subject: Three Toilet Leak Detection Techniques You Can Employ [print this page] Three Toilet Leak Detection Techniques You Can Employ
Most of us at some point will have come across a toilet that is obviously leaking water. We are all familiar with the toilet that continues to go on running for what seems like hours after they were last flushed. These kinds of leaks can cause not only irritation, but also expense in costly water bills. Here we look at how to use leak detection to identify not only the obvious and noisy toilet leaks, but also the leaks that are more difficult to spot. The dye testThis is perhaps the most well known form of toilet leak detection and can be done with little fuss. Remove the lid of the tank and place some dye or dye tablets into the water. Wait for an hour and then check the bowl for traces of the dye. If some of the dye has leaked into the bowl then you have a problem with one of the mechanisms in the tank and it needs replacing or perhaps adjusting. The tissue testAs with the dye test, add some dye to the water in the tank, but in addition also place some in the toilet bowl. After about an hour, wipe tissue across the exterior of the toilet. If you can see any dye on the tissue then you know that the toilet is leaking and the presence of dye should be a good indication of exactly where the problem lies. When following this method of leak detection it is always advisable to use white tissue paper, which will better show the presence of dye. Water meter testIf you have tried the above methods, without success, it could be that you have a slower leak. The most successful method of leak detection for this kind of leak is to switch off all the stop cocks, excluding those that are connected to the toilets. Now take a note of the numbers on the water meter. After an hour, if the numbers stay as they were; you do not have a leak in any of your toilets. In the event that the numbers have altered, it signifies a leak - exactly which one it is can be checked by repeating the process having isolated them individually through use of the relevant stop tap.
