jb weld? Toilet tank crack

Users who are viewing this thread

Cwhyu2

Consultant
Messages
1,615
Reaction score
22
Points
38
Location
Cincinnati OH
10 min ago went past the bathroom and heard water running onto the floor.
Found leak from cracked tank that been patched before. Water to W/C is
off now.This is rental property and the owner will take days to return my
call.Has anyone succesfully temporaly patched a crack in a toilet tank?
JB weld comes to mind.I have never even tried.
 

Gary Swart

In the Trades
Messages
8,101
Reaction score
84
Points
48
Location
Yakima, WA
JB Weld is nothing more than epoxy. It may provide a temporary repair (or not) but a broken tank is final. You will need a new toilet. Your landlord is required to provide a functioning toilet. I would imagine this is an old full flow, so he is stuck with a new low flow.:)

DOES HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE COVER WATER DAMAGE FROM LEAKING PLUMBING?
Homeowners insurance may help cover damage caused by leaking plumbing if the leak is sudden and accidental, such as if a washing machine supply hose suddenly breaks or a pipe bursts. However, homeowners insurance does not cover damage resulting from poor maintenance. So, if damage results after you fail to repair a leaky toilet, for example, homeowners insurance likely will not pay for repairs.
Allstate Insurance
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,946
Reaction score
3,460
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
Gary is right. it's time to shop for a new one.

If you try to fix a cracked tank, and it gives out while you are at work, the bill could be in the tens of thousands.

toilet-tank-broken-crane.jpg


This one did a lot of damage to the home when it let go.
 
Last edited:

Cwhyu2

Consultant
Messages
1,615
Reaction score
22
Points
38
Location
Cincinnati OH
I will only turn it on when needed and off at all other times.Like I said the owner is Iwon`t use the words. thanks guys!
 

Cass

Plumber
Messages
5,947
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Ohio
I have used JB a few times and when I am spanning a crack what I do is to coat a piece of paper on both sides with the JB...be sure the paper extends at least 1" beyond the crack every where...then apply it and smooth it with a disposable putty knife...
 

wooo stash

New Member
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Sealing a tank with silicone

About ten years ago I noticed my toilet tank leaking~a crack in the back of it, don't ask how it got there that's a mystery. I emptied the tank and dried it up and put a bead of silicone on the inside~waited 24 hours and put a second bead over it. the next day I filled the tank and it hasn't leaked a drop all these years. Just a little tip for anyone with a mystery crack....
 

Terry

The Plumbing Wizard
Staff member
Messages
29,946
Reaction score
3,460
Points
113
Location
Bothell, Washington
Website
terrylove.com
Just a little tip for anyone with a mystery crack....

Great idea, tube of Silicone $5.99

Cost to repair the home if it gives out while you are at work, up to $100,000.00 in damages.

Los Vegas baby. I guess you like to gamble.

norris_cracked_tank.jpg


This tank is 34 years old. Would you want to Silicone this one too?
Notice the nice mold on the bottom of the tank.
 
Last edited:

Gary Swart

In the Trades
Messages
8,101
Reaction score
84
Points
48
Location
Yakima, WA
Heck yeah! Don't need no stinking new turlet, this one's been fine for 40 years! Why shoot, my daddy used it, and what's good enuf fer dad is good enuf fer me. Why shoot, Billy Mays swears by this stuff to fix anything. Cain't afford a new turlet no how, gotta make the payments on my RV. Pass me that there sillycone.:p
 

Achutch

Member
Messages
192
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Vermont
My next door neighbor found a crack inside the tank of her second floor toilet that ran the entire length where the floor of the tank meets the back wall, and partially up the right side.

She made the right decision and replaced the toilet.

We advised everyone in our annual condo association meeting to inspect the insides of their tanks, especially those people who had the original toilets installed in 1986.

If that tank had broken, there would have been major damage in my neighbor's unit, as well as in mine as that toilet is on the other side of the wall where my computer room is.

I have seen what a major leak can do. In 1985, I was living in a new 3 unit apartment building. The washers were on the second floor. I had one end unit. My washer was brand new and professionally installed. The tenant in the opposite end unit installed a used washer with used hoses. She left with the water turned on, a hose burst, and the entire building got flooded; my first floor having at least an inch of water in it. Then, when I arrived home to find all my furniture out on the lawn, the tenant whose machine had caused the flood was out on the lawn sipping on a glass of wine and tee-heeing that it was "just one of those things"!!!

I would rather spend money on a new toilet and correct installation of water using equipment than risk a flood!

achutch, nice and dry in Vermont
 

Cwhyu2

Consultant
Messages
1,615
Reaction score
22
Points
38
Location
Cincinnati OH
Toilet was replaced,but all the info is great stuff.Nobody wants to come
home to a waterfall.
 

Cass

Plumber
Messages
5,947
Reaction score
7
Points
0
Location
Ohio
Of all the epoxys I have use for various things JB Weld is about as good as it gets...when applied correctly it works well...
 

Gary Swart

In the Trades
Messages
8,101
Reaction score
84
Points
48
Location
Yakima, WA
Epoxy is great for some things. But the point of this thread is using it to permanently patch a cracked toilet tank. In my opinion, this would not be a satisfactory permanent fix. Temporary to buy a week or so until a new toilet could be obtained, maybe. I would still opt for the silicone because it would expand/contract with the tank, epoxy would not. Nothing against JB Weld or Mighty Putty for some applications.
 

Cwhyu2

Consultant
Messages
1,615
Reaction score
22
Points
38
Location
Cincinnati OH
Epoxy is great for some things. But the point of this thread is using it to permanently patch a cracked toilet tank. In my opinion, this would not be a satisfactory permanent fix. Temporary to buy a week or so until a new toilet could be obtained, maybe. I would still opt for the silicone because it would expand/contract with the tank, epoxy would not. Nothing against JB Weld or Mighty Putty for some applications.

In my first post it was to be temporary fix,Moot point for me as I replaced it
this past weekend,but it is a good topic.It could keep someone from making
a disasterous decisision.
 

wooo stash

New Member
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Points
0
That's a scary looking picture~much bigger crack than I had. Actually I only originaly used siicone as a temporary fix. It work so well that I actually forgot about it for years . This wouldn't work in every situation of course and its probaly best to start shopping for a new toilet. I'm finally replacing mine because I'm doing some remodeling in the bathroom.
 

Gary Swart

In the Trades
Messages
8,101
Reaction score
84
Points
48
Location
Yakima, WA
That's too often the case with temporary fixes, and we're probably all guilty of it. We just put it of for awhile, then it's forgotten about.:)
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks