Indoor Tips : Toilets
The most common
residential leak is in a toilet. Leaks are usually
silent and unseen. Toilets may leak a few gallons
per day to over 200 gallons per day. That could add
up to 12,000 gallons per toilet in 60 days!
To check your toilet,
lift the tank lid and flush the toilet. The water
level should come back up to about a half inch below
the overflow pipe. Adjust the float level control
screw, if necessary, so the valve shuts off the
water at that level.
Some leaks can be
easily detected with dye tablets or leak detector
fluid (food coloring). Place a tablet or a few drops
of dye in the tank. Do not flush. Colored water will
appear within minutes in the bowl if the fixture has
a leak.
If you suspect a leak
and are not a do-it-yourselfer, have a plumber or
someone who knows how to do the job help.
Low volume toilets use
about 1.6 gallons per flush or less and can greatly
reduce water usage.
Don’t use your toilet
as a wastebasket.