11 Mar Best Solano Plumber Tips: Help! My Toilet is Leaking!
Best Solano Plumber | Fix a Leaking Toilet
Do You Have a Water Puddle Around the Base of Your Toilet? You Better Fix It Fast!
A fairly common plumbing call that we receive is for a leaking toilet. Toilets can leak from different places, so it is important to identify the problem quickly. Any kind of leak, even a small one, can end up causing major water damage if it is not repaired. If you are noticing water around the base of your toilet, then you need to figure out the problem fast. A leaking toilet can cause major damage to your floor and ceiling!
Common Leak Spots for Toilets
Toilets can have leaks from a few different places. It is important to try to identify the source of the leak. The three most common leaks from a toilet are:
- tank bolts
- water valve
- the base
If there is water on the floor, try to determine where it is coming from. Look at the tank bolts. Are they corroded? Do they appear to be wet? Look at the water valve. Is there water dripping from the knob? Or is there water dripping down the water line from the bottom of the tank? If you look at the base, is the water only around the front of the toilet or one side? These are all clues as to where the leak might be coming from. Additionally, it is possible to have leaks from multiple locations.
How to Repair a Toilet Leak
Repairing a toilet leak can be an easy “do-it-yourself” chore. However, it really depends on where the leak is coming from as well as your level of comfort with home repairs. In general, when it comes to leaks, you should probably consider a professional plumber. Even though a leak repair can be simple, it is really important to rule out a bigger problem. Additionally, when it comes to water leaks, you can sometimes make the problem worse when trying to fix it.
A professional plumber can quickly diagnose the problem and also make sure there aren’t other issues going on. Additionally, a plumber can check for water damage. At the end of the day, it will probably save you time and money to just have a plumber take care of this type of problem. If the toilet is leaking from either the tank bolts or water valve, then it is most commonly due to worn out seals or a cross threaded bolt. The seals/gaskets can erode over time, so if you are replacing one, you should replace them all to avoid the same problem from happening again soon.
Sometimes, the actual water valve will need to be replaced too. To test your water valve, turn it off. Then flush the toilet. If you hear water running into the toilet still, then your water valve has failed. These repairs don’t require pulling the actual toilet, however, replacing the water valve requires you to shut off water to the house.
Do I Need to Replace the Toilet Flange?
If you have determined that your toilet is not leaking from the tank or the water line/water valve, then it is likely leaking from the flange. This is a bigger issue to tackle, but can still be done. There are many reasons you may have a leak from your flange:
- flange is damaged or cracked
- the flange sits too low
- there is rot around the flange
- the wax ring is bad
In order to assess the flange, you will need to pull the toilet. This requires you to shut off the water, drain the tank and bowl, disconnect the water line, remove the toilet flange bolts (you might need a hacksaw), and then pull the toilet. A damaged flange may be cracked, warped, or have a broken rim.
Depending on the situation, you might not need to replace the flange all together. Instead, you can use a flange reinforcement ring. If the flange sits too low, you can use a flange extender to level it out. If there is minimal rot around the flange, you can use a flange support. Be mindful that if there has been a leak going on for a while, there can be significant rot. With major rot, a flange support is not going to be sufficient. Not repairing this properly can result in a major catastrophe down the road, so be sure to assess carefully!
The most common cause for flange or wax ring damage is from a rocking toilet or overtightened flange nuts. Be sure when repairing your toilet leak that you re-set the toilet properly. This may require using shims before you caulk the base of the toilet. Additionally, do not over tighten your bolts.
When In Doubt, Call Always Affordable Plumbing
As you can see, repairing a toilet leak can range from pretty simple, to pretty complicated, depending on the problem. Sometimes, the best option is to just call Always Affordable Plumbing and save yourself the headache of trying to figure it out on your own. We are always happy to come out to our community in the Sacramento and Solano areas and provide quick, honest estimates for your consideration.
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Find out more about Always Affordable Plumbing (Lic. #1003782) by calling:
SACRAMENTO VALLEY: (916) 970-0188
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Best Solano Plumber | Fix a Leaking Toilet