Leaking toilet

[marsaday]

I need to sort out a toilet on monday. I havent seen it yet, but my mum says her toilet is leaking. IT isnt from the inlet, so i assume it is from the cistern / pan area.

Can anyone tell me the most common reasons for a toilet leak just to give me a heads up and what to expect.

cheers

 

[Burnerman]

It can leak from the toilet pan to the outlet pipe (new pan connector needed) or if the leak is just when flushing then its the doughnut washer thats the likely culprit.
If you are lucky, maybe the water inlet connector just needs nipping up or a new fibre washer after all.
John

 

[longdogs]

Most likely faults are:

The pan connector - water behind the toilet
Perished fibre washer inside the tap connector/service valve on water supply pipe
Overflow pipe under the cistern (if it has one)
If it's close coupled - Donut washer between cistern and pan
If it's low level - The rubber seal where the flush pipe enters the back of the pan

 

[marsaday]

ok thanks for info. Helps a bit.

 

[marsaday]

Well i changed the toilet today for a new one. The cistern was pretty wet around the front and on the underside.

No leaks from the water feed or the pan connector so i assumed it was the coupling between the pan and cistern.

Got a new toilet for £42 so it was cheap enough and it was pre assembled mostly.

Anyway i got it up and running and then checked it out 15 mins later and i had the same problem with water around the cistern and underneath it.

I have done a few toilets before and not had this problem. anyway i am stumped and so have called out the plumber for tomorrow.

 

[jtonline]

It's not condensation is it? Warm moist air in the bathroom condenses on the toilet cistern, which has been chilled by cold inlet water.

 

[marsaday]

Possibly, but it is pooling water around the base of the toilet where it touches the vinyl. I think it is a cistern coupling problem.

 

[jtonline]

On mine, occasionally, condensation builds up sufficiently to drip off the cistern sides onto the securing bolts and then on to the vinyl floor overnight. My toilet cistern is fed direct from the mains water, which can be quite cold at his time of year & the room gets quite warm. I believe one remedy is to line the inside of the cistern with a strip of bubble plastic packaging material, but I've not tried it.

 

[Tibbot]

You can't rely on the pre-assembly on a cheap WC. Learned that the hard way.

Whenever I do them, I remove everything then re-assemble with sealant (as necessary), regardless of what the instructions say.

 

[marsaday]

I think this is where i went wrong. I thought the big washer on the cistern bit was to be hand tight so didnt tighten any more with grips.

I didnt have my screwdriver with me as well and so couldnt tighten the washers which hold the pan and cistern together. The flat head screw top is in the cistern and you needed a screwdriver to really tighten them up.

I am going back tomorrow with the plumber to have another look.

 

[marsaday]

Been today as plumber couldnt make it. So i tightened everything up (didnt need it really) and got a new donut washer from the supplier free of charge.

I think the problem was this washer. I cant see any leaks 1/2h after install, but will go back tomorrow to check 100%

 

[jtonline]

The doughnut washer only stops leaks whilst the toilet is flushing (back splashes as water hits pan). A leak 15 mins or more after install would be from the washer under the big syphon nut, the washer on the input valve, or the washers under the heads of the cistern to pan fixing bolts.

Glad to hear there's no sign of any leaks now, but if the floor's wet again at some point in the future, I still wouldn't rule out condensation as the cause.