
In order for water to flush from the tank to the bowl using gravity, the toilet tank is typically situated on top of the toilet bowl. To provide the bowl with enough water to flush the toilet, a toilet tank’s primary purpose is to hold water.The essential components of a toilet haven’t changed much over the past century or so, but minor details have.
The toilet tank, a detached component that is joined to the bowl during installation, is what holds the water that is derived from the house’s water supply. All of the water rushes into the bowl when the tank is activated, carrying garbage to the sewer. The glazed ceramic pieces that make up toilet tanks are solid-state. They hardly ever malfunction since they lack moving parts.
Understanding the components of a toilet is essential to identifying and resolving typical toilet problems including occasional fracture or crack. By thoroughly drying the interior of the tank, and filling the fracture with silicone plumbing epoxy, minor cracks in toilet tanks can be mended. The manufacturer of your toilet may also provide replacement toilet tank parts; in this instance, having the model number of your toilet is helpful. You have the option of replacing only one part of a toilet tank or totally rebuilding the tank.
Contents
11 Main Parts Of A Toilet Tank
The flush valve, toilet tank bowl, and the flapper are three components that every toilet tank needs. Without these, your toilet cannot function. There are still a few things to be aware of, such as all of the ones listed below.
1. The Flush Valve
The flush valve, which is located where the toilet’s water supply line attaches, is what permits the tank to be refilled. The flush valve’s internal components are what start the refilling process. To regulate the amount of water entering the bowl, the flush valve piston oscillates up and down. The ball that floats in the flush tank’s water is connected to the piston by the ball.
The water level within the flush tank causes the ball to rise and fall.The ball floats up whenever the water level in the flush tank reaches a certain level, closing a valve to prevent water from spilling into the bowl. The ball falls, opening the valve and allowing water to flow into the bowl when the water level in the flush tank becomes too low.
2. Toilet Tank Bowl
Prior to flushing, the water is held in the toilet’s bowl. A flapper valve that controls water flow is also included, along with a top and bottom rim. Even though the bowl’s components can be made of metal, plastic or porcelain are usually used instead (pottery). In order to flush the toilet, a trapway that is attached to the bowl must be opened. The aperture enables water to enter the tank and exit through a different drain on your bathroom floor.
3. The Toilet Flapper
The piece within your toilet tank called the toilet flapper allows water to flush out of the tank and into the bowl. When you flush the toilet, the flapper rises momentarily to let water flow before lowering back to its original position. Typically, mounting arms that hook onto ears on either side of the overflow tube are used to secure this round, rubber disc to the bottom of the tube. The flapper rises to release water from the tank when the chain fastened to it is pulled. A damaged flapper may not seal properly, allowing water to escape the tank and producing a weak flush.
4. The Ballcock/Balltap Valve
A ballcock valve is a device that fills water tanks, such as those used in flush toilets, while preventing overflow and backflow. It is made up of a valve located close to the tank’s top that is connected to a hollow, sealed float by way of a lever. The moniker “ballcock” refers to the float’s frequent ball shape.
The valve, which is attached to the incoming water supply, is opened and closed by a lever with a float affixed on the end. The lever is forced to close the valve and stop the water flow as the water level rises, and the float rises along with it. When the water level reaches a certain level, the mechanism releases the lever.
A discharging response is activated by a rod or chain when the handle of a toilet is turned. A flapper valve may serve as the mechanism, allowing the tank to empty by sinking more slowly than the water that would eventually exit into the toilet bowl underneath.
5. Toilet Tank Lever
The volume of water in the tank is managed by the tank lever that is fastened to the flush handle. A valve is opened as the lever rises, allowing water from the toilet bowl to enter the tank.
The valve closes as the lever descends, preventing water from the tank from dripping into the bowl. When the lever is lowered to the center position, water starts to flow from the bowl and tank. The toilet tank’s water level can be adjusted using the lever.
6. The Tank Supply Lines
The supply pipe for the toilet supplies the tank with cold water. The supply line is likely the most crucial component of a toilet since without it, the toilet would not be able to flush, spin, or refill. The supply line pipe, which is a small metal feature fastened to both the toilet and your wall, draws water from the interior wall water lines and runs it into the toilet through a small metal tube. It can be turned on or off using a small valve handle. Problems with the supply line are well-known. A faulty supply valve may allow cold water to seep within the wall or outside the wall and onto the toilet floor.
7. Bolts, Rubber Washer And Locknuts
These parts hold the toilet bowl firmly in place at the base of the round, porcelain element of the toilet. They are held together by the bolts, which are fastened to the base and bowl. Rubber washers serve as gaskets around the bolts. To achieve effectiveness, the amount of compression required must be taken into account.
Locknuts ensure the bolts are tightly fastened. Water might leak under the toilet bowl, drench the toilet room and harm the floor if the bowl is wobbly on the base. The toilet may waiver due to a loose toilet bowl as well.
8. WC Tank Cover
The toilet tank cover retains water in the tank by covering it. You can use it to flush the toilet because it also has a spot for a grip attachment.
The toilet tank’s lid keeps odors and germs within. To retain water inside the tank, the lid includes a rubber seal. To easily pull open the tank and clean inside the toilet, the lid also features a handle.
9. Leaky Sentry Tools

