The toilet should be a reliable aspect of the plumbing system at home as using it is no doubt a vital part of people’s daily routine. Among other things relevant to plumbing maintenance, keeping your toilet well-functioning should be one of your priority chores as a homeowner. In fact, toilets that are properly maintained and taken care of can last up to 40 years and even more.
However, it is inevitable that we do encounter toilet malfunctions every now and then. Leaks are actually a common thing and it does not necessarily call for the expert hands of plumbing professionals to fix a leaking toilet.
The truth is that fixing a leaky toilet is not a difficult task at all; even inexperienced homeowners can perform it. If you want to avoid wasting more or less 200 gallons of water a day, then you should not ignore a leak no matter how minor it may seem. Also, undetected toilet tank leak can eventually lead to major water damage.
Causes of Running Toilet
Mostly, a running toilet occurs because of several reasons like having the overflow pipe at the wrong height, bad fill valve, or a leaky flapper. If the leak takes place at the base of the toilet, it means the wax seal under the toilet has failed. When this happens, you will notice water pooling around the toilet’s base; thus, you need the sponge to soak the water up from the toilet.
Ways to Fix Toilet Leak
Again, fixing a leaky toilet is an ordinary plumbing issue that homeowners can do on their own without calling a plumbing professional. All you need are a few essential tools such as pliers, hacksaw, and perhaps a new fill valve. However, you have to be careful and put the following tips in mind when doing the repair work:
Food Coloring Trick
The first thing to do when detecting the presence of a leak is to remove the lid from the tank. To test if you have a leak, pour a few drops of food coloring into the tank and wait. After about 10 minutes, check the water in the bowl and see if it has signs of color in it. If it does, then you have a leak.
Flush Valve Check
Now, you need to determine the source of the leak. First, you must shut off the water supply to the toilet. Then using a marker, draw a line or mark indicating the water level in the tank. Wait for another 10 to 20 minutes and then check if the water has fallen below the mark. If it has, it means the flush valve is the source of the leak.
Fill Valve Check
The toilet fill valve could also be a source of leak in your toilet. To verify, examine the overflow tube and observe whether or not water is flowing or running into the tube. If so, the leak is coming from the fill valve and you need a new fill valve as a replacement. Another possibility is that the water is set too high or way above the overflow tube. One troubleshooting option is by keeping the water level 3 quarts of an inch below the tube.
Flapper Inspection
Another common cause of toilet leaks is failure of the flapper to seal properly. When this happens, water from the tank leaks into the bowl. Either the flapper is simply out of position or corroded, or there is scaly mineral build-up on the bottom of the flapper preventing it from sealing properly. If this is the case, you need to shut off the water to the toilet. Then, drain the tank by holding the flush lever down until all the water in the tank is totally drained. You can use a sponge, towel, or any thick cloth to absorb and get whatever remaining water that’s left in the tank out. Next, use fine sandpaper or steel wool to remove the debris that’s building up on the bottom of the flapper. Or, if you want, you can just buy a new flapper which only costs a few dollars.
These are the four easy-breezy ways to fix a leaking toilet. If you are determined and confident enough, you can do this like how a real plumber does. As long as you know what to do and trace the source of leaks and have the necessary tools, you are good to go.
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