Flushing out the problem
Help, my toilet is leaking!
A leaking toilet is costly, annoying, and can wreak a lot of damage by the time you actually notice it. You might not know anything is wrong … until you see a wet floor, or even damage on the ceiling on the floor below the toilet. If you are lucky, you might hear or see a problem when it keeps running or flushing on its own. But whenever you do notice you have a leaky toilet, please act immediately. The water you are wasting is costly, but the damage that can occur if you don’t take care of a leaky toilet now is even worse.
A simple test
Not all toilet leaks will be easy to spot. The easiest way to test for a leak is with a simple food colouring test. Put a few drops of food colouring into the toilet tank. If you see the colour show up in the bowl after 15 minutes without flushing, guess what? You have a leak. The issue is most likely a worn or damaged flush valve or seal, a malfunctioning inlet valve, or an issue with the float.
Water shut off valve
If you do notice a leak and are waiting for a repair, you should turn off the water to your toilet in the meantime. There is a shut off valve, usually behind the toilet and mounted to the wall. Turn the valve clockwise to turn off the supply of water to the toilet until you the problem has been repaired. If the valve itself is leaking, you may just need to tighten the packing nut. If you don’t feel comfortable with that repair, you might just want to wait for us to come remedy the leak.
Wobbly toilet
Sometimes the leak isn’t the toilet itself, but the wax seal on the base of the toilet, where it meets the floor. This might be accompanied by an unpleasant smell. For this, you actually have to remove the toilet from its place to fix the seal, meaning it is best done by a qualified professional (and might be a great time to look at a new higher efficiency toilet.
Time to call a professional?
Some problems with a leaky toilet can be fixed on your own. The problem is the diagnostics – usually people think the problem must be the one which fits the solution they know how to administer! But there can be cracks in the tank, broken seals or valves, malfunctioning floats, or leaking supply lines, and each requires a different fix. If you aren’t positive what the issue is and how to easily solve it without potentially causing more damage, it’s always best to call a professional … or, better yet Action Plumbing and Heating .