This Old House offers fixes for leaky, loose, clogged, and gurgling toilets, as well as information about dual-flush and low-flow models, high-tech seats, and more

Toilets: Featured Article

how to speak toilet

How to Speak Toilet

A toilet that leaks or runs is an easy homeowner fix—if you know how to diagnose the trouble. ID parts and problems with this handy guide, and hit the hardware store with confidence… more

Toilets: Step-by-Steps

Q&A


Q: Four of the five toilets in my house overflow frequently—two of them clog up every month and it's costing a lot of money to snake them out. I've used three different plumbers and none has been able to come up with a solution that lasts. Two of the toilets are on the second floor, two on the first floor, and one is in the basement. Some are of the low-water-consumption type, but not all of them. I'm at a loss.

— Andy, Livingston, NJ

Tips


To find the source of a toilet leak, put food coloring in the tank. Colored water in the bowl means the flapper valve is faulty. If it drips down the outside, replace the seal between the tank and bowl. Colored water on the floor indicates a cracked wax seal beneath the toilet.

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