It started with a simple toilet seat, but now the toilet has new innards, too!

Tuesday, one of the little bolts that holds the toilet seat on the downstairs toilet broke off. The bolt is fine, but the plastic "nut" on the seat into which it attaches is cracked and torn, so it won't take the threads back in. I zipped by Home Depot and Menards in my neighborhood to nab a new seat, but we'd decided we wanted a bidet (as we have upstairs) and all either store had in stock were high-end, hot water and electricity required kinds. The main floor half-bath has the toilet opposite the sink, so no way to plumb or power such a luxury seat.

This morning I dashed to another Home Depot nearby to get a simpler seat. The bidet we have upstairs is an add-on under the existing seat, but we've decided we like it enough to get an integrated set. Plus, since the seat is broken, replacing the seat and the add-on isn't any less expensive than the integrated kind. I got home, pulled the old seat, gave a little scrub, and then started working...

After work and dinner, I turned back to the plumbing. Since I was going to have to drain the tank and disconnect the water line, which isn't required just to replace a seat, I decided to also take the time to replace the flushing mechanism with the hi-low system I've put in the other toilets. Use the little handle for a little flush, and the big handle for a big flush.

An hour and a half later, new seat, new flushing, and no leaks. A little tweaking to get the flush right, to make sure the little flush still drains the bowl, and all will be good again!

Everyone's healthy.