How to Check a Toilet for Leaks in 4 Simple Steps
If you've ever worked on a toilet, you know it can be very difficult to track down a leak. You may need to turn off the water supply and remove the toilet tank cover to inspect the entire inside of the tank. While it's common for people to try to locate a leak by throwing food coloring into the bowl, most people need to realize that there's an equally effective test you can use right inside the tank. When you need a qualified plumber, contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing.
Remove the Toilet Tank Lid
Remove the toilet tank lid by unscrewing it from the back of the tank. You may need to remove two or three screws, depending on the type of toilet tank you have. If you can't find any screws, try wiggling it off gently and pulling up on it simultaneously.
If there's water in your tank already, ensure that none splashes out when you remove the lid. Also, be careful not to drop anything into the bowl or onto the floor while working on your toilet!
Check the Water Level in the Tank
Next, look at how much water is in your tank. If you have an older toilet, a float ball may rise as more water fills up above it and falls when there is less water in the bowl below it. If this is your situation, then simply check how high up this floating ball sits compared with its normal position when there isn't any water in your toilet bowl (it should be about 1/2 inch above its resting point). If it's higher than usual, then it means that there is probably something wrong with your flapper or fills valve, which controls how much water flows into your tank.
Conduct the Food Coloring Test
Conducting a food coloring test is a quick and easy way to check for leaks in your toilet. You can buy food coloring at any grocery store or department store. Pour some food coloring into a glass filled with water and put it into your toilet tank. Put on your gloves and wait 20 minutes or so. After 20 minutes, look for any color in your bowl or floor around your toilet base. If you notice colored water anywhere, then your toilet is leaking!
Check the Water in the Bowl for Color
Once again, remove the lid from your toilet tank and fill it halfway with warm water. Add some food coloring to this water and let it sit for 20 minutes or more just like before. After 20 minutes, look inside your toilet bowl; if you see colored water anywhere, there’s a leak!
How To Fix a Leaking Toilet
Leaking toilets are a common problem. It can be difficult to find the source of the leak and even more challenging to fix. The good news is that there are many ways to fix a leaking toilet, so don't worry if you have a dripping faucet or broken pipes.
Check the Flapper
If you have an old-fashioned flapper less toilet, you may need to replace it with a new one. It is also important to check its position in the tank and ensure that it does not stick out too far or too little, as this can also cause leaks. If your toilet has a flapper but no longer closes properly, you will need to adjust its position by moving it up or down until it seals properly.
Tighten the Tee Belt
One of the easiest ways to stop a leaky toilet is by tightening the tee belt underneath it. This is a small part that connects the flapper to the water supply line. If this is loose or broken, it can cause water to leak from your tank into your bowl. To fix this problem, you'll need to locate the tee belt underneath your toilet tank and tighten it with pliers. Be careful not to over-tighten this part, or else it could break!
Replace the Wax Ring
If this doesn't fix your problem, then it's time to replace the wax ring that seals between your toilet bowl and floor. There are several ways to do this, but most require pulling off all of the toilet's components so that you can reach underneath and remove any old wax rings with a putty knife or other tool (or just rip them off). After that, simply replace it with a new one and reassemble everything back into place.
Mr. Rooter Plumbing
It's an unfortunate fact of life that toilet leaks can still happen despite our best efforts to prevent them. The best strategy is to fix the leak right away before it worsens. Increasing your water bill and wasting water are never fun, so follow these steps to locate and fix a leak as soon as possible. Sometimes leaks can get you in over your before you even realize it. Mr. Rooter Plumbing helps with toilet leak repair.
