Help with Hot Water in toilet - Plumbing Forum

HoustonUser · 08-18-2011, 09:42 PM

Hi everyone, I hope you guys can help me figure this out. We have hot water coming from the wall into the toilet. I know this isn't due to mixed pipes because this has been happening for about a year and we've been in this place for six.

We've had a couple of plumbers come in and they say that the pipes are mixed but they both choose to ignore the fact that it has just been a recent problem. Pipes don't mix up by themselves.

The only thing I can think of that is related is the fact that a shower that is on the other side of the same wall wasn't getting any hot water so they replaced a cartridge. It's one of those that uses one lever for both cold and hot water.

Thank you all for your time and help.

**Mr_David** · 08-19-2011, 12:13 AM

Moens faucets are notorious for this exact problem.
More so if in a multi unit building with common hot and cold systems.

Is it a single Family home or a unit in a multi-unit building?
Do you have your own individual water heater?
Does the WH have a working valve on the cold supply.
If so turn it off. Do you have any 2 handle faucets in the unit?
Open the the hot side. If not try the laundry if you have one.
Turn on the hot only.
Then go listen to the shower valve.
With the shwer valve closed do you hear water running through it?
If so replace the cartridge.

When we have a similar problem in a multi unit bldg that has a common hot & cold system, We try to obtain access to all the units.
We the shut down the hot system, open a hot faucet and water should stop flowing.
If not, then we go listen to each and every fixture for the sound of water passing through the fixture while it is off.

Hope that helps. With the hot system off and if there is no hot water flowing from any hot fixtures then check the toilet it should still have cold

**LiQuId** · 08-20-2011, 01:57 AM

As im sure the poster will say.. "thank you" and I do thank you, this is great to know as i have had similar issues in the past that were resolved by replacing the cartrige but I had never thought to try your trick... just kinda got lucky on the call.

Great advice.

**phishfood** · 08-20-2011, 02:14 AM

Yeah, I have learned a lot just reading Mr. David's posts on here. A gold mine for sure.

**b4cz28** · 08-20-2011, 03:12 AM

As op says he has a Kholer valve but he might have the same prob with that brand, other than that make sure you don't have a moen.

HoustonUser · 08-22-2011, 09:05 PM

Hi again, sorry for the late reply but I was in LA visiting the family.

I will check tonight about the cold valve on the WH.

To answer your questions:
- I live in a two-story townhouse with one shared wall.
- The water heater is for our townhouse only. It's on the attic and the problem toilet is on the second floor.
- There's only one handle on the shower. Two handles on the sink faucet.

Thank you for your response, Mr. David. And to everyone else, as well.

**Mr_David** · 08-27-2011, 04:55 AM

Here's another idea.
The hot water heater being in the attic above the problem toilet maybe back flowing into the cold supply of heater and ending up in the toilet. Make sure the toilet flapper is not leaking.
check the cold supply on the heater and see if it gets hot. install a check valve to prevent the back flow. There maybe other reasons why and if it is back flowing.