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Common Problems with Toilets that Should be Addressed Immediately

Posted on November 24, 2025 by Melbourne Plumber

Our toilets are something we take for granted. This device is responsible for conveniently and safely removing bodily wastes from the home on a daily basis. Yet, when it comes into disrepair, we are sometime reticent to address the issue.

By the time plumbers in Melbourne, Florida get called, the issue is much worse than it had to be. If only the issue were addressed sooner, a catastrophe could have been avoided.

Here is a short list of symptoms and signs to look out for that your toilet needs urgent attention.

Wabbly Toilet

This is something a lot of people will face some time in their lives. When the toilet is installed, it is placed flush against the ground, and a wax sealant is applied to the base. Over many years, use of the toilet can result in the ground beneath it becoming unstable. This means that the wax sealant is also probably not able to work effectively.

Eventually, the toilet can sink into the floor, crack, or otherwise fail in a significant way. The wax ring itself prevents gases and odors from creeping back into the room. It is paramount that you get this problem addressed as soon as it begins to avoid a major problem.

Flushing for No Reason

Nope, that’s not Casper the friendly ghost using your toilet while you are away from the bathroom. A “phantom flush” is when a toilet leak slowly fills up the bowl to where it hits the flushing point. This may seem harmless at first, and it most likely is, but this can be a sign of a much bigger problem. At minimum you have a leak that needs to be fixed so you don’t end up paying for hundreds of unnecessary flushes.

Speaking of Leaking

A leaky toilet can cause damage to the floors of your home or even result in a slip and fall accident. If the leak is coming from the bowl portion of the toilet, it can be very dangerous as toxic substances make their way onto your floor.

Other leaks, such as leaks coming from the tank part of your bowl, are pretty serious as well. There may be small cracks which you aren’t even aware of that can end up being larger in nature and eventually cause the toilet to fail altogether.

Constant Smells

Speaking of the toxic, a smell which continuously emanates from your toilet is an annoyance at best. But this can mean that dangerous gases are making their way back through the system and into your home.

The problem can be various things but most likely is the way seal we mentioned above. You will want to apply a new sealant to your toilet to prevent these gasses and odors from coming through.