Where Can I Find Closet Bolts For This Toilet

[Twowaxhack]

I think I installed my first toilet when I was 10 yrs old.

And the point of my posts have been……………

Even though I have almost 40 yrs of experience I still acknowledge the pitfalls and the need to have insurance. I’ve seen enough to know that no matter how good you are, there are things out of your control that can result in big time property damage.

That’s why plumbers are required by law to have some kind of insurance.

It’s simple to understand that if a person has a lick of common sense.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Please consider that two whack is a professional plumber. Look at some of his 12,000 posts. He has helped hundreds, if not thousands of people when a layman comes in here asking the proper way to handle plumbing issues, cartridge identification, pipe identification, and other shortcuts often used by DIY's here.
Yes, there are DIY folks, such as Ron (who I've known for years from other forums) and does meticulous work, then there are DIY's here who don't know what end of a screwdriver to grab.
Just saying there is a need for both DIY's and Professionals in this forum, and I appreciate the Professionals help here.

One homeowners good experience with a handyman or a homeowners success on a project turns the professional into a lying, cheating, overcharging no good sorry bastard.

Right ?

 

[havasu]

There are good and bad apples in every barrel.

 

[lookingforaquiettoilet]

Have you been tested ? I wish I could help but I’m certainly not a healthcare professional.

Good luck to you, I apologize for triggering you. You should try to schedule an appointment to talk to someone who can help you.

I will answer your questions so maybe you’ll settle down some.

1. Improper installs can take time to show up. Might be minutes and it may be years.

2. I flooded a couple when I first started plumbing, 37 yrs ago. It’s easy to do and is very common. That’s why we’re required to have insurance.

3. Refer to answer number one. I’ve never said your toilet isn’t installed properly.


So there you are, your questions are answered.

Now we're resulting to asking people if they've been tested, that's not very professional & kind.

Thanks for answering the questions though!

I asked this same question on Reddit on the plumbing board, their answer is below:




They told me "If your feet stay dry when you flush, you're all good. Worry about something else."

The last toilet lasted 15+ years with no leaks or issues and it was installed by someone way less experienced.

I don't know what kind of incompetence would be required to flood a house when changing a toilet but I'm sure there is a case of it somewhere. I doubt it is common though.

2. I flooded a couple when I first started plumbing, 37 yrs ago. It’s easy to do and is very common. That’s why we’re required to have insurance.

I appreciate your honesty when you mentioned you flooded a couple. I just have to agree with RonVan from above, I don't think these floods are common though and it does require some incompetence IMHO to flood a house. Not trying to disrespect in any way.

I appreciate that you do this for a living, it's a good career and it's an honest living, but I just want other's to realize this is a project that some can handle by themselves.

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/how-to-install-toilet

 

[lookingforaquiettoilet]

There are good and bad apples in every barrel.

100% agree!

 

[Twowaxhack]

Insurance companies are doing audits inside some peoples homes and are requiring stainless flex braid water supplies commonly used to connect faucets and toilets to the water supply to be replaced or face higher premiums.

I’ve had a couple dozen calls in the past year from homeowners telling me this same story.

It seems they’re tired of paying out water damage claims due to fixture supply line failures.

Flooded homes are very common. There are devices that will alert and even turn off the water but they’re not fool proof and are no answer to improper work or cheap failure prone materials.

 

[tailgunner]

Hey Twowax, I have all stainless Flex braid supply lines in my home. All are original from when the home was built in 2012. I know it's hard to say, but what kind of a useful life can I expect from them? In other words, when do You change your braided lines ?

 

[Twowaxhack]

Hey Twowax, I have all stainless Flex braid supply lines in my home. All are original from when the home was built in 2012. I know it's hard to say, but what kind of a useful life can I expect from them? In other words, when do You change your braided lines ?

I don’t have braided lines in my house except for washing machine hoses. I replace them every presidential election.

I think the life of the braided lines are put at 10 yrs. Some may be longer, I’m not sure.

 

[user 32496]

This article Says:

Common Causes of Failure in Flexible Supply Lines​

1. Plastic Coupling Nut Fracture
2. Corrosion of the Braided Metal Hose
3. Stress Corrosion Cracking of the Brass Barbed Fitting
4. Separation of the Barbed Fitting (improper crimping)

They also claim 10 years is the life expectancy but it could be less.

Here are options you may see.



The plastic nuts are a point of failure though.

Even though the stainless steel supply lines don’t last forever, they may be the best option. I guess, like @Twowaxhack says, change them every 4-5 years. That’s a lot of hoses for me!

