As much as we can’t do without water, nobody wants water problems, not even in the toilet. Water problem in the toilet is the messiest of all kinds of water problems. Unfortunately, we have to deal with this problem at one point in our lives. One of those household problems can drive you nuts, except you fix it immediately.
You can have a water problem in the toilet when your toilet is leaking. This could occur internally or externally. An internal leak occurs when the toilet bowl is leaking or condensation. On the other hand, an external leak that is the most worrisome occurs when the water is flowing into the toilet. This is likely to damage your bathroom if unattended as early as possible. Most times, one cannot tell the cause of the leakage, and if you decide to go the DIY route or pass the job to an incompetent/ unlicensed plumber, you will find the problem reoccurring. HomeAdvisor is also of the opinion that not all toilet damages can be fixed with the DIY home kit.
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Causes of Toilet Leakages
A lot of things could cause your toilet to leak. Sometimes, most of the cause is out of your control, so you don’t have to beat yourself to it. Some of the causes of leakages are stated below;
1. Cracks on the tank
Even though toilets are built to survive, cracks appear occasionally. This begins as a minor crack and progresses to something more serious.
2. Condensation
Before you go ahead and start worrying about your leaking toilet, double-check to see whether the water you’re seeing is simply condensation. Especially during and after a shower, bathrooms can become quite humid. Condensation may form on your toilet as a result of this. Condensation produces a small amount of water. Therefore it’s not a problem you should be concerned about.
3. Loose or worn seal
If water is gathering around the base of your toilet, the leak is likely due to loose or worn-out pieces that connect your toilet to the floor.
4. Rusty pipes
Rusty pipes are usually caused by water, leaking pipes, or condensation. The rusty pipes, in turn, will no longer hold water. This can eventually lead to a pipe crack, allowing water to flow around your toilet.
5. Worn out flapper
When the Flapper is worn out, it will cause water to leak into your bowl. The flapper’s function is to stop water from going into the bowl. Therefore, if that part is worn out, water will leak into your bowl continuously. Add food coloring to the tank water. The flapper is leaking if the bowl water turns the same color.
The factors above will result in a leak on the toilet’s exterior. If the leak is in the interior, there could be an issue with your toilet’s flush valve assembly (your toilet runs frequently or produces a leaking noise). This will often allow water to enter the overflow valve, causing your tank to fill up continually.
3 Ways to Find the Problem
1. Check for Condensation
When the bathroom is hot and humid, and the water in the tank is very cold, condensation happens. In extreme situations, it can develop puddles on the floor, and the tank and walls may eventually turn black with mold. You should check to ensure that it is just condensation, and therefore not a thing to worry about. Condensation occurs more frequently in the winter because the groundwater is colder. You can solve the problem by encasing the tank in a protective cover or increasing the toilet’s ventilation. Installing an anti-sweat valve in the toilet supply line is another option. It fills the tank with hot water to raise the temperature inside.
2. Check the Tank
If you have a pool beneath the toilet tank, you have a big reason to worry. The rubber washers under the bolts that hold the tank to the bowl are usually the source. Reach under the tank and feel for dripping water at the points where the bolts are joined to confirm this. You may be able to halt the leak by tightening the nuts if you feel water there. Replace the washers if necessary. It’s also possible that the water is condensation dripping from the tank. However, if water seeps through the tank and creates droplets in just one spot, the tank is most likely fractured. If that’s the case, you’ll need to replace it.
3. Check the Bowl
A pool of water and smelling sewer gases around the base of a toilet is never a good sign; it indicates that the wax ring seal has failed. If this is the case, you have no other option than to remove the toilet and replace it. The fact that water appears to be coming from the rear of the toilet rather than the tank shows that the bowl may be cracked, and that’s the case; water drops will most likely form around the break. This is especially true if the toilet seat rocks and there is an odor. In this case, you must call a professional plumber to help check it out.
How to Maintain Your Toilet to Avoid Water Damage
- Fix Leaking Toilets Right Away: Please don’t wait for a toilet leak to become a significant issue before addressing it. To avoid persistent leaks, keep your toilet in good working order. In the long term, repairing the toilet leak as soon as possible saves you money on your water bill.
- Only Flush Human Waste and Toilet Paper: Other materials, like toilet paper from human waste and toilet paper, don’t break down. Flushing materials that don’t belong in a toilet can cause serious plumbing issues and clogs. Clogged pipes can cause more than a tiny leak at the base of your toilet.
- Don’t Use Chemical Drain Cleaners to Unclog Your Toilet: Chemical drain cleaners should not be flushed down the toilet. These cleaners have the potential to harm old pipelines and plumbing fittings.
- Hire a Plumber When You Need To: Some toilet plumbing issues are uncontrollable. Hiring a skilled plumber relieves your worries regarding plumbing problems. When you hire a professional plumber, you can rest assured that your toilet leak will be repaired.
Only Trust a Licensed Plumber for the Job!
It is not just a common toilet leak; it is not only messy and deadly. A leaking toilet is a 911 situation that must be attended to quickly as possible. It can attract all kinds of harmful pests that can cause flu and other types of infection. Doing it yourself might cause further damages. Therefore you need to call a licensed plumber to help fix any leakages in your toilet.