How do I drain a cistern ?

Question

I have an outside toilet and need to take it out. I have been able to turn the water off but dont know how to drain the cistern, can anyone help??

Answer 1

Syphon it out with a short length of hosepipe. it is clean water, it won't hurt you.

Answer 2

Flush the thing of course!

Pull the chain or push the handle, on full flush if its a dual flush model.

That will empty it and, as you have turned the water off, it will not refill.

Answer 3

The simplest way is surely just to flush it?

If that's not possible for some reason, get a piece of tubing and put it in the cistern, suck until water comes through the tube, and put the other end in a bucket or let it run into the garden. It works with fish tanks (and petrol tanks) too.

I suggest you use transparent tubing so you don't get a mouthful of old stale water.

Answer 4

To drain the cistern just flush the toilet. Since the water is turned off it won't refill. To empty the bowl use a scoop to remove most of the water then a sponge or if you can, unscrew the body from the floor and carefully carry it out to a drain.

Answer 5

just flush it,

that will take the water level right down.

if it is a high level suite then crack the sparge (flush) pipe at the joint and put a towel under it to catch the excess until it,s empty, mop up the rest with a towel.

if its a close coupled one then loosen the two screws that hold the cistern on to the pan and take it off and carefully empty it down the toilet.

either way, you need to crack the screwed bottom joint before it is completely dry, but really it is safe enough to leave a little bit of water in the bottom of the cistern when you disconnect the pipe.

the hardest part for water spillage is the pan itself as whichever way you pick it up there is always water in the bend and you need to think about this rather than the cistern itself.