toilet leak (sweat)

This weekend I had to replace the toilet works and it was the first time I had ever had the tank off a toilet. When I got it back together, the tank did not level properly and I now have a very slow drip coming off the tank in the front right corner that I'm guessing is condensed water (sweat). If so, where does the sweat go if the tank is properly leveled? Does it just stay spread out and have a better chance of evaporating before it hits the floor? We will probably junk the toilet and get a newer one that uses less water and has an insulated tank, but I'm curious about the sweat because I don't remember the floor being wet in the summer, and the sweat can't evaporate all that fast when its really humid, so where does it go? Of coarse, I'm a guy, so the floor might have been wet all summer long and I just didn't noticed it.

Dan

Reply to
Dan K
Loading thread data ...

Are you certain it's condensation?

I sure hope you didn't overtighten the tank hold down bolts and start a small crack in the tank.

But, maybe the tank to bowl gasket is not sealing properly, did you replace it or reuse the old one?

Can you avoid using the toilet for a day and wait for the tank to come up to room temperature, which should stop the condensation, and see if it's still dripping, which would be a sure sign of a leak.

Alternatively, could you pour a bucket of fairly hot water into the tank just as it starts to fill, which should also prevent sweating and let you see if the drip is still occuring.

If it does thurn out to be the gasket leaking , slathering a bit of silicone caulk on both sides of the old gasket will usually make it seal up "tighter than a bull's arse in fly season."

Just my .02,

Jeff

Reply to
Jeff Wisnia

I'm not entirely sure about that. You could have a very slow leak.

Before your bedtime, try dyeing the toilet tank water with some food coloring and leave the toilet alone for the night. In the morning, if the little puddle on the floor is colored like the food coloring you used, or you see colored stains anywhere under the tank, then you know it's leaking from the tank rather than condensation from the air.

If colored water has leaked out of the tank, a prime suspect is the mounting bolts. Either undertightening or overtightening them is bad.

Reply to
Steven L.

Yup - you can crack the ceramic if you overtighten.

I it's sweat then it would have been sweating before. BTW - the fix is either an insulated tank or an anti-sweat mixer which mixes a bit of hot water to create room temp water in tank. Find one at any plumbing supply and plumb into hot and cold supply lines.

I'd pull the tank and inspect carefully for cracks.

Replace the gasket. Also the little rubber washers at the bolts. Don't overtighten. Don't use silicon caulk on it. You can use some magic lube water pump grease which is silicon based and will help seal.

Check the fill valve where it screws into the bowl also. May want to just replace it if old.

Check the hose from the shutoff to the bowl. They sometimes leak. If you have a rigid one get the flex tube and don't over tighten that either.

Reply if no joy. We'll try something else.

Don't know anything about bull's arses like Jeff.

Bubba

Reply to
Bubba

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.