How much "leak" is normal in a toilet flap

I thought I had a flapper leak a few weeks ago, so replaced it, and it still leaked. Cleaned off the seat, still leaked. Turns out the o-ring that seals the flapper seat to the tank was letting water into the bowl very slowly. It was badly deteriorated. Replaced the assembly, no more seep.
 
I did that and see nothing. Proven phantom leak with food coloring.


It is the flapper. I even turned off the fill valve and see if water slowly goes down overnight and it did. The amount is small, proven with food coloring in the tank that it is the flapper. What I want to know is whether this "sloooooooooow" leak is normal just like the shower tub filler diverter "leak" a little even if new.


If this is not normal I'll go ahead and replace it with a whole new one. My time is worth more than some vaseline to extend a few years but have to keep an eye on it.
I don't think anything leaking is normal, I'd at least replace the flapper or put on of those wax rings in there. Next time put a few pepper flakes in there and see if they move.
 
I don't think anything leaking is normal, I'd at least replace the flapper or put on of those wax rings in there. Next time put a few pepper flakes in there and see if they move.
I don't think anything leaking is normal Correct
I'd at least replace the flapper or put on of those wax rings in there. Wax ring seals leaks between the bottom of toilet and the sewage pipe
Next time put a few pepper flakes in there and see if they move. He already determined it was leaking.
 
Flap valves last a few years. If you start hearing your toilet fill itself without anybody having flushed it's time to replace the valve. Trying to refurbish an old toilet flap valve would e like trying to refurbish worn wiper blades.
I sometimes keep my old wiper blades, just in case. I spray/wipe Aerospace 303 on them and store them in the boxes my new wipers came in.
 
I don't think anything leaking is normal Correct
I'd at least replace the flapper or put on of those wax rings in there. Wax ring seals leaks between the bottom of toilet and the sewage pipe
Next time put a few pepper flakes in there and see if they move. He already determined it was leaking.
I was referring to a flush valve sealant ring. We had a toilet when I was growing up and it was the only way we could keep it from leaking.

2602_FlushValveSealantRing_Package_530x530.jpg
 
If this is not normal I'll go ahead and replace it with a whole new one. My time is worth more than some vaseline to extend a few years but have to keep an eye on it.
It's not normal. It's not supposed to leak at all. Like I said, I just replace the entire assembly, eventually one of the other items will go in another year or two so you mind as well do it all at once, like putting in a new toilet.
 
I have had red fuid master's leak. I found the red corky flapper works best. No need to coat it with vaseline.
 
Toilets should be 100% leak free and quiet. ..........................And........................................Choose the correct flapper
1661033561447.png
 
replacement flap valves are under $10 so just replace it and no more worries / if new one leaks they even sell a thin wax o ring type of gasket you simply press on to the flange face to stop further leaks if you do not want to take it all apart to replace it with a new one.
 
There should be no leaks. Another sign of a leak is if the tank sweats as the new water is colder than room temperature and will cause flooring problems.
 
As others have said, any leak is not normal. Ignore it, and a small leak will become a bigger leak. Fix it now.

And here is another vote to replace that Fluidmaster with a Korky. I used to think that Fluidmaster toilet valves were awesome. Until I tried a Korky. They shut off much more precise, and reliably. I will never waste my money on another Fluidmaster.
 
I'll add that leakage is never normal. Seepage is normal but the amount of fluid getting past the seal is trivial.
 
That is really neat. Never even heard of them. Wonder if they made it into the Lowes or Home Depot stores yet? Very smart idea.
Thanks; I've never looked for them in a box store, I don't know the answer to your question, but I will tell you one drawback of these pressurized toilets THEY ARE NOISY. Sounds like an airplane toilet. Of course, you may not mind that. They WILL flush anything that normally comes out of a human body in a single WHOOSH! My daughter and her boyfriend are amused by the sound and they LOVE it. I don't care for the noise, but I LIKE that it handles everything in a single flush. Perhaps a BITOG thing: Whether I pay $20 for something or $20K, I expect it to function as designed.
 
Back
Top