Why Is My Toilet Leaking at the Base?

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

A toilet leaking at the base often is a sign of a faulty wax ring. This piece of equipment 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 simple to locate the source of the leak and pinpoint the problem. If you conclude the wax ring needs to be replaced, we recommend reaching out to a plumber for professional toilet repair. 

Test Your Leaky Toilet 

Occasionally, a nearby leak can make the toilet seem like it is 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. It’s possible, water vapor might be condensing on the bowl or tank and dripping onto the floor. To check for this, clean up any standing water with a paper towel and flush the toilet. Look closely —if there are no new water pools around the base, condensation is the likely problem. Running the exhaust fan when you shower is an easy solution. 

Examine the Toilet Tank 

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

Inspect the Water Hose 

Look at the cold-water supply line on the backside of the toilet. A loose connection, broken hose or faulty 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 prove unhelpful, your toilet is probably leaking at the base like you thought. Before contacting a plumber, try tightening the tee bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. You may need to remove the decorative plastic caps with a putty knife or flathead screwdriver to reach the bolt at the bottom of. Be careful not to over-tighten, 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 help, a faulty wax ring could be the cause after all. Besides water puddling around the toilet, you may smell a sewage odor, indicating a broken sewer line seal. And if the toilet moves from side to side, this may mean it’s sitting on a broken flange, the component that connects the flush system to the plumbing line. A rocking toilet might also indicate a soft subfloor resulting from the leak, which demands 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, fixing it necessitates removing the toilet, replacing the ring and reinstalling the toilet. While it’s possible to complete the fix without a plumbing license, DIY toilet removal is not recommended. Here’s why you should leave the job to a experienced plumber: 

• Porcelain is an unforgiving material. If you bang 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 large 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 trained eye. And if any damage has happened, it should be addressed before reinstalling the toilet, something a plumber can help arrange. 
• If you determine the entire flange at the bottom of the toilet is damaged, it will need to be replaced. This is even more challenging than repairing the wax ring. 
• Removing the toilet, making the required repair and reinstalling it can take a few hours, if not longer. You doubtlessly have better things to do, giving you yet another reason to leave the job to a plumber. 

Schedule Toilet Repair with an Expert Plumber 

At Bryant Heating & Cooling Service Experts, fixing toilet leaks is one of our specialties. Whether you go through the troubleshooting tips outlined above before reaching out, or you want us to handle everything from start to finish, we’ve got you covered. Every job is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee,* so sit back, take it easy, and let us take care of the problem. To schedule superior toilet repair in your neighborhood, please contact Bryant Heating & Cooling Service Experts 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.