Terminology Tuesday (Tricks of the Trade) – How to Fix a Leaking Toilet Tank

(Note: I think it’s important to know the terminology and words used when learning any new business including mobile home investing. I came up with ‘Terminology Tuesday’ as a way to go over the terminology used in the mobile home business. It’s important to know the terminology when talking to people in the business so you’re all on the same page).

**** Tricks of the Trade is a new series I have started that will be included with “Terminology Tuesday” posts. The goal of this series is to share with you the “tricks of the trade” I have learned in the mobile home business.

One of the most common issues I’ve encountered when acquiring and getting homes ready on the market are plumbing problems. More specifically, the majority of these issues are in the bathroom. Let’s face it – the bathroom is one of the most commonly used room in the home. So, I’ve made it a point to learn how to tackle these issues as they come up quite often.

Leaking toilet tanks are one of the most common problems with existing toilets. Usually, the leak is coming from underneath the tank. And, I usually notice water dripping onto a puddle of water on the floor from the side of the tank. Here is a pic of the angle on one I’ve recently had to deal with:

(Note: The puddle of water will usually be more visible from a side angle depending as toilet tank leaks tend to come from the side).

Side of toilet where leaks usually appear:

(Note: Leaks tend to come from where there are parts [i.e. screws, bolts, etc.] to attach and plug up the tank as shown in the picture below).

So, how do I fix these issues? Well, the first thing I do is open up and remove the cover from the toilet tank.

Next, I determine where the leak is coming from by doing a test and running the water. I note specifically which side and/or sides of the tank the water is dripping.

Once I determine where the problem is coming from, then I apply some epoxy putty (one of the many products used by plumbers!) to the area where the leak is coming from inside the tank.

Here is the epoxy putty used for this project:

After the epoxy putty is applied to the problem area, I wait awhile for it to dry and then retest to make sure water is no longer leaking from the tank.

I hope this “Terminology Tuesday” post has been helpful and has given you some useful information – it definitely has for me.

Happy investing!

p.s. Feel free to leave comments on any post either here and/or my Facebook Page. Comments are always welcome, thanks for reading!