Luckily, leaks are easy enough to fix and your bathroom can be prevented from becoming an indoor swimming pool fairly easily. This article is going to take a look at some of the most common reasons for your toilet leaking at the base.
Leaks usually occur when the toilet is flushed, so before you begin, make sure to flush the toilet to ensure it is definitely leaking and not just condensation. If dirty water is still escaping, it is then time to find the shut off valve for your water and begin the toilet repairs.
Tee Bolts Are Loose
The first scenario you should consider is if the tee bolts are loose. These are the bolts under the plastic caps at the base of most toilets. If these bolts become loose, the toilet will lose alignment, the seal will break, and as a result some water can leak out. To fix this problem, simply remove the tee bolts and make sure the toilet is correctly aligned. Then proceed to tighten the tee bolts back in position. If any of them are broken or not tightening correctly, make sure to replace them to keep the base of the toilet sealed fully.
Wax Seal
If your toilet still has a leak at the base, it is then likely this is being caused by the wax seal. This is a larger problem: when the seal between the bottom of the toilet and the wax seal has broken, there is not much you can do except replace it. While the procedure to replace the wax ring is not hard, we do not recommend you carry out this task by yourself as it will require removing the toilet and this is a job best left to professionals.
Purchasing a new wax ring for the bottom of the toilet is usually cheap and can be bought at your local hardware store – here at Plumbmaster, we can source the perfect wax seal for you and one of our professionals can help with installing the new wax. A new wax seal involves removing the tee bolts and replacing the toilet, while cleaning away any residual wax from the broken seal. (This is a great opportunity to replace the tee bolts anyway, to make sure everything is in proper working order). Once our professional has had to lift the toilet, he will install the new wax seal before once again installing the toilet to the floor and tightening the tee bolts.
Repairs Complete
Once all repairs have been carried out to the toilet, for both wax seal and tee bolts, and everything is secured and aligned once more, it is time to turn the water supply line back on. Please test the toilet for leaks immediately but keep an eye on the problem area for a few days following as well. When you are assured the leaks have been resolved, caulk around the base of the toilet to prevent other water, such as that from mops or spills, from seeping under the toilet. If other water was to get into these cracks, it can cause mould and other unpleasant odours. You don’t want all your hard work to come undone!
We hope you’ve found this article helpful, but if you need any more advice on why your toilet may be leaking, our in house experts at Plumbmaster will be more than willing to answer any questions and help you out. We also supply a huge range of plumbing products, so if there is any equipment you may need, feel free to drop in and we’re sure we can point you in the right direction.