If you live in a home, there’s a good chance that at some point, you’ve asked yourself the question; why is my toilet leaking?  Toilet leaks can be caused by various things, and they can range from being a minor annoyance to causing major water damage. If your toilet is leaking, it’s important to identify the cause and fix it as soon as possible. In this blog post, we’ll discuss eight common causes of toilet leaks. We hope this information helps you get your bathroom back in working order!

Damaged Flapper

One of the most common causes of leaks is a damaged flapper. The flapper is the rubber seal that sits at the bottom of the tank and prevents water from leaking out. Over time, this seal can become brittle and cracked, which will allow water to seep through. Because of this, the tank frequently fills with water and drains into the bowl, resulting in an annoying dripping noise.

Plumbers refer to this as a silent leak. If you have a silent leak, your water bill is most likely higher than it should be. Pay attention to any water noises emanating from your toilet after you flush it to save money. Once the bowl is full, no water should be able to trickle into it.

A Damaged Toilet Tank Ball

If your flapper is in good condition, but you’re still noticing leaks, the problem may be with the tank ball. The toilet tank ball is a rubber or plastic float that sits on top of the water in the tank and tells the fill valve when to turn off. When this float gets old, it can start to leak. As water leaks out of the float, it causes the tank to refill more often than it should, which wastes water and drives up your bill.

In some cases, a leaking tank ball can also cause problems with the flapper, which can compound the issue. If you think your tank ball might be leaking, flush your toilet and watch carefully to see if the water level in the float drops. You may need to replace your float if it’s leaking.

Leaking Fill Valve

Another common cause of leaks is a leaking fill valve. The fill valve is the part of the toilet that controls the water level in the tank. It’s usually located near the back of the toilet, and it has a float attached to it.

When you flush the toilet, the valve opens and allows water to flow into the tank. If your fill valve is damaged or worn out, it can start to leak, which will cause water to constantly flow into the tank and eventually overflow into the toilet bowl. This type of leak can be very damaging, so it’s important to fix it as soon as possible. If it’s leaking, you may need to replace your entire toilet valve assembly.

Leaking/ Loose Water Supply Line

Another potential cause of a toilet leak is a leaking supply line. The supply line is the hose that connects the water supply to the fill valve. If this hose is damaged, it can start to leak, which will cause water to constantly flow into the tank and eventually overflow into the bowl. This type of leak can be very damaging, so it’s important to fix it as soon as possible. You may need to replace your entire supply line if it’s leaking.

Worn Out Gasket

If your toilet is leaking from the base, the problem may be a worn-out gasket. The gasket is the rubber seal that sits between the bowl and the tank. Over time, this seal can become brittle and cracked, which will allow water to seep through. If your gasket is damaged, you’ll need to replace it in order to stop the leak.

Improperly Installed Toilet

Another potential cause of a toilet leak is an improperly installed toilet. If your toilet wasn’t installed correctly, it might not be sitting level on the bathroom floor, which can cause it to rock back and forth and eventually break the wax seal that keeps water from leaking out.

In addition, an improperly installed toilet may not have been sealed properly, which can also cause leaks. If you think your toilet wasn’t installed correctly, you should contact a plumber to have it checked out.

Worn Wax Rings

A worn wax ring is another common cause of a leaky toilet. The wax ring is the rubber seal that sits between the bowl and the drain, and it’s what keeps water from leaking out when you flush the toilet. Over time, this seal can become brittle and cracked, which will in turn cause a leaky tout base. If you have a failing wax ring, you’ll need to replace it in order to stop the leak.

Leaking Base

Finally, a leaky toilet might be caused by a leaking base. The base is the part of the toilet that sits on the floor, and it’s held place by a few bolts. Over time, these bolts can loosen and cause the toilet to rock back and forth. This rocking can eventually break the wax seal that keeps water from leaking out, which will cause leaking at the base. If your toilet is leaking at the base, you’ll need to tighten the bolts or replace the wax seal in order to stop the leak.

As you can see, there are a number of potential causes of a leaky toilet. If you’re having problems with your toilet, it’s important to troubleshoot the problem and find the source of the leak. Once you know what’s causing the leak, you can take steps to fix it and prevent it from happening in the future.

Need Your Leaking Toilet Fixed? Give Us A Call!

At MD Sewer and Plumbing, we offer commercial plumbing services with years of expertise. Since 1985, we have provided dependable sewer and plumbing services in Pasadena, Glen Burnie, Linthicum, Annapolis, Baltimore, and the surrounding areas.

Our services include plumbing, water lines, pipeline video inspections, drain cleaning, sump pumps, hot water heaters, remodeling, and other plumbing needs, plumbing repairs, or emergency services. All at an affordable price!

Give us a service call today at 410-255-9300 or get a quote online to request our services.