the throne sweats

[heehaw]

i put in a new throne a couple weeks ago: an the tank condenses on the outside worse than any i have ever had: i will be going to lowes today to see if they still sell the insulation kits for commodes: has any one had any experience with those kits?
heehaw

 

[jayste]

Sorry Heehaw but the only throne sweats I've experienced is during a case of the stomach flu!

 

[Boiler74]

The toilet is running. The tank sweats because it is continually getting new, cold water to it. And just a like a cold glass of iced tea on a hot day, it's sweating. So you need to find the leak in the tank and fix it. And when I say leak, I don't mean leaking out onto the floor. Water is running (leaking) out of the tank and into the bowl. Then down the drain. This has been my experience when a toilet sweats, at least.

Josh

 

[EddieWalker]

I agree with Boiler. The water is too cold for whatever reason, and it's not warming up. Leaking tanks will do this, as will really hot homes with a water supply that is very cold. I've never seen or heard of an insulation kit for the tank, but wonder if the tank itself is extremely thin? Is it porcelean?

I'd take the lid off and watch the water level to see what it's doing. You should be able to hear the water run if it's dropping, unless you have the valve open just a bit and the water flow coming in is real slow. Most leaking tanks make allot of noise with the water coming on and off again.

If it's one of those American Standard tanks with the big O Ring type flapper, good luck. I've found them to be great for flushing, but terrible for holding water. I've thrown two of them away because it was impossible to get them to work right.

Eddie

 

[MossRoad]

I'm going to agree with the last two posters. Our tank was sweating quite a bit. I took the temp of the water and it was much cooler than the air in the house. If no one use the toilet for a long time, say overnight, the temp should be pretty equal to the air around it. I could not hear a leak, but in the middle of the night I could hear our well come on. That meant something, somewhere was allowing the water pressure to drop. I changed the whole flush valve/float thingy and the tank stopped sweating immediately. It was an easy repair even for me!

 

[jayste]

Ok. Back to the serious throne content. After reading all you guys' posts I can add some positive content here. I had a similar situation about 3 weeks ago. I didn't experience the "sweats" due to (I'm assuming here) the fact that according to my wife I keep the house "freezing" anyway. What I'm saying is that our water is close to the air temp in our house. Now, that's debatable but not here. Below is a link to the fill valve that I bought at Lowes that really did the job. It comes with a new flapper as well. I had first replaced the flapper and found out that wasn't it. So $12.00 later I had another new flapper and a new fill valve installed. (the not-so-new flapper went into the "possible future needs" drawer in the utility room).
Oh, by the way, this valve is very quiet and self contained within the valve body assembly.

http://www.korky.com/WaterWI$E818Z.html

 

[heehaw]

i will agree the water coming in, is a lot colder than the room air temp: about it leaking, i will let you know in about an hour, because i shut the water off to it: if the water level drops, i'll look for a leak, if not then i am back to it being the cold water an room air temp difference: which is what the insulating kits that lowes sells for $18 is suppose to solve: i will say that the previous throne would sweat too: but no where near the amount that this new one does: more in an an hour or so.
heehaw

 

[MossRoad]

You could plumb it to the hot water side and use a mixer valve to adjust it to a warm, but not hot temperature.

 

[jayste]

Heehaw, looking into the bowl, can you see water running? You might have to get at a slight angle or change positions to let light reflect. This will only show up if you have the water on and the line pressurized, that is if it is the flow valve.

 

[/pine]

I have Kohler and the tank came lined with styrofoam

 

[heehaw]

ok, no leaks: one thing i did notice: the thickness of the tank seems less than on the one i took out, which is exactly like the one in the other bathroom: that could account for them not "sweating" as much: i bought one of the kits at lowes: an may go ahead an put it in: i am considering a couple other options first: $18 seems a little high for 3 pieces of 1/4 inch styrofoam an a small tube of glue: i am thinking about draining, drying an then coating the inside with cool-seal roof coating: or, i priced the rubberized, adhesive strips like goes around windows to seal them: enough to do the inside of the tank would be less than $18, an that stuff seems to hold really well: i thought about mixing the hot water, but i don't think i want to go there: that seems like a lot more trouble than any other option i can think of.
just measured the temp of the water coming in: 48degrees:
heehaw

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, but just think about sitting down on a "heated" throne.

 

[/pine]

With some of the newer units you have to be very careful with the volume of water in the tank...one of my toilets (may be American Standard) will not flush properly unless there is the exact right amount of water in the tank...

By consuming volume with added insulation etc. you may need to raise the spill over tube to allow the tank to hold enough water...

 

[heehaw]

it flushes great now, an the water is well below the top of the spill over tube: i think the new thrones flush with 1.5 gallons of water: the one i replaced was bought in 86, an i think they used about 3 gallons?? i'm guessin here.... but i am considering putting the tank from the old throne on the new one: can't see what difference that would make..i can always adjust the water level. anyway, am still considering options../pine, does that kohler have styrofoam in the bottom of the tank?
heehaw

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Real easy solution and I guarantee the problem will be solved. When I bought my new house, we had the same problem with both toilets. My dad installed a mixer valve in the supply line of both toilets. The mixer valve hooks to the hot and cold water lines, has built in check valves, and is adjustable. Adjusted until the incoming water line felt about room temperature, no more tank sweating. My well water was so cold that it made condensation on the outside of the tank.

 

[heehaw]

i'll let you know how it works, but i am going to take the tank off, strip it down on the inside an glue some styrofoam to the sides an bottom: i think that will take less work an hopefully have good results.
heehaw

 

[heehaw]

well, i don't think i would do this again: since the tank has rounded ends, i had to cut the styrofoam into small strips an glue them in individually: an of course the kit doesn't come with enough glue to do that: so i used some silicon thats rated for fish tanks: i am now waiting on it to dry in place before i put it back together an hope for the best: i may get some of that shiney flexable insulation that lowes sells, to go in attics to reflect the heat: an try putting some of that in one of the other tanks: it would sure go in a lot easier, an would actually probably do just as good a job...with the temp of our incoming water, all three thrones sweat, but the new one is a lot worse than the ones i installed in 86:
heehaw

 

[Kays Supply]

One difference in tanks is that the older tanks were made with double walls. When they mold the tank the ceramic liquid is poured in a mold and then after a while the mold is dumped. It leaves a layer of slip on the inside and outside of the mold. When it is fired it is then double walled. The new ones are single wall. There is no insulating at all.

 

[PILOON]

Maybe it's a Canada thing, but every thunder bowl I have installed over the last 6 years or so came insulated. Also low flush and in the $100. or less range.

 

[Skyco]

well, i don't think i would do this again: since the tank has rounded ends, i had to cut the styrofoam into small strips an glue them in individually: an of course the kit doesn't come with enough glue to do that: so i used some silicon thats rated for fish tanks:

Yep- sure wouldn't want to kill anything living in the toilet tank

BTW I hope to never have to replace my old high volume flush toilets...I'm on a well and septic so what I pull out of the ground goes back in the ground...hopefully with no actual intermixing