DIY

Does your toilet have a sneaky leak?

Green Ideas editorial team ISSUE 8. Feb14-Mar14

Although we are considered a water-wealthy country, New Zealand is also one of the thirstiest. We each consume an average of 1200 cubic metres of water annually, and this figure rises every year, putting pressure on our most precious resource.

Household leaks are a major cause of water wastage. Your toilet, for instance, can have a sneaky leak that can add up to a lot of lost water. A leak of just one drip per second, for example, adds up to over 11,000 litres per year.

Luckily, fixing leaks is easy – just follow our simple guide to find out if you need some cistern assistance.

Option 1: Check with paper

The simplest way to check if your toilet is leaking:

Simply hold a piece of paper up against the middle of the bowl (below where the water comes out when you flush) at a time when it should be dry (so not straight after flushing – in the morning perhaps). If the paper gets wet, you have a leak.

Option 2: Check with food colouring

The best detection method is to use food colouring:

Take the lid off the top and pour a few drops into the cistern when it is already full. Wait 15 minutes. If the water in the bowl is tinted with colouring then your toilet is leaking.

What to do?

Usually an old or worn ‘flapper’ causes a toilet to leak. This is the rubber valve that opens when you flush and closes when you let go of the flush button so the cistern can fill up. It is a very simple replacement job that you can do yourself if you can find the parts for your particular model of toilet.

Another common cause can be the cistern trying to over-fill itself. This can usually be fixed by adjusting the ball-cock level, which is usually controlled by a single screw. If you can’t find it, you can contact the manufacturers, try looking it up on You Tube or get your plumber to have a look next time they come around.