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My Toilet Is Leaking At The Bottom? What Could Be The Issue? 

If you notice water at the bottom of your toilet it is usually one of a few things.  Let’s get out that flashlight and check things out. Water at the base of your toilet can start high and end up low so let’s check.   

First – Do you have kids?  I mean this seriously. We receive a lot of calls for mystery leaks at the base of the toilet. Usually they turn out to be kids playing in the tub or shower. Check for water running down your shower curtain or shower door. The problem could simply be that your kids are making a hot mess and need more supervision during bath time.  If the problem isn’t dripping water from your tub or shower then we have some quick things to check at your toilet.  

Water at the base of the toilet 

Cracked toilet – A common cause of water around the base of the toilet is a hairline fracture in the porcelain of the toilet. The tank of your toilet and the bowl of your toilet are always holding water. Hairline fractures will surely show by having water at the base of the toilet.  

Leaking Tank to Bowl connection – If you have a two piece toilet, which many homes do, the tank at the top that fills with fresh water connects to the bowl, which is where not so clean water leaves.  This is a connection known as a tank to bowl connection.  Tank to bowl connections have a gasket between them to cushion the porcelain. Sometimes these gaskets can harden and crack causing leaks. In particular, the nuts and bolts can also rust causing a leak.  If you don’t see a crack in your porcelain then check your tank to bowl connection next. Make sure there isn’t any signs of water.  

Leaking supply line or angle stop – The water connection from your wall to your toilet is known as your angle stop and supply line. The angle stop is a valve on the wall. Angle stops are designed to shut the water off and on to your toilet. Angle stops are particularly useful when repairs or replacement needs arise.  The supply line is the hose from that angle stop to the tank of your toilet.  This is a common place for leaks to occur. You’ll want to check that there isn’t any signs of moisture or water coming from your angle stop or supply line. This can easily lead to water at the base of your toilet. It can also quickly lead to flooding if left un-repaired.  

Broken wax seal – Your toilet doesn’t just sit on the floor.  Your toilet is bolted to a flange. The flange is under your toilet that connects your toilet to your main sewer line that is coming out of the floor.  There is a wax ring or rubber ring that seals the connection between the porcelain of the toilet and the flange. This wax or rubber seal keeps out odors, bugs and water. If this seal is broken then every time there is a toilet stoppage or a stoppage on the line the toilet is connected to then sewer water can escape.  It leaks through the broken seal leading to water at the base of the toilet.   

If you have water at the base of your toilet it’s usually a sign that there is a problem. Most of time you can start with one of the four problems listed above.  If you have a leak, don’t hesitate to get the problem taken care of as quickly as possible. Leaks at the base of the toilet can often lead to property damage if left ignored for too long.  If you have a cracked toilet that finally gives, you will come home to a swamp, the same holds true for the leaking tank to bowl or the angle stop and supply line.

If the wax seal is bad at the base of your toilet, the next time you experience a main line stoppage you will find a bathroom full of sewage because the sewer water was able to escape through the base of the toilet.   Bottom line, this isn’t an issue to ignore.   

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

If you’re in the Phoenix area and would like an in home consultation about the jetting services we offer reach out. At Robins Plumbing we are happy to help. Are you facing issues with your plumbing? Feel free to “Call a Robin” and we will do our best to help. If you live in the Phoenix metropolitan area and need a salt or salt free water softener trust Robins Plumbing!

With over 20 years of experience in the plumbing industry, you can trust our professionals to deliver a professional consultation to see what solution fits best for your home. We also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services, including: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!