Five Ways To Tell if Your Toilet Is Leaking in Cedar Hill, TX

Toilet leaks can be subtle and difficult to detect. Do you know how to tell if the toilet is leaking? Discover proven methods by our experts at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing & Drain Services of Duncanville use.

Our trusted plumbers in Cedar Hill, TX, are all too familiar with leaky fixtures and know the type of damage they can incur. The sooner you detect a leak, the faster you can call us for repair or replacement services. Check out five detection methods to help you determine whether your porcelain throne needs repairs. 

1. Check the Tank’s Water Line

Residential toilets feature a tank attached to the seat. The tank contains an overflow tube that prevents floods should excess water fill the tank. It should also sport a water level indicator that shows you how much water should stay there. 

Remove the tank lid from the top and look inside. If the water sits above the indicator or reaches the overflow tube, it could have a leak. You may need new tank components to fix this problem. 

2. Listen for Continuous Noises After a Flush

Toilets make noise when you flush them, and some are louder than others. However, the sounds of water rushing through the tank and bowl should taper off once these receptacles sufficiently refill. If you hear continuous trickling long after your most recent flush, you may have a toilet leak on your hands. 

Many people learn how to tell if the toilet is leaking when they hear water constantly tinkling or trickling as it flows into the tank and bowl. Your toilet will continue refilling slowly since it cannot maintain a stable level of tank water. 

3. Your Cedar Hill Toilet Stinks When Empty

Human waste smells unpleasant, so your toilet may stink right after someone uses it. However, you shouldn’t detect the distinct, persistent odor of sewage long after flushing the bowl. 

If you want to know how to tell if the toilet is leaking from the drainage pipes, take a whiff of your bathroom. Foul odors often mean a sewage leak.

4. Conduct the Food Coloring Test

You’ll need a small bottle of vibrant food coloring to conduct the food coloring test. Grab a container from the kitchen and head to the bathroom. Put 20 drops inside the toilet tank or enough coloring to significantly change the water’s color. 

Wait half an hour before you go back to your toilet to see the results. If your toilet has a leak, it’ll allow the colored water to escape. You might see the water trickling from the bowl’s brim, meaning you need a new flapper valve.

If you give it more time, you might discover colored water around the toilet’s base. Puddles may also appear where the toilet’s freshwater pipes connect to the wall. 

5. Place a Towel Around the Toilet’s Base

You don’t expect water to randomly manifest on your Cedar Hill bathroom floor. But a leaky toilet may cause this to happen. A leak around the base means the wax ring, also called the O ring, has degraded.

The O ring keeps water from resurfacing when you flush waste down the toilet. You can check its integrity by wrapping an old towel around the base of your toilet. Let the towel sit for a while before lifting it. 

Does it feel wet? A damp towel means the wax ring isn’t sealing effectively. You might as well replace the whole toilet if this occurs. 

Tips for Handling Leaking Toilets

What do you do when faced with a toilet leak? You can stop the water flow to the tank by turning off the freshwater supply. The pipe that connects the toilet to the wall brings fresh water to the tank. 

You’ll see a handle that you can turn to stop water from moving into the tank. Eventually, the tank will likely empty itself. If you think the leak is coming from the bowl or base, you should contact us for emergency plumbing assistance in Cedar Hill, Texas, to keep dirty water from contaminating your bathroom.