How to keep your W.C Cistern in good working order :

The most common and annoying problem with WC’s and cisterns is that they tend to overflow and pour out from the side of your building or onto the property below, or else they just do not flush . Another problem is that they fail to fill up or empty .Do not panic at this stage because with a little maintenance you can easily fix these problems. The beauty of the modern cistern is that they have an overflow system that diverts the overflow back into the W.C instead of pouring out from the side of the building and creating an eyesore, basically if your property had an overflow problem then everyone on the street would know about it because the white pipe leaking water from the side would stick out like a sore thumb, this newer method is more discreet and silent-your W.C could be overflowing and you wouldn’t even know it. How it works When you depress the flushing lever or chain, a diaphragm opens within the main siphon housing which empties the water in the cistern. When you keep flushing continuously and nothing happens then the “flapper valve” or diaphragm is faulty and needs to be replaced. When the diaphragm is pressed down by the weight of the water in the cistern it seals the inlet hole in the plastic or metal plate and carries the water upwards into the siphon crown to start the action that empties the water from the cistern. When the cistern is emptied and the water level falls and the suction has been taken out or the diaphragm then the metal or plastic plate goes down again, when the cistern is refilled the water rises through the holes in the plastic or metal plate ready to start the process all over again Maintenance

1.Replacing the wire link: Remove the old wire link that is attached to the flush arm. If the has corroded and fallen into the cistern then remove before it rusts in the cistern. Cut a wire long and strong enough to withstand several hundred flushes, an old coat hanger is usually the best form of wire for this. Push the wire through the hole in the flush arm, twist it round and then insert it into the lifting rod, this should work well and be a cost effective method of getting you out of a sticky situation.

2. Replacing a worn flapper valve or diaphragm:

a. with the water supply to the cistern turned off or the float arm held up by a string to stop water going back into the cistern, flush the cistern to empty the remaining water. Make sure you use a bucket or old towels to catch the water that might fall on the floor.

b. remove the nut at the bottom of the cistern, there will be some amount of water from the cistern that will leak out so be sure to catch this.

c. Remove the flush arm and wire. Remove the siphon by just lifting it out.

d. Replace the siphon by inserting the new siphon in the place of the old one. Tighten the nut at the bottom of the siphon to the cistern and make sure that the nut is tightened securely

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