If you have a broken toilet, then you might want to get it fixed as soon as possible. Some problems have a simple fix, while other issues are difficult to solve.

Often it becomes hard to detect and locate the problem because a running toilet can be a symptom of various plumbing problems. That’s when you must call a professional plumber to help. If the water has caused damage to the flooring or walls surrounding your toilet, you will also need the help of a water damage restoration professional.

Several frugal people try to solve the issues themselves, and most of the time, this worsens the problem.

When to Call a Plumbing Company for Toilet Leaks

As per the statistics, a small leak dripping at one drop per second can result in seven gallons of wastewater per day. A big leak can waste around 200 gallons or more per day. That is over 6,000 gallons of water per month.

If you ignore minor seepage, it will certainly result in a burst pipe soon. Then if you rush to call a plumber, they will come and fix the problem. However, they will also say:

“Next time, contact a plumber before your house is flooded.”

So, save your money and distress by calling your plumbing company for assistance as soon as you get an indication of leakage. Below, are the stages in which you should call your plumber.

The toilet has become loose from the floor.

If you hear a squishing sound after you sit on a toilet, it can be an indication of a significant problem.

The problem is the wax seal or flange that is not anchored to the toilet properly. The water leaks slowly around the floor when this seal fails to attach to the toilet. Also, water leakage may even cause rotting and mold development.

Moreover, a toilet that wiggles is unsanitary because it can cause a leak at the sewer line and will eventually flood the bathroom floor. However, if you notice that your toilet is wobbling, call a plumber immediately for help.

Water leaks near the base of the toilet

Do you see water pooling around the base of your toilet? If you notice, then try to wipe the area with a paper towel.

Leave extra paper towels at the base and wait for a couple of hours. Then, check the paper towels after a while. If you find them wet, it means you have a worn-out wax seal around the toilet base. To fix this issue, you need a plumber to change the wax ring.

In contrast, if you do not find paper towels wet, then check the connection between hose supply and tank with the same paper towel method.

Keep tabs on the supply hose and flush valve for any drips. If you find a leak there, it means you need to change the supply hose. Otherwise, the water leakage at the bottom of the tank signifies that you need to replace the flush valve.

Slow refill of a toilet tank

If toilet tanks are taking too long to refill, it signifies that either you have a broken flush valve or a leaking flapper. To check, remove the tank’s lid and flush the toilet.

If you hear water trickling or you see a flush valve sticking out, then you might need a new flush valve.

Moreover, you may also notice water seeping through the flapper. This leak may cause your tank to take more time to fill. The only way to resolve this issue is to repair the seal by calling the plumber.

Irregularity in running water

In gravity-flow toilets, a leaky flush valve can cause water to run sporadically. Inspect that your toilet tank ball falls onto the valve seal. If it lands off-center and does not connect at all, it denotes that you have to change the valve.

To mend this issue, the plumber will remove the defective tank ball and then fix the new valve in place.

Constantly running water

If you hear the water flow or if your toilet sounds like it is flushing when you have not used it, it means that the chain in the tank is causing the water to run continuously. Make sure the chain seals the hole at the bottom of the tank.

Most chain issues do not require a plumber, you can adjust it yourself by increasing or decreasing the chain’s length.

Moreover, listen for the faint trickle of water; this sound you hear may be coming from a ball cock. The ball cock connects to the float mount to seal the valve when water reaches the appropriate levels.

When this seal wears off, it causes the tank water to run. To repair this, you will need help from a plumber to change the rubber diaphragm seal for you.

The toilet’s flush does not work correctly.

The flush can completely stop working, or it may not flush very well. Usually, this happens to an older toilet that does not contain a high-performance flushing system. The solution to this problem is to replace the whole toilet with a new and better one.

Bottom line

If you have fiddled around to fix the toilet yourself and you cannot get it to work, then the best rule of thumb is to call your plumbing company.

The professional guidance will save your time and resources. They will come and fix your issues, or they will walk you through the process so that you will be able to fix toilet leakage yourself.

If a leak in your toilet has caused damage to the surrounding flooring or walls, a plumber cannot fix that. In this case, you will need to call a water damage restoration professional to remove the excess water and repair the damaged building materials.