How to Fix a Leaky Toilet

Fixing a leaky toilet can be a tricky thing. This is actually the number one call we receive. Leaky toilet can mean around the base of the bowl in which the toilet needs to be pulled and reset. It can also mean a bad flush valve or flapper in which water slowly seeps into the bowl and causes the toilet to run periodically. It can also mean you might have a ballcock that could be bad as well. You may also have a leak coming from the tank – when the toilet flushes water goes onto floor or maybe you have some washers that are worn away and the bolts and seals need to be replaced. Before you perform any service to the toilet make sure that the water is turned off at the fixture. Then evaluate the symptoms to determine what you need to do. If you have a bad seal from the tank to the bowl, the tank needs to be removed and a new gasket and bolts are needed to fix the problem. A running toilet could be caused by the ballcock not shutting off, which will need to be replaced, or a hung up flapper. If the flapper is hung up, adjust and you should be good. If you have a “ghost flush” then the seal from the flapper is bad and needs to be replaced or you have an issue with a cracked flush valve which could be letting water out of the tank. You can test this using food coloring: put the food coloring into the tank and watch to see if the dye is passing into the toilet bowl.