How Can I Tell If My Toilet Is Leaking?

Did you know that most home plumbing leaks are found in the toilet tank?

Toilet leaks are usually caused by worn parts or improper alignment of the flushing mechanism – and they could be costing you hundreds of dollars in water usage over the course of a year.

Toilet leak signs and symptoms

Toilet leaks typically occur in two ways, the most common of which is one caused by a worn out or defective flush valve or flapper at the bottom of the toilet tank. If the flapper or ball valve does not form a watertight seal, water will leak into the toilet bowl – often without making a sound.

Here’s an easy way to check for a flush valve leak: Remove the tank lid and flush, then wait for the flapper/tank ball to drop and the toilet tank to refill. Once it does, add several drops of dark food coloring, then wait at least 20 minutes. If the coloring appears in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.

The second most-common type of leak is caused by a poorly adjusted or broken fill valve. If the float is set too high or the shut-off valve doesn’t close, water will continue to enter the tank and flow into the overflow tube. You can see this type of leak simply by taking the tank top off and watching to see if the water enters the overflow tube once the tank is full.

If one or both of these problems is happening with your toilet, you’re flushing money down the drain every month.

Toilet leak solutions from the plumbing experts at FSi

At FSi Oil and Propane, our licensed plumbers are prepared to take on any home plumbing challenge – from faulty toilets and leaky pipes to sink, toilet, shower, and water treatment system installations. We’ll provide quick, convenient, and comprehensive plumbing services anywhere in our Massachusetts service area!

Contact the plumbing pros at FSi today and our master plumbers will take care of the problem quickly so you can stop paying for water you’re not using!