Toilet San Carlos

Leaks from below the tank at the rental house called at 10am or so. Went down to inspect adn decided that it swas something I could fix. Always a scary decision when water is involved. Leaks can be hard to fix, and sometimes more problems are easily created. But I figured it was from one of the bolts connecting the upper tank to the pedestal. so I drained the tank, shut off water and flushed adn tried to wrnech the bots free. They were so rusted that I couldn't easily do so, and didn't even need a screwdriver to hold the top of the bolt in place . Eventually I used the socket set to get one of them off, the second I was trying to wrench off and the hwhole bolt broke flush, mission accomplished, the third I ground a solid edge into the bolt with a dremel and then used the smaller size socket to take that one off. Even with a big socket it took a lot of effort. that let me remove the tank, but then there is a second level of bolt beyond that. These ones were hopeless, now the inside of the tank would spin if I tried the socket, so I couldn't even wrench them free with a ton of offort. so then I started hacksawing them off. Its brass, and I'm not sure if brass is easily hacksawed, or not, but eventually thel all came off. Where possible I sped up the process with the dremel and the diamond cutting wheel. Then I went to Ace, got the new bolt set and since I was there, a new spud plug gasket. I had read that I needed to bring the old spud plug gasket to teh store to make sure the new one matched, but Ace only had one option, and it looked pretty close. So, back to the house, realized that this toilet had three bolts attaching it and all the bolt sets came as pairs. Curse you 10 hot dogs and 8 buns! back to the hardware store, and now, paranoid, I also get a new flapper, in case that is part of the problem, or if the new spud plug gasket doesn't fit. I'm bad at returning such things, but I figure, I will not make a third hardware store run. back to the hosue, lots of cleaning behind, around, and the underide of the tank, then cranking down on all the bolts, and no leaks. Well, I actually got a leak when reconnecting the supply line to the fill, but that was easily fixed. The new spud plug gasket definitely makes= the tank ride a little higher off teh pedestal, but not noticeably so. It also made thing s a little wobbly until I got all three bolts cranked down. They say don't overtightne here, but I went pretty darn tight to compress the spud plug washer a ltitle and hold the tank on solidly.

Again, fixing things feels good, not having to call a plumber on a sunday, also good. Oh my, Owen is waking up just now after only 1:20 down, that's a bad sign for the afternoon. Two good nights in a row though sleeping, so I'm not going to complain (yet...). Also an update on things, another infection on the left foot. Not sure what just yet, but seems to be responding tot he antibiotic ointment. The blisters on teh right eyelid are gradually spreading away from the nose, the same as blisters seem to everywhere. Once a blister starts in almost any location, there's a ripples in apond effect that spreads future blisters outward. I'm sure these will run their course teh same as all the rest, but they are disconcerting to look at it adnpopping them is extra scary.