Water Leaks: Check Your Flapper

Is It Time to Replace Your Toilet Flapper? Here’s How to Tell

Signs Your Toilet Flapper May Need Replacing:

Constantly Running Toilet
If your toilet keeps running long after flushing, the flapper might not be sealing properly.

Phantom Flushing
Hearing your toilet refill randomly, even when no one has used it? This is a classic sign of a slow leak caused by a faulty flapper.

Visible Damage
Take a look inside your tank. If the flapper looks warped, cracked, brittle, or has a slimy coating, it’s time for a new one.

Weak Flushing or Slow Refill
A worn flapper can cause your toilet to flush weakly or take longer to refill the tank.

Unexplained Water Bill Increase
A leaky flapper can waste hundreds of gallons of water a month, leading to an unpleasant surprise on your water bill.

The Dye Test
Add a few drops of food coloring to the water in your toilet tank and let the toilet sit unused for 15-20 minutes.  If any of the color seeps into the toilet bowl, it indicates that there is a leak.

Tip
Using in-tank toilet cleaners can cause flappers to wear out faster.