Leaking toilets
Leaks in a toilet can double or even triple your overall water consumption in a single month by washing away thousands of litres of water.
If you hear the sound of running water or a faint hissing or trickling, your toilet may not be working properly and may need repairs. But many times water flows through the tank silently, which is why toilet leaks are often overlooked.
Usually, leaks flow quietly into the overflow pipe or occur at the plunger-ball (also known as the tank stopper or flapper), where a slight amount of scale, corrosion or even a grain of sand can cause leakage.
To find out whether your toilet is leaking, place a few drops of food colouring into the toilet tank. Wait five minutes. If the dye appears in your toilet bowl, your toilet is leaking. (Flush toilet to remove dye.)
Email watersaver@strathcona.ca and request dye tablets to check your toilet for leaks.
Troubleshooting
Problem
The water level in the toilet tank may be too high, causing it to escape through the overflow pipe.
Remedy
A simple adjustment to the float arm. Once corrected, the float arm will keep the water about a centimetre below the top of the overflow pipe.
Problem
Sometimes water is wasted when it leaks past the plunger valve from the tank into the bowl.
Remedy
Either the flapper valve needs to be replaced or the valve seat needs cleaning or replacement.
Checking your toilet several times a year for leaks, and making repairs quickly means savings on water usage and waste water treatment.
Last updated: Thursday, January 12, 2012
Page ID: 2159