Toilet tanks breaking- how often

[bsheffer]

I have a condo that is about two years old and has been occupied by my parents forever. Ie, no rukus parties or carrying on!!! Over the past two years, two of the three tanks on the toilets have cracked and made a big mess. How common is this and why do they crack? I have one more never cracked toilet remaining and my sense would be to just go ahead and replace it as possibly all the toilets were out of the same bad batch of poorly constructed product.

[Roly]

I have a condo that is about two years old and has been occupied by my parents forever. Ie, no rukus parties or carrying on!!! Over the past two years, two of the three tanks on the toilets have cracked and made a big mess. How common is this and why do they crack? I have one more never cracked toilet remaining and my sense would be to just go ahead and replace it as possibly all the toilets were out of the same bad batch of poorly constructed product.

 Could the tanks been tightened too tight to the toilet ?  Could they be leaning on the tank ?   If leaning on it a block between it and the wall may help.   What brand of toilet ?   Roly

[Splinter Puller]

I have a condo that is about two years old and has been occupied by my parents forever. Ie, no rukus parties or carrying on!!! Over the past two years, two of the three tanks on the toilets have cracked and made a big mess. How common is this and why do they crack? I have one more never cracked toilet remaining and my sense would be to just go ahead and replace it as possibly all the toilets were out of the same bad batch of poorly constructed product.

I've never cracked one.  Maybe consider a 1 piece toilet if they are the type to lean on the tank a lot.   Your parents could be kinky. lol

[Stwood_]

Only had that problem when I chunked it out of the pickup at the dump.

[EricU]

I over-tightened a tank once and broke it.  It was leaking, I think after I painted behind it.  Trying to remember if there was water in it.

[fredhargis]

I've never seen a tank crack while in place. It would seem your guess may be as good as any.

[blackhat]

Where did they crack, bottoms or sides?

[toolmiser]

Don't have an answer, but knew someone who had an upstairs toilet tank crack once while they were gone for the weekend. Lots of damage.

[R Clark]

Uneven tightening of the bolts is my guess.  

May not break right away, but later, if somebody puts pressure on it just right...

[MstrCarpenter]

I just swapped out a toilet for a friend today. As I was finishing up he asked what the hot melt glue gun was for. It was to glue a spacer block between the tank and wall. I've installed three tanks for the same customer because she had a habit of leaning back. Sorry if you have a colon problem but it's not a recliner! That's when I learned that the older toilets had a scoop out of the top of the tank where you could secure it to the wall without interfering with the tank lid. Point is; Bolt the bowl to the floor, secure the tank to the wall. neither should move at all. Problem solved.

Some Engineer decided to put his $.02 in on the one I installed today. It always used to be a wax ring, two brass bolts w/ nuts, and a supply tube. About the only thing you could do wrong was to put the plastic washer on upside down. I actually had to open the instructions which were luckily only pictures. They even made the seat installation difficult. I guess they're trying to make it so even a totally skill-less homeowner can do it because the tools required for installation are, absolutely none. So to those of you who continually try to make things person-proof; I would like to inform you that you have greatly underestimated the abilities of us truly dedicated idiots.

BTW If you ask me, 12" rough is from the framing to the center of the drain. I haven't come across a toilet yet where that doesn't still leave enough space for wallboard and tile behind the tank. And yes, I'll still pull the toilet to paint behind it.