Why Is My Toilet Leaking at the Base?

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

A toilet spraying out water at the base often points to a damaged wax ring. This piece of equipment is supposed to form a tight seal between the toilet base and the drainpipe. When it fails, water may seep out every time you flush. Fortunately, it’s easy to test the source of the leak and troubleshoot the problem. If you conclude the wax ring needs to be replaced, we recommend reaching out to a plumber for quality toilet repair. 

Test Your Leaky Toilet 

Sometimes, a nearby leak can make the toilet look like it is leaking at the base. Follow these steps to find out specifically where the water is leaking from. 

Check for Condensation 

The “leak” around your toilet might not be a leak at all. It’s possible, water vapor might be condensing on the bowl or tank and running down onto the floor. To check for this, clean up any standing water with a paper towel and flush the toilet. Look thoroughly —if there are no new water pools around the base, condensation is the likely problem. Using the exhaust fan when you shower is an easy way to solve this problem. 

Examine the Toilet Tank 

Feel around the exterior of the tank for any moisture. To rule out condensation, dry up any droplets with a towel. Then, look again, looking 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, defective hose or worn out shut-off valve may cause a leak. If tightening the fittings doesn’t resolve the issue, you may need a plumber to replace the water supply hose. 

Tighten the Tee Bolts 

If these troubleshooting tips don’t help, your toilet is most likely leaking at the base like you suspected. Before calling a plumber, try tightening the tee bolts that attach the toilet to the floor. You may need to pry off the decorative plastic caps with a putty knife or flathead screwdriver to access the bolt underneath. Be careful not to tighten it too much, as this could damage the porcelain. If the bolts spin freely, you may need to buy new ones. 

Look for Signs of a Worn-Out Wax Ring 

If bolting the toilet tighter to the floor doesn’t fix the problem, a failing wax ring could be the culprit after all. Besides water pooling around the toilet, you may detect a sewage stink, indicating a broken sewer line seal. And if the toilet moves from side to side, this could mean it’s sitting on a broken flange, the piece of equipment 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 find that a broken wax ring is indeed the problem, repairing it involves removing the toilet, replacing the ring and reinstalling the toilet. While it’s possible to attempt the fix without a plumbing license, DIY toilet removal is not recommended. Here’s why you should leave the job to a qualified plumber: 

• Porcelain is a surprisingly delicate 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 chore. Even then, poor lifting techniques could leave you with an hurt back. 
• Checking for water-damaged subflooring requires a trained eye. And if any damage has been done, it should be fixed/repaired before reinstalling the toilet, something a plumber can help guide you through. 
• If you detect that the entire flange at the bottom of the toilet is damaged, it will need to be replaced. This is even harder than swapping out 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 you’d rather be doing, giving you yet another reason to leave the task to a plumber. 

Schedule Toilet Repair with an Expert Plumber 

At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, fixing toilet leaks is one of our fields of expertise. 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, relax, and let us complete the repair. To schedule dependable toilet repair in your neighborhood, please contact Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing 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.