# New Toilet Handle + Closed Lid = Leaking Toilet? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 15, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645 "2023-12-15T18:03:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/1 "2023-12-15T18:03:12Z")
I had to replace the interior pieces inside my toilet tank and so purchased and installed the [Korky Complete Universal Repair Kit](https://www.amazon.com/LAVELLE-IND-INC-4010MP-Universal/dp/B072XTFPXT/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=Korky+Complete+Universal+Toilet+Repair+Kit+4010MP+%2427.98+Menards+%2C+10%2B+stores+Also+nearby+4.1+%281k%2B%29+Korky+Complete+Universal+Toilet+Repair+Kit+4010MP&qid=1702663003&sr=8-2). So far so good. The handle had to be replaced, and I have been through 3 different ones including Korky’s own branded toilet handle, and all give me the same problem. With the toilet completely put together without the top lid placed on the toilet tank everything is fine. With the lid on the toilet flushes and fulls just fine but for some reason a small trickle of water leaks at the back until a pool gathers and it continues to rot the bathroom floor. The 5 different holes at the bottom of the tank are all secure and sealed, I am sure. The toilet only leaks with the lid on it and seems to defy gravity. What the hell!?!?!?! ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/2 "2023-12-15T18:11:11Z")
Having just replaced this exact thing at home…my god is it finicky. For me, it was tricky to orient the angle of the unit and also the filler tube just right. Intermittently, the handle lever can hit the underside of the tank lid, and the chain would flop up and rest on the filler tube, causing some of the water to spray around in the tank instead of directly into the filler tube. It always worked fine when the lid was off and the chain would never snag/bind, but when the lid was on the chain bounced around more unpredictably. ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/3 "2023-12-15T18:47:03Z")
How high do you have the towers set? It may be that the lid is sitting on or rubbing against one or both of them, perhaps deflecting the tower to a side or otherwise disrupting the seal at the bottom. You could check by pressing slightly down or to the side on the towers and see if that produces the leak. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/4 "2023-12-15T18:52:33Z")
One possibility is that spray or condensation is getting on the inside of the lid and ends up trickling along the top and down the back. Feel along all the sides of the tank to see if you can feel wetness. You could try adding some foam insulation or something along the top edge of the tank so that it seals against the lid. Another possibility is a leak at the valve or behind the wall. If it’s still mystery, you could tape some paper towels around then tank, toilet and floor to help pinpoint where the water is originating from. See which ones are wet or dry after a while. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/5 "2023-12-15T19:27:01Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > One possibility is that spray or condensation is getting on the inside of the lid and ends up trickling along the top and down the back. Feel along all the sides of the tank to see if you can feel wetness. You could try adding some foam insulation or something along the top edge of the tank so that it seals against the lid. Sounds like this problem. I’ve seen that happen. Sometimes the float valve can be adjusted to keep the water level down in the tank. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/6 "2023-12-15T19:56:23Z")
I had a roblem with a leaking toilet - rpobbaly not the same as yours, but… A small puddle would accumulate under the toilet, seemingly the tank was leaking or the toilet was leaking where it sat on the floor. At first I thought condensatin on the tank, but it happened even in dry conditions and it was erratic… Eventually, tracked it down - my wife said she sometimes leaned back against the tank, and it turns out the tank was not bolted to the toilet as tightly as it could have been. (But don’t tighten the bolt too hard, you risk breaking the porcelain tank) Since it tightened it down more, and now she knows, it doesn’t leak. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/7 "2023-12-15T20:44:59Z")
That’s an intersting idea - maybe when the lid is put on the tank whoever uses the toilet presses back on the lip of the lid, pushing the whole tank enough for it to leak through the sealing washers at the bottom. Those washers are a source of trouble, Tighten them too much and they’ll leak. Don’t tighten them enough, and they leak. Left in place for tok long, they can rot or split and then leak. I have replaced too many toilet innards in my life. Around here, they seem to last about 5 years before the hard water gets to them and they fail. Washers, flapper valves, the valve towers, chains… - I’ve never found one that worked for a long period of time without issues. I just replaced the guts of two toilets in our house a couple of months ago, and now a third one has a leaky flapper valve. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/8 "2023-12-15T23:10:40Z")
> [@md-2000](#): > > my wife said she sometimes leaned back against the tank LazyBoy making toilets now? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/9 "2023-12-15T23:44:50Z")
They’re shit quality recliners. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2023, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/10 "2023-12-15T23:51:50Z")
But if you’re gonna poop in a recliner, the ones from American Standard are much easier to clean than the ones from Barcalounger, even if they are less comfortable. So there is that to consider. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/11 "2023-12-16T09:00:19Z")
Since the leak occurs with the lid on, I suspect it’s the rubber filler tube somehow spraying water on the lid and running to the back, leaking onto the floor. A quick check with a level will tell you if the lid slopes backwards. I would first try to eliminate the filler tube as the culprit by removing it from the black overflow pipe supporting the stopper. Use either a rubber band or zip tie to hold to tube in a downward position, replace the lid and test for a leak. I’m guessing but the overflow tube might be adjusted too close to the lid and when the lid is replaced, it might crimp the tube allowing water to hit the lid and run to the back of the toilet. If that’s not it, I’m stumped. ---
**Author:** ![md-2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@md-2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md-2000)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/12 "2023-12-16T20:16:36Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > > [@md-2000](#): > > > > my wife said she sometimes leaned back against the tank > > LazyBoy making toilets now? The operative word is “push”. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/13 "2024-01-10T18:16:54Z")
That’s a good point, human factors differences could be a subtle cause. For example in my house, Mrs G insisted the toilet was broken, it was always leaky or getting stuck, but it always worked fine when I used it and could never replicate a problem. Analysis between our flushing technique turned out like… Me: So show me how you flush it Her: Like this _pushes lever_ Me: _shocked horror_ No! That’s all wrong, why would you do it that way? That’s way too fast and abrupt. Her: Show me then… Me: Like this, smooth gradual movement from the elbow and wrist, try to match the handle motion to syncronize with the wooshing sound…bend slightly at the knees, back straight…_perfect flush and tank refill ensues_ Her: What are you doing, petting a kitten? It’s metal and ceramic. Push the lever like you mean it, or you’ll just confuse the poor thing. You’re coddling the toilet too much, get us a new one that knows its job. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-toilet-handle-closed-lid-leaking-toilet/994645/14 "2024-01-10T18:48:55Z")
Hard to believe, but there is legit technique to getting a good flush. IME how quickly you push the lever is meaningless. But you need to hold it in the full down position for a second-ish until the flow has time to establish itself before you release the handle. Lest you get the dreaded half-flush.