Toilet repairs, Melbourne specifics
Two tests from Yarra Valley Water
Add a few drops of food colouring to the cistern and, without flushing, watch the bowl. Or lay a sheet of dry toilet paper at the back of the bowl, above the water line. Colour or a wet sheet means a leak.
It shows on the bill
Greater Western Water lists a faulty toilet among the reasons water use climbs. Its meter test, with no water used for four to five hours, tells you whether something is running.
Renters have a deadline on their side
A broken toilet system, or a fixture that wastes a lot of water, is on Victoria's urgent repairs list. Other repairs must be done within 14 days of a written request.
Registered or licensed
Victorian plumbers are registered or licensed for each class of work. Only a licensed plumber can issue a compliance certificate, which matters for a new suite or a change to the waste connection.
Work out what's wrong first
Watch a flush
Take the cistern lid off and flush. Once it has refilled, water should stop moving. A trickle or hiss that carries on points to a worn valve or seal.
Do the colour test
Food colouring in the cistern, no flushing, then check the bowl after a while. Flush afterwards to clear it.
Check the floor
Water around the base or behind the pan is the more serious sign. Turn the toilet's stop tap off while you wait for a plumber.
Note how it's fixed
A pan that moves when you sit on it, or a cracked cistern, are worth photographing so the plumber knows what to bring.
Repair, replace, or both
A running cistern is usually cured with a new inlet valve or outlet seal, and a pan leaking at the floor can often be reseated and sealed. A cracked pan, or a cistern nobody makes parts for any more, means a new suite. Our national toilet repairs page compares the options, and the running toilet page explains the inlet and outlet sides.
For renters, Consumer Affairs Victoria says the rental provider must have urgent repairs done immediately. If they don't respond, you can organise and pay for an urgent repair up to $2,500 and be repaid within 7 days of your written request. Use a qualified plumber for anything that needs a licence or registration.
Questions for the plumber
- Is it the inlet side or the outlet side that's leaking?
- Are parts still made for this cistern, or is a new suite the sensible fix?
- If the pan comes off, how will it be refixed and sealed?
- Does this job need a compliance certificate, and can you issue it?
What we would do
Do the food colouring test tonight: it takes a few drops and a few minutes and tells you whether the cistern is leaking. Water on the floor is the more pressing problem, so turn the stop tap off and book a repair before it soaks in where you can't see it. If you rent, put the request in writing. Then choose a plumber who fixes toilets as an ordinary part of their week, not as an afterthought. That's who we'd match you with.