Here’s a fact you may not have known: the bathroom toilet consumes a greater volume of fresh water than any other indoor household fixture. More than a third of your home’s indoor water use each month is due to flushing the toilet. This is why it’s important to deal rapidly with any toilet malfunction, such as when the toilet begins to leak. This is a major waste of water. (And it will cause damage to the floor that can in extreme cases lead to collapse.)
The tricky part about a leaking toilet is that there are different places where leaks can start. Below are the most common ones:
- Around the base: If the wax seal under the base of the toilet decays, water may begin to escape from around the toilet’s base. This is particularly damaging to the floor as it will cause rot to set in! Professional plumbers can detach the toilet from the floor and repair the pipes and/or replace the wax seal.
- Leaky gaskets: If the gaskets between the toilet tank and the bowl develop faulty seals, water will start to leave the tank each time the toilet is flushed. Plumbers will need to replace the gaskets to stop this.
- The feed line: The feed line is the line attached to the wall that brings in fresh water to fill the tank. If you see water around the base of your toilet, the problem could be from a bad feed line connection. Shut off the feed line valve to stop the leaking temporarily, then call for a plumber.
- Cracks in the bowl: Even a small crack along the porcelain of the bowl will allow water to start to drip out. This is a major problem since the crack will only worsen with time. In almost all cases, the solution to the problem is to either replace the bowl or replace the entire toilet.
Need toilet repairs in Hyde Park, OH or elsewhere in the Cincinnati Area? Call Ken Neyer Plumbing, Inc.!