Leaks into the toilet bowl are a super common problem in modern homes. They’re simple to detect and a simple fix. Yet, left to dribble on unchecked they could double your yearly water bill if you’re on a meter. Yes, we said DOUBLE! Don’t let a leaky loo throw your money down the toilet!
To mark World Toilet Day on Sunday 19th November, we’re asking everyone to take a quick look at their loo to check for leaks…
Leaky loo facts and figures
A tiny, two-drips-per-second leak wastes 60 litres of water a day. Can you imagine? That’s enough clean drinking water to fill 30 large two-litre pop bottles, going straight into the soil pipe. If your household has a water meter then even a barely noticeable leak like this could cost you an extra £45 per year, based on average metered charges.
Larger toilet leaks can easily send ten times that amount of water down the back of the pan each day. This results in huge bills unless they’re tackled sharpish. A moderate loo leak of 600 litres of water a day would tack on an extra £1.20 a day to the average metered water bill. This could potentially cost around £445 extra on the yearly bill if left unfixed!
How to tell if you have a leaky loo
If you think that a toilet in your house or business place may have developed a leak, wait half an hour since the last flush and take a look at the back of the toilet pan. Can you see or hear any trickling water? Regular ripples on the surface of the water in the pan can be a tell tale sign. Even if you can’t discern the actual leak at the back of the pan.
If you can see trickling water, your loo has a leak and you’ll need to take swift action to avoid more water wastage and unnecessarily high bills.
If you’re not 100% on whether there’s a leak, there’s a simple overnight test that you can do:
- Half an hour after the last flush, dry off the back of the pan with a wad of loo roll.
- Lay a dry sheet of toilet tissue against the back of the pan beneath the water inlet. Make sure that it’s not touching the surface of the water in the pan, and leave in place overnight.
- In the morning, any wet lines through the paper will mean that you have a slow leak.
Don’t delay – get your leaky loo fixed today
Many toilet leaks are caused by fine grit or other debris preventing a seal between the main washer and the outlet hole in the base of the tank. This is especially common if you’ve recently had plumbing work done on the water system.
Other leaks can stem from perished, broken or unseated parts in the flush assembly itself, which may be trickier to identify and fix.
Confident and competant DIYers will be more than capable of fixing most toilet leaks, however if you’re at all unsure then we recommend bringing in a friendly plumber. Don’t get stuck without a place to go!
Have you had higher water bills recently? Have you checked your loo for a leak? Share your thoughts and comments via Twitter and Facebook!
