How to check if your toilet is leaking and what to do

Richard Moyle Plumbing since 1983

  • Can you see or hear a water leak from your toilet cistern?

  • Is your water bill higher than it should be?

  • Is there water on the floor around your toilet?

  • Do you hear a sound in the quite of the night coming from your toilet?

You may have one or more of the above symptoms which can indicate that you have a leaking toilet, and there may be others. Here is an easy way you can DYI test to see if your toilet is leaking and what to do.

How to check for a toilet cistern leak -

1) Tear off a piece of toilet paper.

How to DIY test if your toilet is leaking

2) Place the toilet paper against the back of the toilet pan on the porcelain above the water, under the lip of the pan.

If the paper becomes wet, then you have a leaking toilet cistern.

This kind of toilet leak is caused by failed rubbers and seals inside the toilet cistern. Your maintenance plumber will need to repair this leak.

Is there water on the floor from your toilet?

Water on the floor can be caused by a few different reasons. Firstly we need to determine if its an actual leaking toilet, leaking isolation tap or if it is urine on the floor or in the rear pan seal . Don’t be alarmed by this, it is more common than you think.

How to check -

1) Isolation tap

Q: Is the water coming from the tap next to the toilet or even the hose from this tap to the cistern?

A quick video of Plumber Richard showing you have to isolate the water to your toilet.

A: If yes, Turn this tap off or if the leak is only slight, you can place a towel on the floor and a small bucket, cup or container underneath it and contact your maintenance plumber. You may have to check this container and change it often until your plumber arrives.

If no, lets continue to look else where.

2) Toilet cistern leaking onto the floor

Place some toilet paper on the floor around the base of the toilet. If the paper is clear then you most probably have a leak from the toilet.

There are seals on both the toilet cistern and toilet pan. These seals perish over time, becoming brittle and cracked, which eventually leak.

You may now be able to see if the water is leaking from the rubber under the toilet cistern or from the floor.

If the paper has a slight colour to it, then it can still be a perished main pan seal rubber or may be urine on the floor. Depending on the style of your toilet pan, you may be able to see this pan rubber to evaluate if it actually leaking. If in doubt, call your local maintenance plumber.

What do you do now?

If you have water on the floor and you believe it to be a leaking toilet. If possible, place a small container, towels or something to collect the water and call your maintenance plumber. Depending on the volume of water leaking, you may have to change the towels or container regularly until the plumber arrives.


If you suspect that your toilet is leaking, give us a call for advice or a price.

‘Get Moyle’s to do it’

📞0447 671 095

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Cheryl MoyleMoyle Plumbing