Water Leaking From Toilet Tank Bolts
Water leaking off of the toilet tank bolts suggests a couple of things. Maybe a tank bolt has corroded and broken, or maybe the tank is cracked. It’s interesting how a tank cracks. Sometimes, someone will over-tighten the nuts which will crack it, and other times people will push back against the tank while they are seated on the toilet. I mean…it’s not a recliner right? Regardless, you will need to check for a cracked tank before you replace the bolts.
If the tank has a crack, replace it. Otherwise, you will just be replacing the tank bolts, washers, and nuts.
There is not a lot of science to this. Hold the nut on the bottom and unscrew the bolt with a screwdriver (drain the tank first and turn off the water so it doesn’t refill).
On the new bolt place a metal washer next to the head and then a rubber washer to stop water from escaping. On the underside of the bowl, you are going to place a washer and a nut and tighten snugly…but don’t over-tighten!
Most tanks have 2 bolts, but some have 3. Tighten them uniformly. In other words, don’t fully tighten one and then move to the next. Rather, tighten one a little, and then the other…gradually tighten each one until snug. How tight to tighten the nuts is a matter of blind faith. You want them tight enough to stop any leaks and movement of the tank, but not so tight that they crack the tank.