3 Possible Ways Your Toilet Cracked

By Four Seasons Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electric - August 3, 2015
Cracked toilet

It’s often the doom of a toilet. A hairline crack in the bowl or tank can be sealed with epoxy, but if left to grow, it could be beyond repair. But the question still remains, How did the toilet crack in the first place? Porcelain is certainly not indestructible, but it can be depended on as a durable material in the low-impact activities of a bathroom. It can just seem so unlikely that damage would come to the toilet.

Surprisingly, several factors could have caused or contributed to your cracked toilet. If your toilet is leaking water from the crack, turn off your water and contact Four Seasons Plumbing & Sewers for assistance.

Toilet Crack Causes

  • Impact: We’ll start with the most obvious. Something hit your toilet. Did a vase or heavy tissue box holder fall off the counter? Has anyone slipped in the bathroom? Accidents happen and sometimes they can damage your toilet.
  • Cracks from DIY Projects: As durable as porcelain may seem, the average DIY repair could easily lead to a damaged toilet. Even something as simple as over-tightened bolts can crack the tank. Furthermore, when placing the tank lid back on the toilet, remember to lay it down gingerly. The lid can be heavy and a sudden drop can crack the top of the lid. When repairing a toilet, it is best to leave it to professionals.
  • Cracks from Age: Nothing lasts forever. As toilets age, they become more vulnerable to cracks. When cleaning your bathroom, be sure to inspect your toilet for any damages and keep an eye out for developing cracks.

Repairing or Replacing Your Toilet: Look at the Crack!

The nature of your crack will determine the outcome. Of course, not every situation can be boiled down to an either-or situation, but the following can operate as a rule of thumb. If a crack is a small, single hairline crack, it can be repaired in most situations. However, if the crack breaks off into different threads and resembles something like the veins on a leaf, this is bad news. This almost always requires a complete replacement of the toilet.

Contact the Licensed Plumbers at Four Seasons for Timely Plumbing Solutions

Four Seasons Plumbing & Sewers exclusively employs licensed plumbers to address the needs of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Equipped to handle projects large and small, our team is standing by and ready to help. Contact us today for a fast estimate on your plumbing project!

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