How to check if your toilet is leaking
How to Check if Your Toilet Is Leaking
Is your water bill higher than expected? A leaking toilet could be using water without you even realising it.
Toilet leaks are not always easy to see or hear. During plumbing and water efficiency inspections, we regularly find toilets that have been quietly leaking into the bowl for some time.
The good news is there is a simple DIY test you can do at home to check whether your toilet is leaking.
Signs Your Toilet May Be Leaking
Some toilet leaks are obvious, while others can go unnoticed.
Signs to look out for include:
Water continuously trickling into the toilet bowl
The cistern refilling when the toilet hasn't been flushed
A faint running-water sound
Higher than normal water bills
Movement at your water meter when no water is being used
Water appearing in the toilet bowl from the cistern between flushes
If you're unsure, try the simple food colouring test .➡️
You can also perform this simple test yourself:
Carefully remove the lid from your toilet cistern.
Add a few drops of food colouring to the water inside the cistern.
Do not flush the toilet.
Wait and watch the water in the toilet bowl.
If the coloured water begins appearing in the bowl without flushing, water is leaking from the cistern into the toilet bowl.
If the water in the bowl stays clear, that's a good indication there isn't currently water leaking from the cistern into the bowl.
DIY Test: How to Check for a Leaking Toilet
Watch our plumber demonstrate how to check your toilet for a hidden leak.
How to DIY check if your toilet is leaking
What Causes a Toilet to Leak Into the Bowl?
One of the most common causes is a worn or failed cistern outlet seal, sometimes referred to as a cistern rubber.
However, the seal isn't always the only problem. Depending on the age and condition of the toilet, the leak may also be caused by:
A worn inlet or outlet valve
A faulty cistern mechanism
Deteriorated seals or washers
Incorrect water levels inside the cistern
Ageing or damaged internal components
A plumber can inspect the cistern and determine which components need repairing or replacing.
Why You Shouldn't Ignore a Leaking Toilet
Even a small, continuous toilet leak can waste a significant amount of water over time.
Because many toilet leaks flow quietly from the cistern directly into the bowl, they can continue for weeks or even months before being noticed. This can contribute to unnecessarily high water bills and ongoing water wastage.
Finding and repairing the leak early can prevent that water from simply going down the drain.
Found a Leak? What Should You Do Next?
If the food colouring appears in the toilet bowl, your toilet needs attention.
Moyle Plumbing & Gasfitting can inspect and repair leaking toilets throughout Logan City, Gold Coast North, Brisbane Southside and surrounding areas, including Beenleigh, Yatala, Ormeau, Pimpama, Coomera, Eagleby and Waterford.
Our plumbers can identify the cause of the leak and advise whether the internal components can be repaired or whether replacement is the better option.
📞 Call Moyle Plumbing & Gasfitting on 0447 671 095
“Get Moyle’s to do it.”
More Helpful Plumbing Guides
Knowing what to do when you discover a plumbing problem can help reduce water wastage and minimise damage while you're waiting for a plumber.
You may also find these guides helpful:
💧 How to Isolate Your Water Meter in Logan
💧 How to Isolate Your Water Meter on the Gold Coast
💧 How to Locate Your Water Meter
💧 What to Do If You Have a Burst Water Pipe
This guide was created by the team at Moyle Plumbing & Gasfitting to provide practical plumbing advice for homeowners, landlords and property managers throughout Logan and the northern Gold Coast.
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