A homeowner in Hudson noticed water seeping into the cellar below their toilet. That’s the kind of thing you want to catch fast, because a slow toilet leak that goes unnoticed can rot the subfloor and stain the ceiling below before you ever see a drop on the bathroom floor.

What we found when we pulled the toilet

The homeowner suspected the toilet flange — that’s the ring the toilet bolts to. It’s a fair guess, because a cracked flange is a common cause of a toilet leaking down through the floor. We pulled the toilet to look, and the flange was actually in good shape. That meant the leak was coming from somewhere else — most likely the wax seal under the toilet.

A new wax seal — and the leak was gone

Sure enough, the wax seal had deteriorated. Over time wax seals dry out and lose their grip, and once they fail, water finds its way down past the toilet and onto whatever’s underneath. We set a new wax seal, installed fresh bolts, and reset the toilet good and tight. Water tight below, zero leaks, and the homeowner could stop worrying about the ceiling downstairs.

If your toilet is leaking into the room below in Hudson or anywhere in MetroWest, call Richard T. Curley Plumbing & Heating at (978) 562-3736. Most of the time it’s a wax seal or a flange, and we’ll find it fast and fix it right the first time — before it does real damage.

Sometimes the problem isn’t a leak at all — it’s a toilet that keeps running.