skip to main content

Three toilets leaking????

15 years ago

I have 3 American Standard toilets that are leaking. I put red dye in and sure enough all 3 ended up with red in the bowl. Went to Chapmans Plumbing Supply and he said it was "IMPOSSIBLE" that all 3 of them have a leakage problem. He thinks its a pressure relief valve problem. He gave me 3 names for plumbers but they haven't returned my call (this was a week ago)....

I guess I'll keep calling them but in the meantime does anyone think it is possible or a serious problem going on. I replaced the flapper on the one but it still leaks so was thinking maybe a hairline crack on the "fill up tube" that I can't see. Any suggestions? Thanks

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

joed
15 years ago
Turn off the water supply to one of the toilets and let it sit. See how low the water level goes.

What type of fill valve do you have? On certain models if the fill tube is pushed too far down inside the overflow tube it will act as a syphon.
goldensmom
Original Author
15 years ago
joed ... I turned off the water supply and waited a couple of hours and the water level didn't go down but when I left the water on the other toilet the water overflows into the overflow tube after a couple of hours. I'm not sure what valve I have except that they are american standard products. I think they are probably a couple years old. Any idea as to what is going on?
Related Discussions
toilet still leaking at floor seal
Q
Comments (11)
This is eerily similar to a problem I had at my house :-) I did not have a cracked flange; however the toilet would NOT stop leaking. I tried an extra big wax seal; two wax seals...finally I scraped all that crap up, tossed it, and bought one of those gaskets that does NOT use wax. I believe my toilet was leaking due to an uneven floor. The gaskets they sell these days seal tightly to your toilet, and then empty into your sewer well below the level of the floor, completely bypassing all problems due to flanges, uneven floors, etc. I'd repair the flange so you have a good solid connection, they sell kits for that too, easy as pie, and then use a gasket kit without wax. Of course I'm a hardcore DIY'er, you should just call a plumber if you're in over your head!
...See More
Three handle bath tub faucet won't stop leaking.
Q
Comments (1)
1. That looks like a pretty vintage set of faucets, and I suspect they need to be refurbished. This video may be helpful: Faucet repair, or this one: Faucet repair 2. Shut off valves don't get used very often, and, when they are old, the seals may fail to completely stop water flow. If you have these two conditions, it would explain a continuing leak. If the leak from the shutoff valves is significant, you may want to shut off water to the whole house while you work on this. You could also consider replacing the shut off valves at the same time. If this is beyond your skill level, have a plumber do this.
...See More
Apparently toilet was leaking. Should we submit an insurance claim?
Q
Comments (12)
Don’t call your insurance company and ask. You do not want them to know that your home has a leak. It may trigger increases or inspections all on its own. Deal with this problem yourself. My mom used her insurance for small things like this and lost it. I had to pay to replumb her entire manufactured home in order to get her coverage back, and my sister, who lived there, had to change her car insurance to the same company to get anyone to insure the home. As said above, think of homeowners insurance as something you use only after a major catastrophe. Get the highest deductible allowed, since you will only be using it for tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Then start a “repairs” account that builds until you have a good ten thousand in it. Welcome to home ownership!
...See More
Toilet leak - wax ring, mysterious hole, or something else...?
Q
Comments (1)
I've never seen such a hole, but I suspect it's to allow venting while the toilet is being fired in the kiln at the factory. It should have been plugged before leaving the factory. You might be able to plug it yourself with epoxy. And you also could check with the manufacturer to hear what they have to say.
...See More
homebound
15 years ago
The tank should NOT be filling up enough to overflow water into the tube. It should shut off a little bit before it reaches the edge of the tube. If water is overflowing the tube (and the toilet sounds like it keeps running), thats a huge problem and the float on the fill valve needs to be adjusted. (Raise the float with your hand to test that it shuts off the water).

If it still doesn't shut off completely, you might want to replace the fill valve (or replace the rubber gasket in the top of the valve.)

Besides a plumber, you could instead get a handyman to check things out.
stash-hdy
15 years ago
I see this all the time, the present valve is leaking, filling to the top and over the tube. Change the 3 valves the fix will last longer, I use Fluidmaster and they are very easy to install. Check out the shut off (S/O) valve and supply line, they also may need changing. Some homes have a one piece S/O with a metal supply line, these damage very easy and may leak later. If the S/O valve is a compression fitting replace with another compression S/O and a stainless supply line. Turn off the household water first and drain the lines before you take off the old S/O valve.
pjb999
15 years ago
Check your water pressure (Watts make a gauge that will attach to a hose bib or washing machine connection) - I bet your water pressure is too high - should not be above 70 psi.

Related Stories

BATHROOM DESIGN How to Choose the Right Toilet

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Style, seat height, flushing options, color choice and more will help you shop for the right toilet for you

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: A Three-Story Barn Becomes a Modern-Home Beauty

With more than 9,000 square feet, an expansive courtyard and a few previous uses, this modern Chicago home isn't short on space — or history

BEFORE AND AFTERS A Seattle Family Bathroom Gains Privacy and Polish

By Becky Harris

Too much togetherness, along with a major leak, leads to a full gut renovation of a 1908 bath

BATHROOM DESIGN Here's (Not) Looking at Loo, Kid: 12 Toilet Privacy Options

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Make sharing a bathroom easier with screens, walls and double-duty barriers that offer a little more privacy for you

BATHROOM DESIGN How to Install a Toilet in an Hour

By Innovative Design Build

Putting a new commode in a bathroom or powder room yourself saves plumber fees, and it's less scary than you might expect

HOME TECH Meet the New Super Toilets

With features you never knew you needed, these toilets may make it hard to go back to standard commodes

BATHROOM DESIGN How to Hide the Toilet

By Royston Wilson Design

If you don’t want your toilet to be the main feature of your bathroom, here’s how to let it take a backseat in your bath’s decor

LIFE The Absolute Right Way to Hang Toilet Paper. Maybe

By Mitchell Parker

Find out whether over or under is ahead in our poll and see some unusual roll hangers, shelves and nooks

BATHROOM DESIGN 5 Common Bathroom Design Mistakes to Avoid

By Dylan Chappell Architects

Get your bath right for the long haul by dodging these blunders in toilet placement, shower type and more

BATHROOM DESIGN Bathroom Storage: Where to Keep the TP?

By Sheila Schmitz

The Houzz community steps in with 19 tidy toilet paper storage solutions

Sponsored

Rodriguez Construction Company

1 Review

Industry Leading Home Builders in Franklin County, OH

More Discussions

Shower faucet system

3

Can't decide gold fixtures what would you do

29

under mount sinks -faucet types

1

Kitchen / Bath faucets on Ocean

3

Sizing a softener when current occupancy is well below capacity

0