Any time your plumbing system develops a leak, it’s a problem you shouldn’t ignore. Despite that, plenty of homeowners react to a suspected toilet leak by putting off repairs. The reason is that most places where a toilet might leak only lead to water going down the drain. Without the threat of wall, ceiling, or floor damage, it’s all too easy to dismiss a toilet leak as no big deal. However, a leaky toilet can waste between 200 and 4,000 gallons of water daily, depending on its severity. So, once you get your next water bill, you’ll likely regret ignoring your leaking toilet. To prevent this outcome, here is how to locate toilet leaks and identify their source.
If You Can Hear Your Toilet Running
Occasionally, a leaking toilet will make itself evident. That’s because severe leaks drain your toilet tank fast enough to leave the toilet constantly refilling. That results in the apparent sound of running water. In those cases, you can narrow down the source of your leak quite easily. First, look for signs of water escaping from your toilet. Then, you can work backward from there.
Tank-to-Bowl Gasket Leaks
If you spot water pooling where your toilet tank meets the bowl, there’s only one possible source of the leak. It indicates a failure of your tank-to-bowl gasket or its hardware. The tank-to-bowl gasket is a rubber ring that seals the gap between the openings of your tank base and the bowl it sits on. The rubber can easily wear out after years of constant exposure to water. Or, the bolts that keep steady pressure on the gasket may wear out. Either way, you should turn off your toilet’s water supply, flush it, and contact us to dispatch a plumber.
Flapper Seal Leaks
If you don’t see any water escaping from your toilet, the next place to look is inside the bowl itself. If you can see a constant stream of water coming down the sloped sides, you may have a leaking flapper. Your toilet’s flapper is the component that seals the tank after a flush to allow it to refill. If the flapper doesn’t seal the tank properly, water will leak continuously into the bowl, leading to the tank continuously refilling. Fortunately, replacing a tank flapper is a relatively straightforward process. Most attach to the toilet tank’s overflow tube via two small protrusions at the base of the tube. Replacement flapper kits are readily available at home improvement stores. Or, you can leave the job to one of our plumbers.
Faulty Fill Valves
In some cases, a constantly-running toilet will result from a malfunctioning fill valve. If you open your toilet tank and see water overtopping the overflow tube, the fill valve is a likely leak culprit. It means the valve isn’t closing properly when your toilet float rises to the appropriate position. In most cases, this is a result of a failing valve seal. Most toilet fill valves feature replaceable seals. To replace yours, you’d need to turn off your toilet’s water supply. Then, you would remove the top of the fill valve to access and replace the seal. However, if you’ve never performed a seal replacement before, you may want to schedule a visit from one of our plumbers.
You should also be aware that certain types of internal damage can cause a fill valve to malfunction. In those cases, you’d need to replace the entire valve, and not just its seal. That’s a more involved process that requires a bit more skill. Although you can find replacement kits to help you through the job, you should know that you might accidentally create a mess in your bathroom in the process. For that reason, we strongly suggest you leave the work to a professional.
Identifying Silent Leaks
Unfortunately, not every toilet leak will be apparent. Very slow leaks can make no noise whatsoever. However, if you receive a surprisingly high water bill, you should immediately inspect your home’s toilets. Another symptom of slow toilet leaks is weak flushing. It happens because your toilet tank’s water level drops below where it should be. That results in less water flow and weaker siphoning action at the bottom of the toilet bowl. You may even experience a phenomenon called ghost flushing when a toilet develops a slow leak.
Ghost flushing occurs when a leak drops a toilet tank’s water level enough to trigger its fill valve suddenly. The result is a sound like a flushing toilet, except with nobody there triggering it. When you experience ghost flushing, it means one of two things. One is that you have a slow leak in a toilet that nobody uses often. In that case, the leak lets out enough water between intentional flushes to trigger a ghost flush. The other is a moderately fast leak in a toilet that sees regular use. In that case, the leak is quick enough to trigger a ghost flush in between consecutive intentional flushes.
No matter the symptom you’re experiencing, you can confirm a slow toilet leak quite easily. To do it, all you need is some food coloring. To identify a leak, remove the tank cover from the toilet you suspect has a leak. Then, add between 10 and 12 drops of food coloring to the tank. Next, wait about 15 minutes and examine the water in the toilet bowl. If you see evidence of the food coloring’s presence there, you’ve found your leak. In most cases, the toilet’s flapper will be the leak’s source. That’s especially true if you’re experiencing ghost flushing, which confirms that the tank isn’t overfilling.
What Water Around Your Toilet’s Base Means
Finally, your toilet may experience a leak that leaves a puddle of water around its base. If one of your toilets exhibits that symptom, finding the leak’s source is simple. All you must do is feel around the outside of the toilet bowl and tank with a clean, dry towel. If the towel gets wet, the leak is coming from the upper part of the toilet. If not, the leak is likely coming from the toilet’s floor flange or its seal. Either way, fixing the problem absolutely calls for a plumber’s help. It involves removing the toilet from the floor, cleaning or replacing the flange, and replacing its seal. Doing it wrong will guarantee another leak shortly afterward. Doing it right should restore your toilet’s integrity for years to come.
Your Trusted Local Plumbers
Any time you suspect a leak in one of your home’s toilets in Anoka, MN, you can turn to Liberty Comfort Systems for help. We’ve been serving local homeowners since 2004 and are a family-owned and -operated business. Additionally, more than 60% of our business comes from repeat customers and referrals. That means we always go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction.
We’re also accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. So, for quick repairs of leaky toilets in Anoka, contact Liberty Comfort Systems today for plumbing services!
