Housekeeping · Water saving

How to check a silent toilet-tank leak

Use a small amount of dye in the tank and wait ten minutes without flushing to check for a silent leak.

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A toilet may leak silently into the bowl. The US EPA WaterSense program recommends a dye test. If the tank is concealed or difficult to open safely, consult the manual or a professional.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

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Check that the bowl water is clear and do not flush.
Carefully open an accessible tank and add a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet. Do not mix with cleaning chemicals.
Wait ten minutes without flushing.
Look for color in the bowl. If present, the flapper or flush-valve seal may be leaking.
Flush immediately after the test to reduce the risk of staining.
If a leak is suspected, check the model-specific seal or ask a qualified repairer for help.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

Further reading

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