When a toilet flapper leaks, it is worn out, warped, or unable to form a tight seal around the flush valve. A damaged flush valve or a tense or knotted flapper chain are other potential culprits.
Replace and clean a toilet flapper to eliminate leaks. Additionally, check to see that the flapper chain is not tangled or overly tightly secured.
If your toilet flapper not sealing, this article will guide you on how to detect and fix the leaking toilet flapper.
How to know that your toilet flapper is not sealing?
Add some food coloring or dye to the toilet tank, then wait 30 minutes before flushing the toilet to see if the flapper is leaking. If the color is visible inside the bowl, it is leaking.
The most noticeable indication that a toilet flap needs to be replaced is when it runs continuously. In this case, the toilet flapper is usually worn out or twisted, typically brought on by hard water.
If it is stiff and no longer sealing, Vaseline can be used to soften it. Before using Vaseline, empty the toilet container and dry the flapper. This is only a short-term fix while you wait for a replacement.
How to seal toilet flappers?
Here are the steps you can follow if you notice your toilet flapper is not sealing.
- Cut off the toilet’s water supply. Just on the wall behind the commode is the shut-off valve.
- Flush the toilet.
- The sewage tank lid should be removed and put away in a secure location where it won’t break or fall off.
- Drop the flap chain within the tank after detaching it from the flush control arm.
- Lift the flap from the tank by releasing the flap ears from the flushing valve pegs.
- Check the flapper closely.
- It must be replaced if it is damaged or distorted.
- On the other hand, cleansing will be sufficient to make a good seal and halt the leakage if debris is caught under the flapper and on top of the flush valve opening.
- If you have a filthy flapper, rinse it under running water in your bathroom sink.
- The flapper’s seat at the flush valve opening should be cleaned using a sponge.
- Reinstall it and do the leak test once more. After 30 minutes, your issue has been resolved if food coloring or color does not emerge inside the toilet bowl.
- It will be necessary to replace a worn-out toilet flapper.
- Set a new toilet flapper on top of the flush valve opening and secure its ears to the pegs.
- Make sure to align the flapper chain parallel to the flush valve with only 1/4 to 1/2 inch of slack. If the link is too tight, the flapper won’t be able to seal correctly, and if it is too loose, the flapper won’t fully open, resulting in a weak flush.
Conclusion
It is easy to fix a non-sealing flapper and replace it with a new one. Consider the above given steps to handle your toilet flapper leaking and call for a plumber within the time to avoid further long-term damage.
