Fix that bothersome leaky toilet
Q: My upstairs toilet sometimes runs intermittently, even when it hasn’t been used all day. A friend told me that it may have a slow leak. What does he mean, and where do I look for the leak? — Tracy L., Houston
A: Slow leaks — usually when water drains from the reserve tank to the toilet bowl — are quiet problems that result in a big water waste. An average of 200 gallons of water per year can drain away due to one leaky toilet. This type of leak is often caused by a cracked or warped seal, a worn float ball or damaged metal or plastic parts.
To test for a slow leak, take off the top of the reserve tank and put about 10 drops of food coloring in the water. Come back in one hour and check the water in the toilet bowl; if coloring appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Another testing method is to turn off the water valve leading to the tank and mark the water level inside the tank with pencil or crayon. Check in one hour to see if, and how much, the level has dropped.
If your tests indicate a slow leak, it’s time to clean and inspect the hardware and seals inside the tank. Drain the tank by turning off the water valve and then flushing the toilet so that the tank empties and doesn’t fill again.
Check all the metal and plastic parts of the flushing system for cracks, rust, holes or other visible deterioration. Push down the flush handle and check how the lift wires and flush valve (the big stopper at the bottom of the tank that lets water into the toilet bowl) work. If the lift wires or chain are worn, or too long or short, they can keep the flush valve from opening and closing properly. If the seals or valve are cracked, torn or warped, they need to be replaced.
Whether you find anything wrong or not, clean all the moving parts of the flush system with a soft cloth, an old toothbrush and a vinegar-water mixture. Refill the tank and flush to wash away the debris you loosened up. Mark the water level again and go away for an hour. Sometimes built-up debris or mineral deposits keep the flush valve from dropping firmly into its seat, and cleaning them away can easily resolve the leak.
HOME TIP: If the caulking around your bathtub or sink is cracked or falling out, fill the tub or sink with water when you re-caulk. The weight of the water will pull the seams open so they can be filled completely; don’t drain the water until the caulk has dried.