Gomer Pyle came back to the house yesterday.
Don’t remember him? Check out this post from last week.
This time, he carried with him a brand spanking new toilet tank…
This is model #706 which, according to my plumber, replaces model #703…
One would think that installing a new tank is a simple matter, and, quite honestly, it was.
Until…
Mr. Gomer Pyle the Plumber called me into the bathroom to check out the new commode.
“Notice the square edges of the tank?” he asked? “I hope you don’t mind that it’s not rounded like the one before.”
“Uh huh,” I said. “It actually looks quite nice,” I continued.
Honestly, it is a toilet, and I am not exactly Martha Stewart where the lines in the house have to mesh.
I am all about function.
Not only was the shape of the tank different, but instead of having the flusher handle on the front like before, it is now located on the side, and it is silver instead of white.
I like the silver. It matches my bathroom fixtures.
But I digress.
Location, location, location.
Apparently, folks, location of a toilet’s flusher handle makes quite a bit of difference in the way a toilet flushes.
And that’s when I got a lesson in how to flush the toilet.
I kid you not.
After boasting of the curved edges, the plumber instructed me to “Give ‘er a flush.”
Um, okayyyyyyyyyyy…
So, I flushed (not having used the bathroom first, thank gosh).
The toilet only flushed half-way.
Great.
Here I have a new tank, but it wouldn’t flush properly.
Ahhhh…but that was part of the lesson (I’m picking up tips since I am going to be teaching my own classes for the first time).
See, Gomer knew I would not be flushing properly, and he considered it his duty to make sure he did not leave the house until I understood the proper method of flushing my new potty.
First of all, because the flusher handle is located on the side of the tank, there is less give between the chain of the flapper and the metal arm that connects the handle to said flapper…
This is a flapper, in case you ever need to ask for this part at Home Depot or Lowe's
Apparently, it’s all in the thumb action.
Folks, yesterday, I learned that one mustn’t throw his/her entire body weight into the flush motion.
Gee, it’s going to be like learning a new golf swing. Sheesh Louise!
First, you quickly swipe your thumb down the flush handle, pushing it down firmly as you go…
If you use the correct thumb action, the flapper will pop open (as opposed to lingering in the up position), forcing the water out of the tank (and thus flushing your poo out of the bowl), and refilling the tank with a new batch of water.
The plumber made me practice several times before I got it right.
Before he left, he gave me the lid and handle to the broken tank. That makes two that I am now storing in my attic.
Some people collect dolls. I collect toilet tank covers.
Anyhoo…I am off to practice my thumb action…yet another skill I can add to the ole resume.
Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: flushing, home improvement, toilet | 4 Comments »
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