Your toilet is probably one of the most used plumbing fixtures in your home. They are simple mechanisms, but parts can wear out, leaving you with a silent toilet leak.
Signs Your Toilet is Silently Leaking
If your toilet is leaking, there could be several different symptoms. Some of the most common signs that your toilet tank is leaking may include:
- Your toilet flushes randomly
- There is a constant trickling sound
- The toilet tank randomly refills
- Your water bills have spiked
The Leaking Toilet Tank Test
Even if you are not experiencing one of the common symptoms above, you can easily perform a test to determine if your toilet tank is leaking using nothing but food dye and a few minutes of your time.
- Remove the cover on the tank of your toilet and put a few drops of food dye in the tank.
- Wait at least 10-15 minutes. (Have a snack or take a quick power nap.)
- After the short break, look in your toilet bowl to see whether any of the food coloring made its way into the bowl.
- Once you have made a mental note of the results, flush your toilet to avoid the dye staining your toilet.
Interpreting The Results Of Your Test
The test is only the first part of the solution. You now must apply what you have learned.
No food coloring in the toilet bowl – Congratulations! Your toilet tank is not leaking. File this test away for future reference. Most toilets have parts that eventually wear out and need replacing. This test will help you determine when that happens.
Food coloring in the bowl – Your toilet tank is leaking and could be wasting hundreds of gallons a day, depending on the severity. Most likely, the culprit is the flapper in the toilet, which will need to be replaced. This should be done as soon as possible – even small leaks waste a lot of water.
Need help fixing your leaking toilet tank or another plumbing problem? Contact Nicholson Plumbing online today.
Nicholson provides Framingham, MA and the surrounding areas with expert plumbing, heating and cooling services.