When you hear the words “leaking toilet,” you first thought may be a clogged drain and overflowing bowl. But in fact, many common toilet problems are subtle and hard to identify. If your water bill is inexplicably high or your toilet is making noises it shouldn’t, here are a few things you can check.

3 Places a Toilet May Be Leaking

1. Flapper

If adjusting the ballcock doesn’t resolve the problem, water may be leaking from the tank to the bowl. Many plumbers recommend adding a small amount of food coloring or a dye tablet to the water in the tank, then leaving it to sit without flushing for up to half an hour. If colored water appears in the bowl, it means water is getting past the flapper. Either the flapper is being held slightly open—in which case, adjust the chain to decrease the tension—or the flapper itself is broken and needs to be replaced.

2. Overflow

Your toilet’s tank has an overflow tube to make sure the water level doesn’t get too high even if there is a clogged drain or other problem. Unfortunately, if the ballcock isn’t correctly adjusted, water will flow continuously into the tank and disappear down the overflow tube. To check whether this is happening, open the tank and note the water level. It should be half an inch below the overflow tube’s opening. If it is too high, adjust or replace the ballcock to lower the water level.

3. Seals

Finally, if there is water outside the toilet that didn’t come from a clogged drain, it’s possible one of your toilet’s seals is leaking. There are several seals on your toilet, including the one between the tank and bowl, the ones at the mounting bolts, and one under the base of the toilet. If they are leaking, you can’t solve the problem with caulk; you’ll need to have a plumber drain and take apart the toilet to repair it.

Whether you’re having problems with your toilet or sewer lines, American Rooter in Watertown, CT, will help. Serving all of Connecticut and Rhode Island, their 20-person team has been providing sewer cleaning, pipe lining, and repair services for 38 years. To schedule a visit, call them today at (888) 863-4638 or get in touch online.