Special dye to detect toilet leak?

[rosharch]

Hi all,

I bought some food dye to perform the toilet cistern test to see if water is leaking into the bowl but I've come across a handful of articles like this https://www.kingscotechemicals.com/diy-dye-leak-test-for-toilets/#:~:text=Dye%20leak%20tests%20for%2....

That basically say either the test doesn't work or special dye is required. I've searched Bunnings for this dye online and come up with nothing.

Anyone more knowledgeable able to advise me?

Community manager's note: Check out How to fix a leaking toilet for expert advice. 

[MitchellMc]

Hi again, @rosharch,

The team at Bunnings Hawthorn now has all the details they need to order the item and will be in touch with you shortly.

Many thanks for your patience.

Mitchell

[rosharch]

Mitchell, you're a legend. Thank you for following this up for me! I wasn't sure how to progress from there.

Many thanks for the assistance.

[rosharch]

Hi again @EricL 

Since you were able to help me solve the previous issue, I was wondering if you might have advice on something that's resulted from the work.

Ever since I turned the water off to fix the toilet, the flow of cold water to the shower has become a drizzle while the hot water remains strong. Flushing the toilet with the shower running makes this even worse, whereas before this wasn't the case. I left it a few days hoping it might self correct but it's continued.

Any thoughts?

[MitchellMc]

Two steps forward, hey @rosharch!

It sounds like you might have air stuck in the pipes, but make sure the obvious culprit isn't the cause, have another check of the mains valve to ensure that it is fully open. Next, start by turning on all the hot and cold water taps in the house and garden, including the shower and flush the toilet a few times during this process. We must try to clear the air out and fill the pipes with water. Let the water run for at least five minutes. If you hear any spluttering, this is a good sign so leave the water running until it stops completely. After the five minutes, begin closing the taps starting with the lowest tap and furthest away from the mains. Work your way back towards the main and leave the highest taps like the shower until last.

If that doesn't resolve the issue, try the process again a couple more times. If it's still not resolved, let us know, and we can troubleshoot further.

Mitchell

[rosharch]

This is gold Mitchell, thank you.

I've already done a bit of mucking about with different taps to see if I can get the air unstuck but not to this level. I'll have a crack with this level of detail and see how I go!

[MikeTNZ]

Hi @rosharch,

I could be way wrong here, but I think the issue you have, is central to the highest point in your plumbing system on the cold water side.

Reason I say that is because, in a water feed system any air trapped in that system should always be at the top of it.

Is your plumbing system fed via a tank in the roof or a mains pressure system, fed via an "Ajax" pressure reducing valve?

What I've had in the past is, to get a plumber to fit a tee into the water feed and also fit a vertical piece of pipe facing vertically out of that tee and then a non-return/check valve, so that when the pressure builds, it allows the air to escape.

You will also need a tube that comes out of the top of the valve, that goes somewhere where the water won't cause any damage when various taps and what-not are opened and closed in the house.

This sort of thing is almost like trying to get a water pump to "prime", if there is air in the system, that will not happen and it will run continuously until it burns out or actually primes.

I hope that this is of some use to you, if not, ask some further questions, I'm more than willing to help.

Cheers,

Mike T.

[rosharch]

Haha, yeah one step back

So I've given it a few goes now and there wasn't any spluttering. I leave the cold shower tap as the last to turn off and by that point it's always a sad drizzle of water even if that tap is turned full bore.

I'm in an apartment of 8 apartments and I was only turning on the outside tap nearest our cold water mains...I realised there's another outdoor tap on the other side of the building. I might give that a go tomorrow as well, turning on both outdoor taps as well as the 6 indoor ones.

[rosharch]

Mains pressure I believe, Mike. Apartment block of 8

I may get a plumber out to do just as you suggest eventually, though I'm hoping to somehow sort the issue myself if at all possible. The shower is still useable...we just need to change the way we turn on the taps in order to get the temp right.

[EricL]

Hello @rosharch

Thank you for posting an update on your cold water issues. Is the cold water pressure slow in the rest of the house or just in the shower? If it is in just the shower I suspect that there might be something blocking the outlet of the cold spindle. However, if the low pressure is uniform around the rest of the house there could possibly be something slowing down the cold water entering the house. I suggest engaging the services of a registered plumber.

Eric

[rosharch]

Ah, ok @EricL . I was afraid it might come to that, I was hoping since this was caused by turning off the mains when fixing the toilet it would be a simple fix.

It's only the cold water in the shower, the cold water to the other two taps (kitchen and bathroom sink) are fine.

If I only turn on the cold water to the shower, the water is at first full blast but then it dwindles to a dribble in seconds.