How To Fix a Leaking Toilet

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

Always fix a leaking toilet as soon as possible in your Belton, MO home

Take a Look at The Most Common Leaks

One of the most common plumbing problems is a leaking toilet. Some of the causes are easy to fix, while some can be quite serious. Let’s take a look at the most common leaks.

Cracked Toilet Tank
Check around the entire toilet tank for cracks. A small hairline crack may be fixable with some silicone sealant or plumber’s putty. To fix a hairline crack, follow these steps:

• Shut off the water supply.
  
• Completely drain the tank.
  
• Dry both the inside and outside of the tank using an absorbent towel.
  
• Apply the sealant or putty and allow it to dry.
  
• Turn the water supply back on and fill the tank.
  
  

If you still have a leaking toilet, or if you spotted a large crack, the tank will need to be replaced before it causes a huge bathroom leak. If flooding occurs, contact a water remediation specialist right away.

Broken Gasket
After shutting off the water supply and removing all of the water from the tank, disconnect the water-supply tube from the shutoff valve. Remove the nuts from the closet bolts. Carefully grab the toilet around the bowl and lift it up. Set it on a dry towel. Scrape off the old wax gasket with a putty knife. If the gasket is cracked or damaged, you will need to replace it. Just make sure it is centered properly when you install the new gasket.

Faulty Flapper
The flapper lifts up when the toilet is flushed. If the flapper isn’t sitting right, the toilet won’t flush smoothly.
Squeeze a couple of drops of food coloring into the tank. After a couple minutes, check the bowl. If any color has leaked into the bowl, your flapper isn’t sitting right. Turn off the water supply and remove all the water from the tank. If the rubber on the flapper is no longer soft, you will want to replace it.
Always fix a leaking toilet as soon as possible in your Belton, MO home before it can cause a serious problem.