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Dripping overflow - repairing a leaking overflow

A ball-cock valve controls the water level in a tank or toilet cistern. When the water reaches the required level, the valve closes so that no further water is let in to the tank until the next time it is emptied, or flushed. If the valve fails, the water level will continue to rise until it is diverted to the outside of the property by an overflow pipe, which prevents it flooding onto the floor.

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Tenants do not always bother to report a dripping overflow. As the water overflows outside the house, they are not always interested. In the case of a flat, it is more likely to be a neighbour or member of the management committee that will bring it to your attention. This problem highlights the need for regular property visits, so that such problems can be found and dealt with at the earliest opportunity. If an overflow is left dripping for any length of time, it can cause unsightly staining and ultimately damage to the fabric of the building.

The float itself doesn't tend to fail; it's usually the sealing diaphragm inside the ball-cock, which is made of rubber and eventually just perishes. If a new float is not needed, you can save a bit of money by buying a new ball-cock without buying a new float, as you can use the float off the old one. If the float does get broken or punctured, you can seal it inside a plastic bag as a temporary measure, where urgent action is required.

If you're feeling really clever, you can buy a ball-cock repair kit and just replace the diaphragm/washer.

To replace a washer in a metal bourne valve, turn off the water supply, and then pull out the split pin that connects the float arm to the valve. Don't drop the pin into the tank.

Remove the arm and unscrew the threaded cap on the end of the valve body and slide out the piston.

Unscrew the piston end cap that retains the rubber washer - use pliers to grip the cap while turning the piston with a screwdriver held in the side slot.

Clean the parts with wire wool, then put a new washer in the end cap and refit the piston.

Reassemble the valve, taking care to align the slot in the piston with the bottom of the valve body in order to receive the end of the float arm.

Replace the diaphragm in a plastic valve by unscrewing the large retaining cap. Pick out the old diaphragm and insert a new one.

Reassemble the valve and turn the water back on. If necessary, reset the float arm with the regulator screw to raise or lower the water level in the cistern - the water should be about 25 mm (1 in) below the overflow.

To replace the ball-cock, turn the water off. In the case of a water tank, you don't always need to empty the tank, just disconnect the pipe from the old ball-cock, unscrew the nuts holding the ball-cock in place and put a new one in place.

With a toilet you may find that the ball-cock is what they call bottom entry, which is just a cosmetic thing so the pipe goes into the bottom of the cistern rather than the side of the cistern, but it's a nuisance when it comes to this job because it means that you have to drain the cistern. Turn the water off; then flush the toilet and bail out the rest of the water before you remove the ball-cock to change it.

When the new ball-cock is in position, adjust the water level back to the same level as before. In the case of a toilet, test the flush.

As a rule of thumb in a cold-water storage tank you use a brass-bodied ball-cock, which is called a part 1 or part 2, because of the part of the water bylaws it complies with. In a toilet cistern you use a part 3 ball-valve usually made of plastic. On the brass-bodied ones, the arm going to the float is made of metal and the only way of adjusting the level is by bending that arm - so bend it to achieve the level you want.

If the ball-valve makes noise from the water pouring out of it splashing into the tank you can fit what's called a Torbeck valve which, as well as incorporating a very small arm and a very small float, incorporates a plastic pipe that the water runs down into the tank and so doesn't make any splashing noises.

In a hard-water area problems may be caused by a build-up of limescale on the float arm and valve. This may require regular attention by cleaning off the limescale. Limescale remover solutions can help or limescale can be carefully chipped off.

Ball cocks are sometimes incorrectly called ball valves because the float is ball shaped. In this article the term ball-cock is used instead of ball valve. A ball valve is actually a ball with a hole through it, which turns 90 degrees to stop or start the water. This type of valve is used to connect the water supply to a washing machine because of the low pressure loss incurred in the valve caused by its simple flow path.

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