Is Your Toilet Leaking Silently? A 15-Minute Test for Arlington Homes

To check for a silent toilet leak, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, wait 15 minutes without flushing, and look in the bowl. If color appears, water is leaking past the flapper. Toilet leaks are a common cause of a high water bill. If all your toilets pass and the meter still moves, call (817) 285-5426 for leak detection.

How do I know if my toilet is leaking?

Signs include a tank that refills on its own, a faint hiss or trickle, water moving in the bowl long after a flush, and a handle you have to jiggle. Many leaks make no sound at all, so the dye test is the most reliable check.

Water on the floor around the base is a different problem. It usually means a failed wax ring, a loose supply line or a crack. Fix it soon to protect the subfloor and nearby walls.

How do I do a toilet dye test?

Add dye to the tank, not the bowl, and wait. If color shows up in the bowl within 15 minutes without a flush, the flapper or flush valve is leaking. Flush when you are done so the dye does not stain.

1. Take the tank lid off and set it somewhere safe.
2. Add 5 to 10 drops of dark food coloring to the tank.
3. Wait 15 minutes. Do not flush.
4. Check the bowl for color.
5. Flush to clear the dye, then test every toilet in the house.

What causes a silent toilet leak?

The four most common causes are a worn flapper, a water level set too high so water spills into the overflow tube, a chain that holds the flapper open, and mineral buildup on the flush valve seat. Hard North Texas water wears rubber parts faster.

How much can a leaking toilet add to my bill?

A small flapper leak may waste a few dozen gallons a day. A toilet that runs nonstop can waste hundreds of gallons a day. In Arlington, where water and sewer charges both rise with use, that can make a noticeable difference on your bill.

Compare your bill to the same month last year. If it jumped and your habits did not change, test every toilet first, then do a meter test. Our guide to a high water bill in Arlington explains how.

What if my toilets pass but the bill is still high?

Turn off all water use and check your meter's leak indicator. If it still moves, the leak is somewhere you cannot see: under the slab, in a wall, in the yard or in a sprinkler line. That is when professional leak detection saves time and avoids guesswork.

• Meter moves with everything off: hidden leak likely
• Warm floor spot: possible hot water slab leak
• Soggy yard between meter and house: possible water line leak
• Wet ground near sprinklers: irrigation leak

Our slab leak detection service pinpoints leaks under the foundation. Basic leak detection in Arlington usually costs $150 to $400, and slab leak detection $250 to $600.