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Toilet, Faucet and Appliance Leak Repair in Greenacres, FL
Some of the most expensive water damage we see in Greenacres homes starts with the cheapest parts in the house: a toilet flapper, a supply line under a sink, a washing machine hose or a refrigerator ice maker line. They are easy to overlook because they are small, and easy to fix once someone finds them.
Star Florida Leak Detection checks every fixture and appliance connection systematically, finds the ones that are leaking or about to, and fixes them before they turn into a ceiling, a subfloor or a flooded kitchen.
Tell us what you are seeing and we will quote the detection price on the phone, before anyone comes out.
- Licensed Florida plumbing contractor
- Local office in Greenacres
- Written, dated leak report
- Members of PHCC and the South East Apartment Association
Why Small Fixture Leaks Matter
A dripping faucet or a running toilet feels like a nuisance, not an emergency. The numbers say otherwise.
The U.S. EPA’s WaterSense program estimates that household leaks can waste nearly 10,000 gallons of water a year in an average home, and that a leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons every day. A faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. Those are the quiet leaks. The loud ones, a burst washer hose or a split ice maker line, can put hundreds of gallons on your floor before anyone gets home.
In Greenacres, where Palm Beach County Water Utilities bills your usage every month, a running toilet shows up on your bill. A failed supply line or appliance hose shows up on your floors, your cabinets and, in a condo, your neighbor’s ceiling.
Toilet Leaks
Toilets leak in two directions: into the bowl, which wastes water silently, and onto the floor, which damages your home.
Flapper leaks
A worn or warped flapper lets water trickle from the tank into the bowl. The toilet refills by itself every so often, sometimes with a short hiss. This is the most common toilet leak and one of the biggest wasters of water.
Fill valve problems
A fill valve that does not shut off completely lets water run into the overflow tube. You may hear constant running, or see water trickling into the tube.
Wax ring failure
The seal between the toilet and the drain can fail, especially if the toilet rocks. It leaks only when flushed, into the subfloor or the ceiling below. Stains around the base or a soft floor are warning signs.
Supply line and shutoff
The flexible line from the wall to the tank, and the shutoff valve itself, can drip or burst. Old plastic or rubber lines are a real risk.
Tank bolts and gasket
The bolts and gasket between the tank and bowl can leak when they corrode or loosen, dripping onto the floor behind the toilet.
Cracked tank or bowl
Hairline cracks in porcelain can leak slowly. A cracked tank or bowl needs replacement.
The Toilet Dye Test: Do This Tonight
Take the lid off the tank
Set it somewhere safe. Porcelain lids crack easily.
Add color to the tank water
A few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet in the tank, not the bowl.
Wait without flushing
Leave it alone for about 15 minutes. Do not use the toilet during the test.
Check the bowl
If colored water shows up in the bowl, the flapper is leaking. Flush afterward so the dye does not stain.
Repeat for every toilet in the house. A running toilet in a guest bathroom that nobody uses is one of the most common reasons for a mystery water bill.
Faucets, Showers and Hose Bibs
Dripping faucets
Worn cartridges, washers and seals cause drips at the spout. Leaks at the base of the faucet or under the sink can come from the faucet body, the supply connections or the sprayer hose.
Showerheads and tub spouts
A showerhead that drips after it is turned off usually points to a worn cartridge in the valve. A tub spout that keeps running can mean a failing diverter or valve.
Shower valves inside the wall
Valve connections behind the tile can leak into the wall cavity. You may see stains in the next room or a closet. See hidden leak detection.
Outdoor hose bibs
Outdoor faucets drip at the spout or leak at the connection inside the wall. A hose bib leaking into the wall can damage the inside of an exterior wall without showing outside.
Appliance Leaks
Washing machine hoses
Supply hoses are under pressure whenever the valves are open. Rubber hoses bulge and crack with age, and a burst hose floods fast. Braided stainless hoses are more durable. Turning the valves off when you leave for a trip adds protection.
Refrigerator ice maker lines
Thin plastic or copper lines behind the refrigerator crack, kink or pull loose, often after the fridge is moved. Water spreads under the fridge and flooring before anyone sees it.
