April 06, 2012
Did you know that a leaking toilet wastes hundreds of gallons of water per day?
And you may have a leaking toilet without even realizing it.
Toilets are one of the most used plumbing fixtures in a home. They are simple mechanisms, but constant use frequently leads to problems. One of the most common problems is a leaking toilet tank. Sometimes the leak is made obvious by the sound of running water coming from your bathroom, while other times the only sign is an infrequent random or “phantom” flush.
Depending on the type of leak in your toilet tank, you may experience different symptoms. Some of the most common complaints we receive from homeowners experiencing leaking toilet tanks are:
Homeowners experiencing the symptoms listed above recognize there’s an issue, but many others have leaking toilet tanks without even knowing it. Hard water, like that in Florida, deteriorates the flapper in your toilet and builds up on your valves, creating small, almost silent leaks that can go unnoticed.
However, even a small, silent leak wastes over 200 gallons of water per day with noisier leaks wasting much more. We recommend an annual check for leaks in your toilet tank to make sure you aren’t flushing money away.
Don’t think your toilet is leaking? Perform this quick 5-step test and determine if your toilet is wasting water without your knowledge.
Not only are toilets rather simple mechanisms, but they are also fairly straightforward to diagnose. Using a simple process and nothing but food dye, you can determine if you have a leaking toilet tank.
Step 1 – Make sure that your toilet has completely finished flushing and refilling.
Step 2 – Remove the cover on the tank of your toilet.
Step 3 – Place 3-5 drops of food dye in the tank.
Step 4 – Wait 10-15 minutes.
Step 5 – Check your toilet bowl to see if any of the color has leaked through.
If there is now food dye in the bowl of your toilet, you have a leaking toilet tank. Flush the toilet immediately so the dye doesn’t stain your toilet bowl.
If you discover your toilet tank is leaking, get it repaired as soon as possible. Even fixing a small leak will save a lot of water.
Contact a professional at Plumbing Today who can quickly diagnose and repair the source of the leak in your toilet tank.
Posted in: Tips