How to Check Out the Toilet for Leakage Points

A toilet can leak on the inside or the outside.

A leaky faucet can alert you by a constant and annoying drip that you can often hear even in another room. A toilet leak, however, can be more sneaky and silent. Sometimes, a toilet does emit noises that correspond with certain leaks. At other times, though, the leak gives no discernible clues --- unless you look closely for them. Check certain areas around the toilet if you ever notice water on the bathroom floor near the toilet. This will help you make sure you are not unwittingly allowing the toilet to contribute to wasted water resources and possible floor damage.

Things You'll Need

• Towel
• Paper towels

Instructions

1. Remove the toilet tank lid. Check that the rubber flapper is not damaged, and that it is all the way down in its seat. Do this if you hear the toilet constantly running or turning on and off by itself, and you need to wiggle the handle to stop it. This indicates the flapper is somehow allowing water to escape from the tank.

2. Wipe the floor area all around the toilet dry, using a towel, if you notice any water around the toilet. Place a paper towel on the spot where you noticed the water. Specific points where leaks commonly occur include directly underneath the connections of the water supply line to the stop valve and the tank bottom, underneath the bolts on the bottom of the tank and around the toilet base.

3. Watch the paper towel to see if any water drips onto it. You can also leave and return in about five minutes to check the paper towel. Leaks from the supply line connections occur without you having to flush the toilet.

4. Flush the toilet, and watch to see if any water drips onto the paper towel as water simultaneously flows into the tank and out of the bowl. Leaks underneath the toilet base and from the tank to the floor usually happen while the toilet flushes.

5. Locate the spot on the toilet where the leak originates after you've noticed water dripping or leaking out onto the paper towel.