Question: My mom recently passed away at age 104. With my help, she still had her own home.

My problem is the 2-part toilet. The pipe between the toilet and the tank has a hole in it. I have a bucket under the hole, but it is not very sanitary when flushed.

I asked my plumbers what could be done and they didn’t know. I called a plumbing-supply store and they could not help. Can you?

— Worcester, Mass.

Answer: Sorry about the loss of your mom, but what a wonderful life she must have had! It’s always hard to lose a parent, even when he or she is at such an advanced age.

Most toilet tanks sit on the toilet itself. You must have an older model.

I wonder why your plumbers did not suggest replacing the toilet with a new one. It seems to be the most logical solution.

Is there some reason why they and the plumbing-supply store didn’t? Please let me know, as I am curious; I may be missing something.

At this point, I am not sure what else to suggest.

Deteriorating cistern

Q: I have a serious problem for which no one seems to be able to offer a solution.

I have an old, round, 8-foot-wide-by-9-foot-deep cistern in my backyard. It was built of red bricks and holds about 2,200 gallons of water.

For about 14 years, I have been patching holes every three years or so with hydraulic cement and Quikwall to keep the dirt out.

This year, the problem is that I didn’t patch it well enough, and I am getting mud through a lot of holes.

Hydraulic cement is very expensive and I would need a lot of it. Do you know of someone who can sell me another type of cement that I can buy in bulk and mix myself, and that would keep mud out and water in?

I have a 280-foot-deep well that works fine until we get a drought, at which time it runs out of water for four or five days, which is why I need the cistern.

Please help me.

— Irwin

A: Sorry, I do not have an answer for you regarding the cement substitute. It seems to me that you are going to a great deal of trouble to keep this old cistern going.

I suggest you consider replacing it with an HDPE plastic water storage tank that can be inserted into your cistern.

National Tank Outlet (www.ntotank.com; 888-686-8265) has a huge selection of plastic tanks. There is a 2,100-gallon vertical tank that measures 87 inches in diameter and is 89 inches deep. It should fit into your cistern. There are many others with different sizes and capacities.

You might not need a 2,100-gallon tank, considering that the average person uses 60 to 90 gallons of water a day, and that your well only runs out of water for four or five days.

The price of the one described above is $1,235, but there are smaller ones at lower prices. The repeated hassle of having to patch every few years, sometimes unsuccessfully, added to the cost of the cement and your labor, should help you make a decision. After all, there will be a time when you might not be able to keep up with the patching.

Contact your local government to find out whether there is some financial help available.

Basement leak

Q: I read your articles every week in my local newspaper and have learned so much. Thank you.

Here is my issue: I inherited an old house that was built by my great-grandparents in the 1920s. Under the front porch is the old coal cellar. During a heavy rainstorm, water gets into the coal cellar and then runs under the door of the coal cellar into the basement, which has the laundry room and a bathroom. I had the floor of the front porch replaced, thinking the water was coming in from there. However, some water is still getting in. There is no drain in the coal cellar, so the water runs into the only drain in the basement, which is in the middle of the laundry room. I have started to remodel the home, but I am not sure how to proceed to keep the basement dry. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have.

— Pittsburgh, via email

A: The leakage might be caused by a grading issue. Make sure that the grade slopes gently away from the front porch so water is directed outward and cannot run down along the foundation.

You might want to check all around the foundation, as I have seen cases where the source of the leakage was discovered far from the point of entry.

Send questions to Henri de Marne at First Aid for the Ailing House, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106; or email henridemarne@gmavt.net.

---

Copyright ©2026— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---