Have you ever seen a slow close toilet seat in the past? You will note that most homeowners have installed this toilet seat in their homes. The good news is that as you’ve seen in the best toilet seats, this model can close on its own as soon as you start pushing it down. Ideally, gravity makes this seat to close on its own, but some tensioned hinges control this gravity.
Important to understand is that a slow close toilet seat usually closes slowly such that there is no slamming down. If you have small kids in your home, you should consider installing this toilet seat. This can help prevent them from getting hurt when closing the toilet bowl. However, this toilet seat can get faulty over time.
Can a slow close toilet be repaired? This is a question that most homeowners ask out there. Yes, you can readily repair the slow close toilet depending on the damage caused.
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Common Slow Close Toilet Seat Problems
Some of the problems that you can experience with this seat include:
- Presence of loose hinges that can make the seat to slide side to side.
- Broken hinges that can make the seat to fall down hard.
- Cracked seats from too much pressure.
- Bad smells that come from around the seat.
- Worn enamel on painted wooden surfaces.
Repairing the Slow Close Toilet Seat Problems
Repairing these toilet seats can help you save more money as new ones can cost more money. However, if the seat is too damaged, you can replace it. If the toilet seat is loose, you can tighten it, and it will serve you for longer. The following are the essential steps that you should follow:
1. Locate the two screws at the back
This is the first step when repairing a slow close toilet seat. These screws are normally located at the back of the toilet seat. They normally run through the porcelain at the back of the toilet bowl. If you check keenly, they are normally held in place by two nuts at the base. In the front of the cover, look for a small groove that is designed to help you pry up the cover. You can then use a small screwdriver to pry up both the seat and the cover.
If you invested in a relatively cheap toilet, you will note that the screws are normally made of plastic. However, you will note that most toilets usually use steel screws. More expensive models usually have brass or stainless steel. If you find a plastic screw, you should be more careful with them.
2. Centre the toilet seat on the toilet
If you realize that the seat was loose, you can then wobble it back and forth so that it can be in alignment with the rim of the toilet bowl. Here, you should straighten out the seat so that it rests on the bowl evenly. You can even sit on it to check its comfort.
3. Tighten the bolts
Here, you should use your dominant hand to tighten the screws in till the seat is tight. Once you discover that it is tight enough, you can try to give it one final quarter rotation to ensure that it is secure. As you do this, you should bear these tips in mind
- Weigh down the seat in place so that it stops wobbling as you do your work.
- Try using a piece of cloth such as a rug to hold the nut in place. This will stop it from moving as you tighten the screw. However, if you have pliers, it can help you get a firm grip when holding the nut in place.
- Always ensure that you use the right screwdriver head. Remember that most screws for toilet seats normally require a crosshead. As a result, you should check the size that you need so that you do not blunt the screw head in the long run.
- For plastic seat designs, they normally come with plastic screws. You should exercise extra caution when dealing with them.
- When you want to tighten the screw, always turn the screwdriver in the clockwise direction.
What are the Advantages of Repairing a Slow Close Toilet Seat?
If your slow close toilet seat has issues, it can be repaired. You should consider the above-mentioned ideas so that everything can be successful. If you do not have time, you can hire a plumber to do this for you. The good news is that a plumber is more skilled and competent in this area. He or she is likely to give you ideas that can be helpful in the long run. Also, you will be able to save more time. By repairing the slow close toilet seat, you will be able to enjoy several advantages. These include:
1. Reduced noise
We all dislike too much noise in our homes. The good news is that this seat is impossible to slam. You can trust that it will not cause a loud clatter even when you lose grip of them. As a result, this seat normally makes no noise at all. If it well repaired, it will have little or no noise at all. This can go a long way in optimizing the privacy in your bathroom.
2. No accidents
If you have a pet at home, it is likely to get hurt if this seat is faulty. Also, your kids are likely to get hurt, particularly their fingers when closing the toilet bowl. This can be detrimental. However, once you repair this seat, you can be sure that it will be in good condition, and such incidences will be greatly avoided.
3. Ensure that your toilet bowl remains in a good condition
If this toilet seat is faulty, it might keep on slamming the toilet bowl from time to time. This is not right. Over time, your toilet bowl can get damaged, and this can be very detrimental. Replacing the entire toilet bowl might make you dig deeper into your pocket. To mitigate this situation, you should ensure that you repair the soft close toilet seat whenever it is faulty.
Conclusion
A soft close toilet seat is very beneficial to your toilet. It should remain in pristine condition all the time. However, since it can get faulty and fail to close on its own, you should ensure that you repair it. If the damage is too extensive, you can hire a professional plumber to fix a new one for you. Consider these ideas today, and you will be a happy homeowner.