Why Is My Toilet Leaking at the Base?

Do you see water pooling near the toilet? Don’t ignore this problem. Left unaddressed, your toilet will continue leaking slowly with each flush, allowing toilet water to pool on the bathroom floor and potentially causing unsanitary mold damage and rot in the subfloor. 

A toilet spraying out water at the base often signifies a bad wax ring. This component is designed to form a tight seal between the toilet base and the drainpipe. When it breaks, water may leak every time you flush. Fortunately, it’s easy to locate the source of the leak and troubleshoot the problem. If you determine the wax ring needs to be replaced, we recommend calling a plumber for quality toilet repair. 

Test Your Leaky Toilet 

Occasionally, a nearby leak can make the toilet appear to be leaking at the base. Follow these steps to find out exactly where the water is leaking from. 

Check for Condensation 

The “leak” around your toilet may not be a leak at all. Rather, water vapor could be condensing on the bowl or tank and running down onto the floor. To check for this, soak up any standing water with a rag and flush the toilet. Look closely —if no additional water pools around the base, condensation is the likely cause. Turning on the exhaust fan when you shower is an easy way to solve this problem. 

Examine the Toilet Tank 

Run your hands around the surface of the tank for any dampness. To rule out condensation, wipe up any droplets with a paper towel. Then, examine it again, looking for loose bolts or cracked porcelain leaking water onto the floor. Tighten any loose bolts you find. If the tank is cracked, you’ll need to replace your toilet. 

Inspect the Water Hose 

Examine the cold-water supply line on the backside of the toilet. A loose connection, defective hose or malfunctioning shut-off valve may cause a leak. If tightening the fittings doesn’t help, you may need a plumber to replace the water supply hose. 

Tighten the Tee Bolts 

If these troubleshooting tips don’t help, your toilet is probably leaking at the base like you suspected. Before calling a plumber, try tightening the tee bolts that secure the toilet to the floor. You may need to take off the decorative plastic caps with a putty knife or flathead screwdriver to reach the bolt below. Be careful not to tighten it too much, as this could break the porcelain. If the bolts spin freely, you might need to get new ones. 

Look for Signs of a Worn-Out Wax Ring 

If bolting the toilet tighter to the floor doesn’t stop the leaking, a damaged wax ring could be the problem after all. Besides water puddling around the toilet, you may notice a sewage smell, indicating a broken sewer line seal. And if the toilet rocks back and forth, this may mean it’s sitting on a broken flange, the piece of equipment that connects the flush system to the plumbing line. A rocking toilet might also point to a soft subfloor resulting from the leak, which requires immediate attention to prevent the problem from causing more problems. 

Hire a Plumber to Replace the Wax Ring 

If you discover that a failed wax ring is indeed the problem, repairing it requires removing the toilet, replacing the ring and reinstalling the toilet. While it’s possible to do the repair without a plumbing license, DIY toilet removal is not recommended. Here’s why you should leave the issue to a qualified plumber: 

• Porcelain is a sometimes brittle material. If you whack the toilet on the floor or hit it too hard with a plumbing tool, it could chip, forcing you to pay for a toilet replacement on top of everything else. 

• Lifting and lowering the cumbersome plumbing fixture is a two-person job. Even then, poor lifting techniques could leave you with an injured back. 
• Checking for water-damaged subflooring requires a experienced eye. And if any damage has been done, it should be addressed before reinstalling the toilet, something a plumber can help guide you through. 
• If you detect that the entire flange underneath the toilet is damaged, it will need to be replaced. This is even harder than repairing the wax ring. 
• Removing the toilet, making the required change and reinstalling it can take a few hours, if not longer. You most likely have better things to do, giving you yet another reason to leave the task to a plumber. 

Schedule Toilet Repair with an Expert Plumber 

At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, fixing toilet leaks is one of our specialties. Whether you go through the troubleshooting tips outlined above before scheduling an appointment, or you want us to handle the entire problem from start to finish, we’ve got you covered. Every job is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee,* so sit back, relax, and let us complete the repair. To schedule superior toilet repair in your community, please contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing today! 

*Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.