Broadley’s Provides Emergency Plumbing Services in Linwood, NJ
Why is My Toilet Leaking From the Bottom?
Nothing sends a surge of anxiety through the nervous system like the sight of pooling water in unexpected places in your home. And pooling water around a toilet base can be cause for real concern. In all sense of the term, this is a plumbing emergency.
This situation happened recently to a homeowner who was looking for emergency plumbing in Linwood, New Jersey. And while they did a self diagnosis of the problem on Google to see what might be causing it, the situation still felt overwhelming. This felt like a job for a professional. But understanding the possible causes and solutions might help save some dollars. This is what our new customer found out.
How to Fix a Leaking Toilet
Unwanted pooling water anywhere in a home is cause for real concern. The damage that water can do ranges anywhere from a quick clean up mess, all the way to needing to replace flooring, drywall and even engage in mold remediation. So, at the first sign of water – your first move is to turn the water off at the source and clean up the water.
This would apply to any leak – not just a toilet leak. But if it is a toilet leak, you must empty the toilet bowl and the tank of all water. Once it’s all dry, you should be able to tell where the crack is. It is the only way that you will be able to determine the source of the leak.
Read More: Why Does My Toilet Keep Running?
Determining the Source of the Leak
Once the bowl and tank have been cleaned out, examine the entire toilet. Is the tank clean of any cracks where water might be running down? Does the bowl and base of the toilet have any cracks? If you see any type of cracks in the porcelain at all, the entire toilet must be replaced.
The Toilet is OK – Now What?
Assuming the toilet itself is free of cracks, gently rock the toilet back and forth looking for any play in the seating of the toilet to the floor. If there is play, or the toilet wiggles when you apply gentle pressure back and forth, the cause of your leak may be an improper mount to the flange connecting the base to the sewer line.
If you suspect that a poorly installed toilet is the problem, unscrew the toilet from the mount and lift the emptied toilet off of the base and set it aside on some plastic sheeting. Once your work area is cleared, check around for signs of water damage to the floor, drywall and insulation. If any of these areas has been compromised, then the damaged areas must be replaced to prevent toxic mold from building up and growing inside your walls or flooring.
If the flange is showing signs of compromise, such as a broken wax seal, then the was must be replaced along with the toilet mounting bolts. If the flange is cracked, then that must be replaced as well. But if the flange is looking in good working condition, then the source of your leak is most likely a poorly installed toilet.
Of course, if you don’t want to go through the task of draining and inspecting your toilet, just call in a professional. Give Broadley’s a call at (609) 390-3907 and we can inspect your leak and help you solve the problem!
Other Causes of Toilet Leaks
Every once in a while a toilet will leak because of a manufacturer’s defect in the toilet itself. A way to test for this is to place the unconnected toilet on a level floor. If it wiggles back and forth because of an uneven base, then the toilet is defective and a new one needs to be installed.
Another unlikely cause of a leak is a misconnection of the water lines. Rarely, the hot water line is mistakenly hooked up to the tank feed, causing the wax seal at the base of the toilet to melt and compromise over time. So make certain that you check the water in the tank to make certain that the input is not hot water.
Homeowner’s Solution
After some basic inspection of their plumbing problem our Linwood, NJ homeowner felt that the cause of the toilet leak was going to be a little more complicated than a quick fix. They had ruled out a crack in the porcelain, and a defective toilet. It was looking more and more like an improper installation.
But given that this was a second floor leak in a bathroom that was in heavy use, they elected to engage a licensed, qualified emergency plumber who was able to fix their problem within 24 hours.
Read More: How To Unclog A Slow Draining Toilet
Emergency Plumbing Near Linwood, NJ
In the process, our homeowner was glad that they did their research. They were able to explain to the their Broadley’s plumber in accurate detail the nature of their problem and the first steps they had taken to solve it. This basic knowledge helped them save time, avoid bathroom wars with the family, and ultimately money as they were able to help diagnose the problem in advance and have the problem fixed within a day.
For emergency plumbing services in Linwood, NJ, please contact Broadley’s Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning at (609) 390-3907. Serving Atlantic County for over a hundred years, since 1911.