Restore Water and Check for Leaks — Restore Water and Inspect for Leaks

Beginner

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How to Replace a Toilet's Flexible Water Supply Line · Step 6 of 6

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Slowly turn the shut-off valves back on to restore water pressure to the system. Once the water is on, take a dry towel and wipe all the joints and connections you worked on. Carefully feel around each joint with your hand to check for any drips or moisture, which would indicate a leak. After waiting about 20 minutes, perform a final check.

Goal: Test the repair and ensure it is watertight

Open the valves slowly to allow the pipes to fill gradually, which helps prevent water hammer.
A final check after 20-30 minutes is a good practice to catch very slow drips that may not be immediately obvious.

Used in this video

Towel (Tool Type: Cleaning) — Drying the pipes and fittings to make it easier to spot new leaks.

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FAQs

What specific type of new water supply line should I use, and what size do I need for my toilet?

You should use a braided stainless steel or polymer supply line for durability and burst protection; plastic ones can degrade. The most common size is 3/8 inch compression for the shut-off valve by 7/8 inch ballcock nut for the toilet tank, often 12-20 inches long depending on the distance between your valve and tank. Always measure your existing line or the distance to be sure.

What's the most critical first step to prevent a flood when starting this project?

The most critical first step is to completely shut off the water supply to the toilet. Locate the shut-off valve behind or near the base of the toilet and turn it clockwise until it stops. After shutting it off, flush the toilet to drain the tank and relieve pressure, ensuring no water will flow when you disconnect the old line.

How long does this toilet supply line replacement project typically take for a beginner, and what's its difficulty level?

This project is considered beginner-level and typically takes most DIYers only 15-30 minutes to complete. The most time-consuming part might be gathering your tools and preparing the work area. With the right tools and preparation, it's a quick and straightforward task.

What should I do if the new supply line leaks after I've installed it and turned the water back on?

If you notice a leak, immediately shut off the water supply to the toilet again. Check both connections to ensure they are hand-tightened, then use your adjustable wrench to give them an additional quarter to half-turn, being careful not to overtighten. Also, confirm the rubber washers are properly seated inside the nuts.

Transcript

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We're going to go through and check our other lines, those are tight, and then the last thing we're going to do, is we're going to come back to our gait valves, we're going to turn these on and see, I'm going to have some pressure, I'm not going to turn these on all the way until it opens it up. So we're going to go back through all of these spots, dry everything up here, with the towel, and then we're going to come back down and make sure nothing's leaking. Now that we're done, the last thing we're going to do is we're just going to come through here, and anywhere we worked, we're just going to run our hand under there, make sure that there's no leaks, we've waited about 20 minutes now, and I'm just coming through on the undersides, no moisture, we're just going to go through all the area that we just worked, and there's no drips, and that's all there is to it, it takes 30 minutes with

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