Dishwasher
The supply line, the drain hose and the door seal can all leak. A soft or stained floor in front of the dishwasher is a common sign.
Garbage disposal
Leaks at the sink flange, the drain outlet, the dishwasher inlet or the disposal body itself. A leak from the body usually means replacement.
Water filtration systems
Under-sink filters and reverse osmosis systems have multiple small fittings and tubing that can loosen or crack.
Water heater connections
The connections, relief valve and drain valve on a water heater are common leak points. See water heater leak repair.
Found a drip, a running toilet or water behind an appliance? Tell us where.
Call (561) 783-8857Shutoff Valves: The Parts That Save You in an Emergency
Every toilet, sink and appliance should have its own shutoff valve, so a leak can be stopped without turning off water to the whole house. In many Greenacres homes built in the 1970s through the 1990s, those valves are original. Old multi-turn valves often stick, and many weep at the stem when they are finally turned.
We check the shutoffs while we are there. A valve that will not close, or leaks when it does, is a problem you want to find now, not during a flood. Replacing old valves and supply lines at the same time is inexpensive and removes two of the most common failure points in the house.
Know where your main shutoff is
If a fixture valve fails, the main shutoff at the house stops everything. On many Greenacres homes it is on an outside wall near where the line enters, or in the garage. Find it before you need it.
How We Check Your Fixtures and Appliances
Meter check
With everything off, a moving meter tells us a pressurized leak is running somewhere. We work through the house to find it.
Toilet tests
Dye tests on every toilet, a check of the fill valve and flapper, and a look at the base, bolts and supply line.
Under every sink
Supply lines, shutoff valves, traps, faucet connections, disposals and filtration systems.
Behind appliances
Washer hoses and standpipe, ice maker line, dishwasher connections and the water heater.
Moisture readings where needed
Around toilets, tubs and cabinets where water may have soaked in, so we know if damage extends beyond what you can see.
A written list
What is leaking now, what is worn and likely to fail, and what we recommend fixing, with prices.
Fixture Leaks in Condos, Villas and Rentals
In attached housing, a leaking toilet seal or supply line in one unit often shows up in the ceiling or walls of another. Associations and owners need to know which fixture and which unit, not just that there is water. Our report states it plainly with photos and readings.
About one in three occupied homes in Greenacres is rented, and many older rentals still have original supply lines and shutoff valves. As members of the South East Apartment Association, we work with landlords and property managers who want worn parts replaced on a schedule rather than after a flood. A turnover check between tenants is one of the cheapest ways to prevent a claim.
Your Water Bill, Insurance and Costs
Your water bill
A running toilet or dripping fixture adds to your bill every month. The county’s Excessive Usage Credit only applies when a month is at least four times your average and over 10,000 gallons, so most small fixture leaks will not qualify. The fix is finding them early. See the credit rules.
Insurance
Many Florida policies cover sudden water damage, like a burst hose, but exclude gradual leaks and worn parts. Many treat leaks lasting 14 days or more differently. Report promptly. General information, not insurance advice.
Costs
Most fixture repairs are small: a flapper, a fill valve, a supply line, a shutoff valve or a faucet cartridge. We quote the visit on the phone and give you written prices before any work.
A Simple Leak Prevention Checklist
- Dye test every toilet a couple of times a year.
- Look under every sink monthly. A dry paper towel on the cabinet floor makes slow drips obvious.
- Replace rubber washer hoses with braided stainless, and replace them on a schedule.
- Check the ice maker line any time the refrigerator is moved.
- Exercise shutoff valves occasionally so they still close when you need them.
- Know your main shutoff and make sure everyone in the house can find it.
- Use water sensors under sinks, behind the washer and near the water heater.
- Check your meter with everything off every few months. Here is how.
Sweating Toilet or Real Leak?
In South Florida’s humidity, a toilet tank full of cooler water can sweat. Condensation forms on the outside of the tank, runs down, and drips onto the floor around the base. It looks exactly like a leak.
