Every year, leaky fixtures and appliances cost residential and commercial property owners upwards of 12% of their water bills. Toilets specifically can leak water in various ways; some leaks are undetectable. In order to help our customers in the North Houston, TX area with Leaky toilet, Rooter-Man wanted to offer information on how to detect a leak and a few DIY things that might help fix the leak.
Obvious Signs of a Leak
- When flushing, you have to hold the handle down to get the tank to empty.
- This could also be a sign that your chain is too long, so you can check that first.
- Phantom Flushing: your toilet sounds like it turned on the water for about 15 seconds when you didn’t turn it on, and may not even be in the room.
- Your toilet sounds like it’s flushing, filling, or making some kind of noise when not in use.
- You have to jiggle the handle to get the toilet to stop running.
- If you look in the tank, you can see water filling above the overflow pipe and flowing into the toilet bowl.
- Water is still trickling into the toilet bowl long after the toilet was flushed.
Silent Leaks
Silent leaks normally remain undetected because you don’t realize your toilet is leaking. These can be the most expensive types of leak because they remain unseen for weeks or months and can add hundreds of dollars to a water bill every month.
Detection and Methods
Thankfully, the obvious signs are easy to detect. If your toilet’s chain is too long, you can move the chain and shorten it. It may take a few tries to ensure you pick the correct length. If you want to test for a silent leak, here are the steps:
- Make sure the tank and bowl have clear water by removing any cleaners or tablets that change the color of the water.
- Take food coloring, instant coffee, or drink mix (anything with a deep color) and add it only to the tank.
- Make sure no one uses the toilet for 15-30 minutes. If you go back into the bathroom and the water in the bowl has changed colors, you have a silent leak.
No matter what problem your toilet may have, the technicians at Rooter-Man have the training, tools, and expertise to save the day. Even if the toilet isn’t the source of the leak, Rooter-Man has all the latest tools for leak detection. Some repair jobs require a city permit, and the technicians at Rooter-Man have all the information needed to get the job done right the first time. Using a licensed technician ensures your property meets all the necessary requirements and is up to code. Because our technicians are trained in all the latest technology, we can offer you cost-effective solutions to help repair any kind of leak as quickly and safely as possible. The plumbers at Rooterman Plumbing have the tools, knowledge, and experience to handle all your plumbing installation, repairs and maintenance. For testimonials, money saving tips, and coupons visit us on the web. When you have a problem its Rooter Man plumbers to the rescue!
