One of the most used rooms in your home and also one of the most susceptible, a leaking toilet can wreak havoc on your home. Whether it happened to your or a neighbor, coming home to a pool of water in your bathroom can be a common, albeit stressful situation.
Worst of all, you might not even know where the leak is coming from. Whether it’s a rusted out tank, faulty seal, or a pipe issue, it can be challenging pinpointing the issue.
The more you know as a homeowner, the better you can address these issues. Read on to learn more about the common causes of a toilet leak, and get your bathroom back up and running in no time!
A Faulty Toilet Flapper Could be to Blame
The flapper in your toilet is essential for pushing waste through your pipes. It drains from the reservoir behind your toilet and uses that flushing process to operate your toilet. If you’ve never looked behind your toilet, you may not know how these systems work.
While they all have different designs and models, the general notion is that there is a flapper that sits above your overflow pipe. When you flush the toilet, that flapper moves up, allowing the water to flow through, which creates the flushing process.
Because it’s made of rubber, or plastic in some instances, these flappers are susceptible to wear and tear. Over time the seal over your overflow pipe can weaken, allowing water to constantly flow through. This is one of the main causes of a leaky toilet and will need to be repaired or replaced to solve the issue.
What Does a Running Toilet Really Mean?
While the flapper is the more common cause of a running toilet, there could also be other issues causing the problem.
For one, there could be a sewer line issue in your home. A leak in your sewer line will cause the toilet to consistently flow.
In many cases, these leaks are outside of the home, which makes them more difficult to diagnose, unless you find pooling water in your year.
Another issue related to the flapper is the fill valve that refills water after every flush. If it's not working properly it can continually run and fill your toilet even without a flush. Not only does this cause the running water, but also it can allow your toilet to overflow, which is another serious issue.
Finally, your toilet could have a crack in the actual porcelain itself. As water escapes, your fill valve will continue to run. Unlike the flapper that’s happening internally, you should be able to diagnose a cracked toilet quickly, as it will pour water onto your floor.
Prevent Leaks With Regular Toilet Maintenance
No one wants to deal with a leaky toilet, which is why every homeowner should know how to prevent the issue. Regular toilet maintenance is key to keeping your toilet running in top shape.
You should regularly inspect and clean your flapper, along with checking for leaks around valves and seals. Additionally, you can easily upgrade your entire flushing system with modern designs or even a two-setting flusher that offers a more water efficient flush.
If your toilet issues are in the Virginia Beach area, Performance Plumbing should be your plumbing company of choice. Not only do we help with toilet leak repairs, but also we can help you maintain your toilet for optimum performance.
