How to Check for Toilet Tank Leaks

Every year, many gallons of water are wasted due to unsuspected toilet tank leaks. This has a large impact on your water bill, and on the environment. It's good practice to periodically check all of your toilet tanks for leaking valves.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pencil
• Food Coloring

1. To check the toilet tank for leaks, remove the tank lid, and drop food coloring into the toilet tank to color the water, when the tank is full after a flush. Don't flush the toilet again for 20 minutes or so, then check the bowl water. If it's colored there's a leak; if not we're done.

2. Flush the toilet a couple of times to get rid of the food coloring, and to insure that the tank is full.

3. Shut off the water supply to the toilet by closing the shutoff valve located beneath the tank, on the left side as you face the toilet. To check the operation of the flush valve, mark the water level in the tank with a pencil, and check it in about 20 or 30 minutes.

4. If the water level HAS FALLEN BELOW THE PENCIL MARK, the FLUSH VALVE (ball or flapper type) is leaking, and will need to be repaired or replaced. Such repair or replacement is beyond the scope of this article.

5. If the tank overfills, the excess water runs through the overflow pipe into the toilet bowl. This indicates a defective fill valve, or at least a waterlogged float. Repair or replacement of the float and/or the fill valve is indicated. Again, such repair or replacement is beyond the scope of this article.

Tips & Warnings

• If leaks are found, most Do-It-Yourself enthusiasts can probably effect the needed repair or replacement.
• Toilet tank lids are easily cracked or broken; lay it flat somewhere out of the way.