In most cases, when a toilet is set up, it is going to be used regularly.
Some might skip a few days depending on the number of bathrooms in their home. However, it is common for each toilet to be used here and there.
While this is true, it might not always be the case for you.
What happens if a toilet is not used for months at a time?
if a toilet is not used for months, turn off the valve, flush the toilet, and drain the toilet tank. Once done, pour a bucket of cold water, and flush the toilet again. It should be good to go now.
The reason to do this is to reset the toilet essentially.
If you have left the toilet as-is, it is not going to be in the right condition for use. You are also not going to want to use a toilet in this state.
By taking the time to flush the toilet and then drain the toilet tank, you are going to treat it as a brand-new installation. It is like hitting the reset button on a computer.
This guide will take a look at what you have to do if a toilet has not been used for months.
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Steps To Follow If Toilet Is Not Used For Months
1. Turn Off The Water Valve
If you don’t use a toilet for a long time, you are going to need to reset it.
This is going to be done by turning off the water valve.
You do not want water to come pouring out when you are looking to empty the toilet tank. This is why the first thing you should always do when working on a toilet is turn off the water valve.
This will be located on the back or near the bottom of the toilet.
You will notice it is linked to the toilet depending on where the pipe is.
2. Flush The Toilet
You are now going to flush the toilet.
The goal of flushing the toilet is to make sure you let the water go down the drain. You are not going to want to work on the toilet until you have done this.
For most people, you are going to want to flush it a few times.
This should help clear the toilet and allow you to begin working on the rest of the fixture.
Be patient while doing this as you are going to be working on an unused toilet that has been sitting for a while.
3. Drain The Toilet Tank
The main step now is to work on the toilet tank.
You will notice there is water in the tank.
You will want to remove the lid, set it aside, and then drain the toilet tank.
This is going to help remove the water that is in the toilet tank, which will help initiate the reset process.
Once again, you will want to be patient here and make sure the toilet tank has been drained thoroughly.
4. Pour Water Into Toilet And Flush Again
The next step is to pour cold water into the toilet.
You are going to want to make sure there is a bit of water in the toilet, which is going to allow you to flush it.
This is why you will want to work on the toilet tank.
This is one of the main issues people deal with when it comes to handling a toilet. Be patient and make sure you are working on flushing the toilet a few times by doing this.
As of this point, your toilet is going to be good to go.
You can turn on the water valve and make sure everything is back to how it should be. The toilet will be usable at this point.
Final Thoughts
These are the steps you have to consider if a toilet has not been used for months.
If a toilet has not been used for months, it’s best to turn off the main water valve, flush the toilet a few times, drain the toilet tank, pour a bucket of cold water, and flush again. This should help reset the toilet.
You do not want to use the toilet as-is because it is not going to be in the right condition to do so.
An unused toilet that has been sitting in the same condition for months is not going to work as you want it to.
This is why you have to be diligent and make sure you are putting in the time to work on the toilet until it is in the condition you want it to be.
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