Small leak, BIG waste!

Is your toilet leaking and costing you more on your water bill?


Do you feel as though you're spending a lot more on your water bill than you should be?

Take the leaky toilet test!







One in four toilets is silently leaking, wasting up to 28 bathtubs full of water every month - that's about enough to cost you $100.00 on your water bill per year. Considering that the average Canadian home as two bathrooms, you run a higher risk of one or both of your toilets falling victim to untraceable leakage.

So how do you check your toilet to see if there's a leak on your own, without having to call a professional?

Step 1: Check your toilet flapper first.



Inexpensive and easy to replace, the flapper is the number one culprit for most leaky toilets. Your toilet's flapper holds water in the tank, but over time its seal can wear out, causing a silent leak. If it's no longer sticking where it should, water's going to snake through the seams and you wouldn't even know it.


How to check your flapper:

• Rub the bottom of your flapper with your finger.  If you get streaks of rubber, the flapper should be replaced.
• Take your old flapper with you to the store when purchasing a replacement.  This ensures you get the right part for the job.
• Install your new flapper and take the leaky toilet test again to ensure you've stopped the leak.

Another quick test to see if you have a leak is to put a few drops of food colouring into your tank, give it 20 minutes and then check your toilet bowl.  If the colour has seeped into the bowl, you definitely have a leak!

Next you have to determine where this leak is coming from.

To check, look at the waterline.  If the water level is below the overflow tube, follow Step 2 below.  If the water is spilling into the overflow tube, follow Step 3 below.

Step 2:  Flapper Leak - The chain that controls the flapper may need to be adjusted for the flapper to sit properly on the valve seat.  If the chain is kinked, replace it with a ball-type chain.  If needed, tighten the nut that holds the toilet handle to adjust the trip lever properly.  Your toilet may run on because the valve seat is corroded or covered with mineral deposits.  Drain the toilet tank by flushing, then dry the valve seat and sand it smooth with sand paper.

Step 3:  Water Level - Your tank water level might be too high, allowing water to run into the overflow pipe.  Turn the float rod adjusting screw clockwise to lower the water level one or two centimeters below the overflow tube.  Replace the screw if it's corroded or stripped. Make sure the refill tube is securely inside the overflow tube and no deeper than five centimeters.







And that's all there is to it! You've now been able to check your toilet for the dreaded silent leak, and hopefully with these easy steps you're able to save $100.00 - money that you no longer are literally flushing down the toilet.