Why is my toilet leaking at the base?

Water accumulating on the bathroom floor around the toilet can potentially be a cause of greater water damages. Pooling water will ruin the texture and coating of your tiles and cause staining. If left untreated, water leaks can travel through the floor and into the room below. Do not ignore this problem! If the toilet is leaking from the base, you and your family may be exposed to significant unsanitary conditions. This water may be smelly and is likely to continue dropping with every flush. There can be many reasons for a leaky toilet base:

First, look when the leak starts. If you notice a leak every time you flush the toilet, it isn’t just condensation. It is a full-fledged toilet bowl leak. Such a leak can alternatively happen due to a loose water supply line or defective shut-off valve. Make sure to test the water hoses behind the toilet and rule out this possibility.

Toilet T-Bolts

There is a possibility that the toilet will continue to leak if it is not bolted tightly to the floor. Observe the base of the toilet, and you’ll notice two tee bolts. If you observe that the wax ring under these bolts is not tight enough, it is probably the reason for a toilet leak. Tighten the bolts with a putty knife or flathead screwdriver to pry off the caps and stop leakage.

Working on one bolt at a time, tighten them alternating between the left and right one. Make sure that you do not overstrain the bolts or else the toilet base can crack, and you will end up looking at bigger leaking issues. In case the bolts appear to be spinning when you are tightening them, you may need a new set.

Wax Ring Replacement

A failing wax ring could be another case of a leaky toilet base. Try to flush the toilet and notice if water still pools around the base. If this keeps happening, you may need a wax ring replacement. Fortunately, wax rings aren’t that expensive and can be pretty easy to replace. While this job is inexpensive, it may still need quite some time and probably two people to get it done.

Once you have tried to rectify the issue, make sure to test the leakage a few times by flushing the toilet and observing the base. If there is no pooling over a few days, you can try to install caulk around the base of the toilet. This will prevent water and spills from seeping under the toilet, preventing mould or unpleasant odours.

If your DIY efforts to repair your leaky toilet base still appear to be unsuccessful, Contact Aslan Plumbing. Our team of professionals will ascertain the cause of leakage and restore your toilet to its leak-free state.