Tools By A Tool - A Blog from Freeman Home Repair
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Hey, Lake Murray family! As a local, veteran-owned, and family-operated business, we've always believed that a LITTLE KNOWLEDGE goes a long way. This blog is our way of giving back to the community that has welcomed us with open arms. We’re committed to making this beautiful lake and its surrounding areas an even better place to live.
Hey, Lake Murray family! As a local, veteran-owned, and family-operated business, we've always believed that a LITTLE KNOWLEDGE goes a long way. This blog is our way of giving back to the community that has welcomed us with open arms. We’re committed to making this beautiful lake and its surrounding areas an even better place to live.
We know that embarking on a home improvement project can be daunting, especially when you feel like you have to pay a professional for every decision you make. That’s why we’ve created Tools By A Tool. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge and confidence to tackle some of these projects yourself. We’ll offer honest, straightforward information and tips you can use—long before you ever have to pick up the phone to call us.
Whether you’re looking for a simple fix or planning a major renovation, we want to help you make the best decisions for your home. Of course, when the time comes for a bigger project, you know who to call.
We are here for you!
Tools By A Tool - Lake Murray's Starting Guide to Choosing the Right Decking Material
https://freemanhomerepairsc.blogspot.com/
The Easiest $0 Tool to Find a TOILET LEAK That’s Wasting Hundreds of Gallons of Water
https://freemanhomerepairsc.blogspot.com/
The Easiest $0 Tool to Find a TOILET LEAK That’s Wasting Hundreds of Gallons of Water
https://freemanhomerepairsc.blogspot.com/
As a handyman, I often get calls about a mysterious high water bill or that phantom sound of a toilet running in the middle of the night. Nine times out of ten, the culprit is a silent toilet leak—a sneaky, small leak inside the tank that’s constantly draining clean water into your bowl and down the sewer.
This isn't just annoying; even a small, silent leak can waste over 900 gallons of water per month, spiking your utility bill over time. The good news? The best diagnostic tool for this job is the cheapest. Food coloring can be a great tool to DIY that leak without costing you a service call.
Your Homeowner Tool Kit
Your Homeowner Tool Kit
Tool: A bottle of inexpensive food coloring (any color works; have your kiddos choose and make it a science experiment).
Target: The toilet tank (where the flush components live).
Goal: To figure out if your flapper valve is failing to create a seal.
Step-by-Step: How to Run the Toilet Dye Test
Step-by-Step: How to Run the Toilet Dye Test
This test takes less than a minute to set up, is easy, and does not affect anything.
1. Prep the Tank
1. Prep the Tank
Lift the lid off your toilet tank (the rectangular top behind the seat). You'll see the water, the large flapper (the rubber piece), and the fill valve (the vertical stick).
2. Drop the Dye
2. Drop the Dye
Drop 4–5 drops of food coloring directly into the water inside the tank. Do not flush the toilet.
3. The Wait
3. The Wait
Carefully put the lid back on the tank and wait about 15–20 minutes. Make sure everyone in the house does not use or flush that toilet during the test.
4. The Verdict
4. The Verdict
After 15–20 minutes, lift the toilet seat and look at the water in the bowl.
If the water in the bowl is crystal clear: Congratulations! Your flapper seal is working perfectly. The leak is coming from somewhere else. ✅
If the water in the bowl has changed color: STOP! You have a leak. 🚨 The colored water has seeped past the flapper seal in the tank and into the bowl.
What Do the Results Mean?
What Do the Results Mean?
The Water Changed Color (Leak Found!) ➡️ DIY Fix!
The Water Changed Color (Leak Found!) ➡️ DIY Fix!
Your flapper valve is bad. The flapper is the rubber or plastic stopper that seals the water in the tank. Over time, these seals degrade, warp, or get mineral deposits that prevent a good seal.
The Fix: This is a perfect DIY project! You can buy a new universal flapper for under $10 and easily replace it yourself. If you are not comfortable doing this give us a call, we are happy to help.
Why it Saves You Money: Replacing a small, leaky flapper can stop the waste of 30 gallons per day. You diagnosed the problem yourself, saving you a service call just to confirm a bad flapper.
The Water is Clear, but it Still Runs Sometimes ➡️ Call Me!
The Water is Clear, but it Still Runs Sometimes ➡️ Call Me!
If the dye test is clear, but you still hear the "phantom flush," the problem is deeper in the mechanism.
The Problem: The issue is likely with the fill valve (the vertical assembly that controls the water level) or the float. If the valve is allowing too much water into the tank, the excess is constantly draining down the overflow tube.
The Professional Fix: This requires replacing the entire fill valve assembly. While some handy homeowners tackle this, it requires specific tools and attention to the water line connection. This is a great time to call Freeman Home Repair.
Your Next Steps, Handyman-Approved
Your Next Steps, Handyman-Approved
Don't let a tiny, silent leak turn into a high water bill. Use the food coloring test on all your toilets once a year!
Run the Test: Take 20 minutes and check your toilets.
Replace the Flapper: If the dye test is positive, replace the flapper first.
If the Mystery Persists: If the leak continues, or if the dye test is negative but the toilet still runs, that's when you call Freeman Home Repair. Knowing the dye test results will save us both time and money!
Need help replacing that pesky fill valve or tackling your next home repair? Contact Freeman Home Repair today!
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