Do you see water on the floor at the base of the toilet? Don’t delay. Left unaddressed, your toilet will continue leaking slightly with each flush, allowing toilet water to pool on the bathroom floor and potentially causing unsanitary mold damage and rot in the subfloor.
A toilet leaking at the base often is a sign of a faulty wax ring. This component is designed to create a tight seal between the toilet base and the drainpipe. When it quits working, water may escape every time you flush. Fortunately, it’s easy to test the source of the leak and find the problem. If you conclude the wax ring needs to be replaced, we recommend hiring a plumber for qualified toilet repair.
Test Your Leaky Toilet
Occasionally, a nearby leak can make the toilet look like it is leaking at the base. Follow these steps to find out specifically where the water is escaping from.
Check for Condensation
The “leak” around your toilet may not be a leak at all. It's possible, water vapor may be condensing on the bowl or tank and dripping onto the floor. To check for this, soak up any standing water with a towel and flush the toilet. Look thoroughly —if no more water pools around the base, condensation is the likely culprit. Running the exhaust fan when you shower is an easy fix.
Examine the Toilet Tank
Look closely around the exterior of the tank for any dampness. To rule out condensation, wipe up any droplets with a paper towel. Then, look again, looking for loose bolts or cracked porcelain leaking water onto the floor. Tighten any loose bolts you find. If the tank is broken, you’ll need to replace your toilet.
Inspect the Water Hose
Look at the cold-water supply line behind the toilet. A loose connection, defective hose or malfunctioning shut-off valve may cause a leak. If tightening the fittings doesn’t resolve the issue, you may need a plumber to replace the water supply hose.
Tighten the Tee Bolts
If these troubleshooting tips prove unhelpful, your toilet is probably leaking at the base like you suspected. Before calling a plumber, try tightening the tee bolts that attach the toilet to the floor. You may need to pry off the decorative plastic caps with a putty knife or flathead screwdriver to access the bolt underneath. Be careful not to over-tighten, as this could crack the porcelain. If the bolts spin freely, you may need to replace them.
Look for Signs of a Worn-Out Wax Ring
If bolting the toilet tighter to the floor doesn’t stop the leaking, a faulty wax ring could be the cause after all. Besides water pooling around the toilet, you may notice a sewage stink, indicating a broken sewer line seal. And if the toilet moves from side to side, this may mean it’s sitting on a broken flange, the component that connects the flush system to the plumbing line. A rocking toilet might also indicate a soft subfloor resulting from the leak, which requires immediate attention to prevent the problem from getting worse.
Hire a Plumber to Replace the Wax Ring
If you discover that a broken wax ring is indeed the problem, resolving it necessitates removing the toilet, replacing the ring and reinstalling the toilet. While it’s possible to do the work without a plumbing license, DIY toilet removal is not recommended. Here’s why you should leave the issue to a experienced plumber:
- Porcelain is a surprisingly delicate material. If you whack the toilet on the floor or hit it too hard with a plumbing tool, it could break, forcing you to pay for a toilet replacement in addition to everything else.
- Lifting and lowering the large plumbing fixture is a two-person task. Even then, poor lifting techniques could leave you with an hurt back.
- Checking for water-damaged subflooring requires a Expert eye. And if any damage has happened, it should be fixed/repaired before reinstalling the toilet, something a plumber can help guide you through.
- If you detect that the entire flange underneath the toilet is damaged, it will need to be replaced. This is even more challenging than swapping out the wax ring.
- Removing the toilet, making the required repair and reinstalling it can take a few hours, if not longer. You probably have better things to do, giving you yet another reason to leave the repair to a plumber.
Schedule Toilet Repair With an Expert Plumber
At Service Experts, resolving toilet leaks is one of our fields of expertise. Whether you go through the troubleshooting tips outlined above before calling, or you want us to handle the whole job from start to finish, we’ve got you covered. Every job is backed by our Service Experts Guarantee,* so sit back, take it easy, and let us take care of the problem. To schedule superior toilet repair in your neighborhood, please contact Service Experts today!
*Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. Service Experts Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.