 

[Twowaxhack]

This article Says:

Common Causes of Failure in Flexible Supply Lines​

1. Plastic Coupling Nut Fracture
2. Corrosion of the Braided Metal Hose
3. Stress Corrosion Cracking of the Brass Barbed Fitting
4. Separation of the Barbed Fitting (improper crimping)

They also claim 10 years is the life expectancy but it could be less.

Here are options you may see.

View attachment 42691

The plastic nuts are a point of failure though.

Even though the stainless steel supply lines don’t last forever, they may be the best option. I guess, like @Twowaxhack says, change them every 4-5 years. That’s a lot of hoses for me!

All my faucets are either connected with copper or pex and use brass nuts.

It costs a little more snd the copper takes a little skill to install compared to a flex hose. The pex water supply is a compromise from copper tuats cheaper and easy to install. It lasts years.

But I still will use a stainless flex hose in some situations. Gas station restroom gets a flex hose . 5 million dollar home gets the best materials and the best methods.

 

[Bird Doo Head]

I don’t have braided lines in my house except for washing machine hoses. I replace them every presidential election.

I think the life of the braided lines are put at 10 yrs. Some may be longer, I’m not sure.

The home insurance company made me install these braided things. (I'm not a fan.)

I've had failures on several, even Watts brand. Usually 3 - 6 years is the life we get with low 40's-PSI water pressure and 140-F water heater outlet. The failures are huge mess makers. The plastic nut ones fail sooner than the 3 years, so I quit with them.


An Insurance Oddity:
One bathroom of ours has a pedestal sink, so I bent up & installed chrome supply lines & nuts to sink and toilet. (Chrome plated copper) The insurance company made me remove the chrome & install braided.

That's like them making me remove the safety belts from the car.
PS: The chrome ones went back in ten seconds after the inspector left.

 

[havasu]

I have 17 braided hoses inside my house, and all are 9 years old. It is really going to hurt my wallet, especially in these Bidenomic times, but I will use this as a reminder to get off my arse and replace them.

 

[Ludington]

It's still not clear to me , what the best replacement is for the braided supply lines to toilets or wherever you might have one. I have some odd washing machine swupply valves with straight thread, that I was thinking about replacing with that type of hose because of the rubber washer seal. But maybe not a good idea.

 

[havasu]

i hope I'm wrong, but short of a custom bend with copper for toilet supply lines and sinks, fresh braided steel lines seem like the only option. Maybe one of the experts can provide the best name brands to pick from, and the worst brands to avoid? I know there are manufacturers such as Zurn, Fluidmaster, Reliabilt, Backlavish, but in my area Brasscraft seems to be the only flex lines available. Is it worth outsourcing thru Amazon or a reputable plumbing supply house?

 

[Bird Doo Head]

It's still not clear to me , what the best replacement is for the braided supply lines straight thread, that I was thinking about replacing with that type of hose because of the rubber washer seal.

I feel safest with copper supply lines, brass nuts and ferrules. But that is my uneducated choice.
Even plain copper tubing with slide-on gasket ends makes me comfortable.

You can bend them yourself with one of three methods, which vary by tool cost:
A) Lever Bender with a 3/8" slot ($$)

B) Spring Bender ($ for a set).
You slide the spring over the tubing & bend. Then un-twist to remove.

C) Sand (¢).
Pack damp sand tightly in the tubing with a stick or pencil.
Bend by hand.
Tap the tube on a hard surface when done to free up the sand, then dump & rinse.
Any sand works, but "green sand" is ideal. You can get it where they sell pottery or molding supplies. It's also
called "Foundry Sand" and "Casting Sand".
Dry mortar, dry talc, baking soda, fine salt all work.
Anything with sharp, angular edges on the granules or a very fine grind works.

For the laundry machines:
Plan B: There are devices that only allow water to flow into the hoses when the machine is operating, closing s solenoid if a hose breaks or there's another leak. Some even call you on the phone when the machine is operating or if there is a leak. Then you can buy any cheap hose you want & have no worries. A photo of one by Watts Regulator is attached below.

It seems odd that the machine has NPS threads. Hydraulic shops are a good source for adapters to NPT. To garden hose thread, Grainger and McMaster Carr should have something. (Side Note- My Maytag has odd threads, too. Nothing I've ever seen. Made adapters on the lathe to fit GHT hoses)

When I was a kid, it was common to have copper tubing bent in a loop to serve the machine. The ends had 1/2" flare nuts and the faucet and machine had F-NPT to M-Flare adapters. The loop was so the machine could walk and dance with unbalanced loads.

Paul