Portland Plumber: Important to Know the Most Common Causes

A customer called because she said there was a bad odor coming from her toilet, and the toilet was also leaking. She wasn’t sure what was causing the leak and needed someone to come diagnose and repair it.

Any type of leak, no matter where it’s coming from, can be damaging to a home if left alone for a long period. There are many causes of a leaky toilet, but you should know the most common just in case they ever happen to you:

  1. A cracked tank or bowl: If you notice that you have a crack in either your tank or bowl, you need to replace it immediately. The tank is a large container where the water flows into the bowl after you flush. If it’s cracked, when the water flows through it, it will leak.
  2. Obstructed overflow tube: This customer thought this may have been the problem – something wrong with a valve or tube – and it very well could have been. As its name suggests, the overflow tube is used if the tank starts to overflow. The tube relocates the water to prevent an overflow, and if it’s broken water spills onto the floor.
  3. Worn washers or bolts: Two large bolts keep the tank attached to the bowl, so if something is wrong with those bolts, it is very plausible that your toilet could leak.
  4. Corrosion: Whether it’s age, chemical reactions, or impurities in the water, corrosion can develop anywhere in your pipes or toilet assembly resulting in a possible leak.

If you think you leak in your home, call 3 Mountains Plumbing today so we can take care of it as soon as possible.

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