How to Replace a Toilet Cistern
In order to replace a cistern on your bathroom toilet, you firstly need to remove your old cistern and then insert your replacement. If you follow our step by step guide you will have a fully functioning bathroom suite in no time! Read on to find out all you need to know about how to replace a toilet cistern. 
How to Replace a Toilet Cistern: Step by Step Guide:
Removing the Old Cistern:
1. It is essential before you begin that you flush the toilet first in order to empty the cistern. You can leave the toilet pan down whilst you do this. Then, turn off the stop tap, which should be located to the side of your toilet. Although we can almost guarantee that the stop tap is off, it’s imperative to take extra precautions to ensure that it doesn’t end up letting you down. You can use a pipe slice to cut off the stop tap and insert a push fit stop end. That way, even if your stop tap wants to betray you, it can’t!
2. You’ll now be looking to remove several nuts using either a screwdriver or power drill. There is a nut that connects the cistern to the water supply, and two other nuts that hold the toilet pan to the cistern. All must be removed. • Look out for the overflow pipe, which must also be removed.
3. At the back of your toilet, two screws will secure the cistern. Both need to be removed using a power drill or screwdriver.
4. Once all of these nuts and screws have been removed, you will simply be able to lift the cistern from the toilet. Should any contents or fluid remain in the cistern, you can pour this down the toilet and place your old cistern to the side.
Attaching the New Cistern
1. Unpack your new cistern; ensure you have all of the necessary parts and an instruction manual to hand that you can refer back to should you get lost. You may need to remove stickers and clean away sticky residue to begin with.
2. You’ll need to install your two cistern bolts. You should attach the metal washer first, followed by the rubber washer. These washers are secured in holes at the underside of the cistern. You can then secure a nut in place by gently tightening it with a spanner and screwdriver.
3. You then need to apply the float. To do so, apply silicone to the end and insert it. You’ll need to tightly secure it at the top with a nut. Although the float needs to be secured, it also needs to be free to move up and down.
4. Next you need to insert the filling valve. Apply a dab of silicon to the rim of the rubber washer and insert. Gently tighten the nut at the back. Now that all of the components of the cistern have been installed, you can attach the cistern to the toilet.
5. The nuts that you removed earlier now need to be re-attached so that you can secure your cistern in place. Attach your washer first on either side. Two nuts hold the cistern to the pan, so hold the cistern in place and tighten the nuts. The third nut connects the cistern to the water supply. Once you are content that the nuts have been appropriately tightened, you can remove the stop end.
