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Leaking toilet
What causes a toilet to leak?
A leaking toilet will not only waste water but will also hurt your hip pocket.
According to Sydney Water, a dripping tap or toilet can waste more than 2,000 litres of water a month.
The problem is that a leaking toilet often goes undetected until a leak test has been conducted.
Before we look at how to detect a leaking toilet, let's look at the components of a toilet so that we understand how it works and what can go wrong.
The cistern is the component of the toilet that holds the water for the flush. It has all the moving parts - so is where most of the problems will be found.
A cistern is made up of the inlet valve that allows the water in, and the outlet valve that's connected to the button you press to flush the toilet to let the water out.
How to check if your toilet cistern is leaking.
Sydney Water suggests putting some food colouring in the cistern. Don't flush but return at least an hour later. If the colouring is showing in the toilet bowl, the cistern is leaking.
You can also use your water meter to check for leaks.
Your water meter is usually just inside the front boundary of your property. If your readings are above normal you probably have a leak.
How to check if the problem is a faulty valve?
Leaks involving the valves are not as easily detected.
A worn or broken flush valve system is the most common cause of a leaking toilet. At the bottom of the cistern is the flapper, or flush valve ball. The ball or flapper should form a watertight seal. After a few years, the flush valve ball can deteriorate or become defective. When this happens, water starts to leak around it into the toilet bowl. Because you can't hear it, it's very difficult to detect.
When the toilet tank is full, remove the tank covering and check for water flowing in the overflow tube. If this is happening, you have a faulty valve.
There are water leak devices on the market to help you detect a leak before you lose too much water and money from your leaking toilet.
Just call your local plumbing supply store and ask what product is best for you.
It's important to fix a leaking toilet as soon as possible and Sydney Water suggests you get a licensed plumber to fix any leaking toilets.
