Tips for Fixing a Leaky Toilet

12/30/2021 (Permalink)

A leaking toilet can alter the course of your day.

Tips for Fixing a Leaky Toilet

A leaking toilet can alter the course of your day. It seems like such a small problem until it happens in your home. The good news is that a toilet is a fairly simple apparatus, so there are only so many things that can cause the leak. Here are some tips on locating the source of the leak and fixing it.

Simple Solutions

Your toilet leak may be a simple fix. Many toilet repair jobs do not involve actually removing the toilet but rather fixing one of the following problems:

• Leaky supply line
  
• Loose closet bolts
  
• Malfunctioning shutoff valve
  
• Condensation on the bowl
  
  

If you cannot fix these problems yourself, it is best to call a plumber in Woburn, MA, to fix it. Tackling a problem you're not equipped to handle is a surefire way of making it bigger, and then you will need water restoration specialists to fix your water damage.

Replacement Solutions

If the water looks like it's coming from the base of the leaking toilet and tightening the closet bolts doesn't resolve the issue, you probably need to remove the old toilet. The first thing you do is drain all the water out by pressing the handle after shutting the water off. Loosen the closet bolts that hold the toilet to the floor, and then gently rock it back and forth to loosen it so you can lift it away. Once it is removed, scrape the wax gasket off the flange. Apply a new wax gasket and press the toilet into it using your whole body weight. Tighten the closet bolts, reconnect the supply lines and turn the water back on.

A leaking toilet can have many causes, and each has its own solution. Whether you are simply tightening a bolt or replacing your old toilet with a new one, it's a good feeling to fix a leak before it causes a lot of water damage.