Toilet Troubles? Top Water Damage Source #2

2/4/2020 (Permalink)

This whole house water damage was caused by the supply line shown detaching itself from the toilet

Toilets can develop leaks both internally and externally. An external leak can cause water damage in your bathroom, not to mention some wet feet! And any type of leak can be a huge inconvenience, especially if they are left unattended. Today we’re going to talk about some of the most common causes of a leaky toilet in Bay Area homes and what you should do when you encounter a toilet leak! 

• Condensation on the bowl. Before you assume that your toilet has a leak, you should check whether or not the water you’re noticing is just condensation. Your bathroom is the most humid room in your home, mainly caused by taking hot showers. This can cause condensation to drip on your toilet. The amount of water produced by condensation is typically small, and it’s not an issue you need to be concerned with.
• Crack on the tank or bowl. Toilets are built to last, but cracks do sometimes develop. Often times this will start as a hairline crack that can turn into something more severe.

• Rusted pipes. The pipes that lead to your toilet can begin to rust for any number of reasons over time. This can eventually create a crack in the pipe, which will allow water to leak around your toilet. 
• Loose or worn out seal at the base. If water is starting to pool around the base of your toilet, there’s a good chance that the leak is caused by loose or worn out parts that bind your toilet to the floor. 
• Loose or worn out tank-to-bowl connections. The tank and bowl in two-piece toilets are held together by a collection of gaskets, nuts and bolts. If any of these parts come loose, a leak can develop at that area in the toilet. 
• Worn out flapper. Another common cause of an internal toilet leak is a worn out flapper. The flapper blocks water in the tank from entering the bowl, and if that part is worn out it will cause water to continuously leak into your bowl. 

What should you do if you encounter a leak?? 

Toilet leaks should be taken care of as soon as possible before they waste too much water or cause water damage in your home. If you are unsure of the cause of the leak, call a local, licensed plumber so that they can come out to inspect and fix the problem. Although some homeowners might choose to fix simple problems like a worn out flapper on their own, most causes of a leaky toilet are best left in the hands of a professional plumber.