clean.
Start by scrubbing the sides of the tank with the brush. Then, move on to the bottom of the tank and scrub it clean.
Step 6: Perform the necessary repairs needed inside the tank
Once the tank is clean and empty, you can perform any repairs that are needed.
For example, if the flush handle is broken, you can replace it with a new one. Or, if the fill valve is leaking, you can tighten it or replace it with a new one.
Once all the repairs are made, you can turn the water back on and test the toilet to see if it is working properly.
When do you need to drain the toilet?
There are a few occasions where you might need to drain your toilet tank.
- Build-Up of Sediment: If the water in the tank is dirty or has sediment build-up, you may need to drain it and clean it up with a brush.
- Broken Flush Valve: If the flush handle is broken, you may need to drain the tank to access and repair it.
- Leakage in Fill Valve: If the fill valve is leaking, you may need to drain the tank to access and repair it.
- Repairs in the Toilet: If you are making any repairs such as replacing the gasket/washer, then you will need to drain the tank to access the parts.
- Relocating the toilet: If you are moving or changing the location of the toilet, then the tank’s water drainage is necessary.
- Unclogging the Toilet: If the toilet is clogged and you cannot unclog it, you may need to drain the tank.
- Long Vacations: If you are going on a long vacation and will not be using the toilet for some time, you may need to drain the tank.
- Inspection Process: If you are about to sell your house, you may need to drain the tank as part of the inspection process.
How often should you drain the toilet tank?
There is no set timeframe for how often you should drain your toilet tank. However, it is generally a good idea to do it every few months to keep the tank clean and free of sediment build-up.
You may also need to drain the tank more often if you have hard water, as the minerals in the water can cause sediment to build up quicker.
If you notice that your toilet is not flushing as well as it used to, it may be time to drain the tank and clean it out.
As we mentioned multiple times before, if you have any repairs that need to be made to the toilet, you will also need to drain the tank in order to access the parts.
After going through these steps, we hope that you should now know how to drain a toilet tank. Just remember to turn off the water before you start and to be careful of any remaining water that could spill out. Also, if there is a lot of sediment built up, you may need to use a brush to scrub it clean. Once the tank water is drained, you can perform all repairs you want.
Amos Christen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Drexel University — Philadelphia, PA. Since 2003, Amos has worked with top interior design professionals in this area, including architects and interior/graphic/lighting designers. As a skilled interior designer, Amos Christen is highly versed in fine arts and crafts and uses that to supplement his main area of expertise. He often publishes articles related to home décor on several websites, including Sprucetoilets.com, Sprucebathroom.com, and Mybesuitedhome.com. He also contributes to leading interior design magazines.