Why Is My Toilet Leaking at the Base?

Do you spy water puddled at the base of the toilet? Don’t delay. Left unaddressed, your toilet will continue leaking slightly with each flush, allowing unsanitary 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 component is supposed to form a tight seal between the toilet base and the drainpipe. When it fails, water may leak every time you flush. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to test the source of the leak and troubleshoot the problem. If you conclude the wax ring needs to be replaced, we advise calling a plumber for qualified toilet repair. 

Test Your Leaky Toilet 

At times, a nearby leak can make the toilet seem 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 may not be a leak at all. It’s possible, water vapor could be condensing on the bowl or tank and dripping onto the floor. To check for this, soak up any standing water with a paper towel and flush the toilet. Look closely —if there are no new water pools around the base, condensation is the likely problem. Turning on the exhaust fan when you shower is an easy fix. 

Examine the Toilet Tank 

Feel around the outside of the tank for any moisture. To rule out condensation, clean up any droplets with a paper 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 

Check the cold-water supply line located on the back of the toilet. A loose connection, damaged hose or faulty shut-off valve sometimes can cause a leak. If tightening the fittings doesn’t fix the problem, you may need a plumber to replace the water supply hose. 

Tighten the Tee Bolts 

If these troubleshooting tips don’t solve the problem, your toilet is more likely than not leaking at the base like you thought. Before reaching out to a plumber, try tightening the tee bolts that hold the toilet to the floor. You may need to pry off the decorative plastic caps with a putty knife or flathead screwdriver to reach the bolt underneath. Be careful not to screw the bolt too tight, as this could damage the porcelain. If the bolts spin freely, you could need to get new ones. 

Look for Signs of a Worn-Out Wax Ring 

If bolting the toilet tighter to the floor doesn’t stop the leaking, a damaged wax ring could be the cause after all. Besides water puddling around the toilet, you may notice a sewage odor, indicating a broken sewer line seal. And if the toilet wobbles, this could mean it’s sitting on a broken flange, the part that connects the flush system to the plumbing line. A rocking toilet might also point to a soft subfloor resulting from the leak, which requires immediate attention to prevent the problem from getting worse. 

Hire a Plumber to Replace the Wax Ring 

If you discover that a faulty wax ring is indeed the problem, resolving it requires removing the toilet, replacing the ring and reinstalling the toilet. While it’s possible to do the fix without a plumbing license, DIY toilet removal is not recommended. Here’s why you should leave the job to a experienced plumber: 

• Porcelain is a surprisingly delicate material. If you whack the toilet on the floor or hit it too hard with a plumbing tool, it could break, forcing you to pay for a toilet replacement on top of everything else. 

• Lifting and lowering the cumbersome plumbing fixture is a two-person task. Even then, poor lifting techniques could leave you with an strained back. 
• Checking for water-damaged subflooring requires a Expert eye. And if any damage has occurred, it should be fixed/repaired before reinstalling the toilet, something a plumber can help arrange. 
• 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 replacing the wax ring. 
• Removing the toilet, making the needed fix and reinstalling it can take a few hours, if not longer. You probably have better things to do, giving you yet another reason to leave the job to a plumber. 

Schedule Toilet Repair with an Expert Plumber 

At Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, repairing toilet leaks is one of our fields of expertise. Whether you go through the troubleshooting tips outlined above before calling, 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 take care of the problem. To schedule dependable toilet repair in your community, 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.