A tiny metal lever termed a “leak sentry device” (LSD) is attached to the float valve. Typically, the tank’s top of this device is a single little metal piece.
It prevents pressure from building up behind it when you flush repeatedly at high rates of flow. If you flushed too much water at once, it can otherwise cause leaks near the base where it rests on top of your toilet’s drain line.
10. Flush Handle
The toilet is flushed using a trip lever on the toilet tank called the flush handle. There are instances where the handle is a big button on top of the toilet lid rather than a lever.The lengthy arm that extends into the toilet tank is where this flushing mechanism is fastened.The flush handle itself rarely breaks, but frequent use of the toilet handle might cause the arm inside the toilet tank to bend or break.
11. Toilet Chain
The toilet chain, also known as a lift chain, is a concise segment of chain with metal links that joins the toilet lever to the flapper. When the toilet lever is pulled, the toilet chain is pulled as well, which elevates the toilet flapper.
Toilet chains frequently break due to their high usage. A length of wire can frequently be used to rejoin a chain if it breaks off at either end. Even better, get a new chain. Chains are included in a kit for mending flappers.
Detecting And Fixing Faulty Toilet Tank Parts
The toilet tank may encounter a handful of potential issues like a running toilet, a leak, or a clog. Rest assured that there may be a solution to your toilet tank if you see any noticeable issues. Let’s go through how to detect typical toilet tank issues and how to fix and make some sorts of toilet repairs in our tank parts.
Flushing Issues
Your toilet may be partially or completely clogged if it doesn’t flush as well as it formerly did. It might also be the result of a damaged trip lever, toilet flush valve, or the refill tube .
Additional indications of the issue include:
- The water level in the toilet bowl is substantially lower than usual.
- Water pressure in toilet tank increases considerably more quickly than usual
- The water level in the bowl never goes above a specific point.
Using a multi purpose plier or pouring hot water into the toilet bowl should be your first step if you think your toilet may be clogged. If the water drains smoothly, the flush valve might be malfunctioning.
You can have a broken flush ball if the water level in the toilet bowl rises above the toilet fill valve and nearly fills the entire bowl. These parts need replacement for proper functioning.
Flooding Toilet Tank
A blockage, faulty float ball adjustment, a damaged float ball, or a broken flush valve could all be at blame for your toilet problem. Cleaning the toilet bowl is the simplest technique to identify the issue.
The float ball’s adjustment needs to be verified before moving forward. The toilet will overflow if the float ball is too close to the water line.
A Leaking Toilet Tank
You’ll probably hear a dripping sound coming from the toilet tank while it’s leaking. If the toilet tank is upstairs or outside the bathroom, the leaking sound will be more audible.
There are several ways to detect leaks in toilet tanks, including:
- If the toilet tank’s water flow level is much below average,
- If your water bill is more expensive than usual
- If it takes longer than normal for your toilet to flush
You can fix most toilet tanks by changing the flapper or flushing system. If those parts of the toilet tank are functioning properly, the leak is probably coming from the tank itself. Examine and replace the wax ring, if necessary.
My Toilet Is Not Flushing

A non-flushing toilet can be caused by a number of issues. Determining whether the issue is with flushing or filling is the first step in identifying the issue. Flush the toilet while holding the lid down to find out.
If it doesn’t fill with water, you’ll need to fix a blocked or malfunctioning fill valve. If it fills but won’t flush, check to see if the pipe is broken or if the drain is clogged. Drain pipes with air vents help move wastewater and other materials along by allowing the natural pressure in the pipes to equalise.
Broken Float Ball
There might be an issue with your float ball or float valve if your toilet tank is overflowing. The toilet tank is alerted when it is full by the float ball or float valve. The toilet tank won’t be able to communicate when it needs to be emptied if the float ball or float valve fails. The float ball should be checked next if your toilet tank is overflowing and you’ve already made sure the flush valve isn’t malfunctioning. You must check out the overflow tube or get a new float ball if your old one breaks.
Conclusion
Toilets provide a simple, elegant solution to a basic, common, and human requirement. The majority of toilet tank components are common. To diagnose and resolve typical toilet problems like blockages, or leaks around the tank or bowl, it’s essential to be aware of all the components of a toilet.Get guidelines and proficient assistance from our plumbing specialist.

I am John Kluge, co-founder of Toilethackers.org. With 10+ years of experience working with toilets, I have garnered a lot of understanding about resolving toilet-related issues. Knowledge is meant to be shared and I am passionate about teaching people the right way to keep toilets clean and also fix toilet-related issues. I co-founded this blog to share my experiences and keep readers updated about toilet-related issues. Knowledge sharing is my forte and I always do so with ease. With exceptional writing and analytic skill, I use my skill to simplify complex terms and ensure readers grasp more understanding about toilet issues.