Toilet leaks are a common problem among Australian households. It is also a major concern in other parts of the world. Besides being a nuisance, it can be very taxing to the environment, and your wallet.
A toilet leak wastes water and increases your monthly water bill. Depending on the water pressure, a leaking toilet consumes more than a gallon of water per hour or around 26 gallons per day. Imagine if the leak seats for a year in your property, it will cost you thousands of dollars of wasted money.
Fortunately, leaks can run but they cannot hide. The best plumbers Kingsford residents rely on have given us some tips on how to check a toilet for leaks.
Causes of a Leaky Toilet
There are several causes of a leaky toilet. If the water continuously runs after flushing the bowl, it may be due to a faulty flapper. A toilet flapper is a rubber seal that closes the flush valve to keep the water in the toilet tank. If the water continuously runs even without flushing the bowl, it may be due to a faulty fill valve.
The fill valve is the mechanism responsible to fill the tank with water after it has been used. If water is coming out from your toilet floor, it may be an issue with the wax seal at the base of your toilet. In some cases, a leaky toilet can be caused by a blocked sewer line. This kind of leak is much complicated to deal with. You may need to immediately call plumbers in Kingsford to avoid bigger problems.
How to Check a Toilet for Leaks
Here are a few ways on how to check a toilet for leaks. Anyone can do it without the help of plumbers in Kingsford.
Dye Test
The easiest way to detect a toilet leak is the dye test. You can buy a test kit from a water or plumbing supply company. The tablet test kit includes inexpensive tablets in blue or red. All you need to do is place the coloured tablets in your toilet tank and let them sit for around 10 minutes. If the colour showed up in the water of your toilet bowl, then you have confirmed a leak.
Fill Valve Leak Test
Leaks on your toilet’s fill valve are the most difficult to detect. But a simple trick is, to begin with, a toilet tank filled with water. Remove the tank cover to check if the water is still flowing on the overflow tube even if the water is already filled in full. The flow of water means that there is a leak.
Pencil Test
This is the best way to test if a toilet leak comes from the fill valve or flush valve. Using a pencil draw a line at the back wall and interior of your toilet tank right above the waterline. Shut off your toilet’s water supply for around 30 minutes. Afterward, check if the water drops below the pencil mark or is still within the line. If the water drops below the pencil mark, the leak is coming from the flush valve located at the centre of your toilet tank. If the water is still within the pencil mark, the leak is coming from the refill valve located on the left side of your toilet tank.
Water Leak Sensor
Water leak sensors are now available in general merchandise stores and plumbing supplies at less than $20. The sensor flashes a green light if your toilet is working properly. It flashes a red light and starts beeping once a toilet leak is detected.