A leaking toilet is a homeowners worst nightmare. The leak can cause water damage to your flooring or carpet if not acknowledged and resolved on time. When the trusty home bathroom plunger will not work, you may need a professional plumber like TYCO Plumbing.
Toilet Bowl
When the toilet bowl is leaking, there is a good chance that it is because the wax ring under the toilet has broken. This means you have to remove the old wax ring and replace it with a new ring. This can be done from the top of the toilet. However, you will need to make sure that all water has been turned off before trying to do this, which means shutting off the water supply line. It is also a good idea to place a bucket around the toilet underneath where water may be leaking so that it is caught before doing any damage.
Toilet Tank
The toilet tank may also be leaking, which happens when the bolts that attach it to the base of the toilet break. Removing and reattaching them with the help of a friend can do the trick. Before you start this, make sure all water has been turned off and a bucket is placed underneath to collect any water that spills. Toilet tanks often have a rubber ring that can get old and crack, which will need to be replaced.
If the toilet tank has not been addressed recently, it would be a good idea for a local plumber to take a look at it. The toilet tank has many different styles as well. In many homes, the toilet tank is connected to a ballcock that fills it with water when you flush. However, if your home uses a fill valve to fill the tank when you flush, make sure there is enough water in it when you look at it.
You can also check if the flapper mechanism inside the toilet tank is not working properly. This can be done by flushing the toilet so that all water has gone down, wait a couple of minutes, and then hold the handle down within five seconds. This will empty the water that is in the toilet tank, which will allow you to see if the flapper mechanism is working or not.
If you feel like your toilet doesn’t flush efficiently, this could be because there is not enough water in the toilet bowl. If this is the case, you should fill the tank with more water so that it fills up to the top. Checking the water supply line would be a good thing to do as well. You never know if it is causing issues for the tank as well.
The Fill Valve
The fill valve is known as the ballcock in some homes, so you may want to check out both names to see if they sound familiar. This is what refills the toilet tank with water. Therefore, if this is not working efficiently, you need to get it fixed at once. A plumber will be able to check out the fill valve to make sure it is working properly. The fill valve also has a cup that may need to be replaced, which is not something you will be able to do yourself.
If the tank and bowl appear to be leaking in various places, this means there are other issues that need to be looked at. The leak could come from further up in the home, such as under the house or near the walls. You will need to call in a professional plumber who can figure out what the problem is and, based on that information, fix it, even if it is the fill valve.
When you think of leaking toilets, you probably envision water spilling all over your bathroom floor when you go in for a mid-day potty break. However, other signs can indicate your toilet is leaking even if you are not aware of it with the fill valve.
If the toilet tank is full of water but none of it is making its way down to the toilet bowl, this means you have a leak. If the water level doesn’t change after several minutes, you have a leak that needs to be addressed right away. The fill valve may very well be the culprit if it is not working properly. The fill valve should also be checked to make sure it is full of water, which means you will need to take off the top and check how much water is inside.
If there are wet spots on your floor or stains underneath your toilet, this could mean that the flapper mechanism is not working properly. The flapper mechanism is inside the toilet tank, which means you will have to remove the top of the tank and check it out yourself. Sometimes, a small amount of water can be spilled when this happens, so make sure all doors are closed before you take off the top of the tank.
Flush Lever
The flush lever is what makes the toilet flush. When this is broken, you need to get it replaced right away so that your toilet works properly. The flapper may also be broken, which will require a professional plumber to fix it.
You can check out these signs of leaking toilets yourself, but if you are not sure what the problem is or how serious it is, it’s best to call in a plumber who can come over and take a look.
Water Supply Line
If all other options have been checked but the toilet keeps on leaking, this can be an indication that the water supply line is punctured. In this case, a plumber should take a look at it. The water supply line leads from the house to the toilet and provides fresh water for flushing.
If the supply line is broken, your toilet will not flush properly. With all the water just spilling out onto the floor, it can get very messy in a very short amount of time. You will need a plumber who can get your toilet up and running again.
If the supply line is not broken but you have a leak, this can be fixed with a slight adjustment. If the supply line is not working properly, it may be stuck or blocked. In order to get your toilet flushing correctly again, you’ll need to have this fixed by a plumber.
The Overflow Pipe
The overflow pipe may also be broken and could be causing the toilet to leak. The overflow pipe is designed for if more water comes into the toilet than the toilet can handle. If this happens, the excess water will automatically be pushed out through the overflow pipe instead of spilling over onto the floor.
If you have any plumbing concerns or questions, please feel free to contact TYCO Plumbing, we will be happy to help you.
