A toilet leak is a dreaded sight that brings nothing but inconvenience and irritation for homeowners. Not only can it cause a mess in your house, but it can also waste gallons of water, leading to costly utility bills. However, determining that you have a toilet leak and finding its exact location can be difficult as there are many different places where a toilet can leak. When attempting your own toilet leak detection, here’s what to look for and how to fix it. 

Steps to Checking Your Toilet for Leaks

Remove Your Toilet Tank Lid

The first thing that you should do is remove the toilet tank lid. The lid is at the top of your toilet and shouldn’t require much effort to take off. Simply place your hands at each side of the lid and lift it. You can then put the lid somewhere close and out of the way.  

Check Your Water Level

The next step is to check the water level in the tank by looking at the marked water line inside the toilet tank. This is the optimal level, which means that the water in the toilet tank should be right at the line. If it is below or above the line, you need to adjust the fill valve to get it back to where it should be.  

Complete the Food Coloring Test

While there are several ways to check for a leak, one of the simplest ones is with food coloring. Take a food coloring bottle and administer 15-20 drops into your toilet tank, which should be enough to change the color of your toilet tank’s water. After you’ve accomplished this, wait for around 30 minutes.

Check Your Toilet Bowl Water

After 30 minutes have passed, take a look at the water in your toilet bowl. If any of the food dye has reached into your toilet bowl’s water, this tells you that there is either a leak at the flapper or that your overflow tube is cracked. In either instance, you’ll need an experienced plumber to assess the issue and determine the proper toilet repair for the leak in your toilet. 

DIY Toilet Leak Repair

In some cases, your toilet leak will be minor enough that you can fix it on your own. When you’re confronted with a minor toilet leak, here are three things that you can do:

• Many toilet leaks are caused by a malfunctioning flapper. If you believe that there is something wrong with your flapper, take a look at it to see if it is functioning as it should. If it isn’t, it may need to be replaced with a newer model.
• Tighten the tee bolts – Leaks can also come from the base of your toilet. If this is the case, you’ll need to tighten the tee bolts on either side of the base. You do this by taking off the covers from the tee bolts and using a tool like a wrench to tighten them. Doing this can stop the leak and get things back on track. 
• If tightening your tee bolts does not solve your toilet leak, this may signal that your wax ring requires a replacement. Because the process is a bit complex, we recommend getting in touch with a professional plumbing service that can handle the task for you. 

Ultimately, it’s best to leave toilet leaks in the hands of professional plumbers who know what they’re doing. When you have a leaky toilet, reach out to the experts at ProFlo Plumbers. Our team of licensed, professional plumbers is proud to serve the Murrieta, Temecula, and Canyon Lake communities by providing world-class toilet repair services that are the best in the industry. For toilet issues that cannot wait until the next day, our emergency plumbing services are the solution for you. To see how ProFlo Plumbers can help you, contact us today at (951) 327-7688 or visit us online.