Condensation is worst on humid days and right after the toilet has been flushed and refilled with cooler water. It usually covers the whole outside of the tank evenly. A real leak tends to come from one spot: the supply line, the shutoff valve, the tank bolts or the base.
A quick way to tell: dry the tank and the floor completely, then lay a dry paper towel around the base and under the supply connection. If the towel gets wet only under one fitting, that fitting is leaking. If the whole tank beads with moisture, it is condensation. Better ventilation and running the bathroom fan help with sweating. A leaking fitting needs repair.
Supply Lines: Small Parts With a Big Failure Rate
Every toilet, faucet and many appliances connect to the water supply through a short flexible line. Those lines are under full water pressure all day, every day.
- Plastic and rubber lines harden, crack and split with age. They can fail suddenly and put a lot of water on the floor.
- Braided stainless lines are more durable, but the rubber core inside still ages, and the crimped ends can corrode.
- Solid copper or chrome tubes on older fixtures can crack at the compression fittings.
If your home’s supply lines are original, or you do not know how old they are, replacing them along with the shutoff valves is one of the least expensive ways to prevent a major water damage claim.
When a Fixture Leak Is Really a Bigger Leak
Sometimes the fixture is where the water shows up, not where it comes from.
- Water around a toilet after someone showers upstairs can be a shower pan or drain leak above. See drain line leak detection.
- A running meter with every toilet passing the dye test points to a pressurized leak in a wall, under the slab or in the yard. See slab leak detection and water line leak repair.
- Water near the laundry or kitchen on humid afternoons with no chlorine on a total chlorine strip may be the AC condensate line. See AC condensate leaks.
That is why we start with the meter and work systematically instead of fixing the first drip we see.
What to Do Right Now
Close the fixture’s shutoff valve
For a toilet, it is on the wall behind it. For a sink, under the cabinet. For a washer, on the wall behind the machine.
If that valve will not close, use the main
Close the main shutoff at the house, usually on an outside wall where the line enters or in the garage.
Mop up and check below
Dry the area and check the ceiling below or the room next door, especially in a two story home or condo.
Photograph the damage
Dated photos help with insurance and, in shared buildings, your association.
Call us
Tell us which fixture or appliance, and whether you could shut it off. We will quote the visit before we come out.
Room by Room: What to Check
Bathrooms
- Dye test each toilet.
- Rock each toilet gently. It should not move.
- Look for staining or soft flooring at the base.
- Check the supply line and shutoff under each sink and behind each toilet.
- Watch the showerhead and tub spout for drips after they are off.
Kitchen
- Look under the sink for damp cabinet floors, drips at the supply lines and trap.
- Run the disposal and dishwasher and check underneath.
- Pull the refrigerator out and inspect the ice maker line.
- Check the floor in front of the dishwasher for softness or staining.
Laundry
- Inspect both washer hoses for bulges, cracks and rust at the ends.
- Watch the standpipe during the drain cycle.
- Check the valves on the wall for weeping.
Garage and outside
- Look at the water heater connections, relief valve pipe and pan.
- Check outdoor hose bibs for drips and for dampness on the inside wall behind them.
- If you have one, check the water softener or filtration system fittings.
Upgrades That Reduce Leaks and Water Use
When a toilet or faucet needs major parts, it can make sense to replace the fixture instead. WaterSense labeled toilets, faucets and showerheads are certified by the EPA to use less water while meeting performance standards, and a new fixture starts with fresh seals, valves and connections.
Other small upgrades pay off in fewer leaks: quarter-turn shutoff valves that close easily when you need them, braided stainless supply lines, washer hoses rated for long life, and water sensors in the places leaks usually start. If your home’s pressure is high, a pressure reducing valve protects every fixture and appliance in the house.
Leaving Town? A Quick Leak Checklist
Many Greenacres homes sit empty for stretches, whether for a summer trip, a hurricane evacuation or a seasonal owner heading north. A fixture leak in an empty house can run for weeks, and many Florida policies treat leaks lasting 14 days or more differently.
- Turn off the washing machine valves.
- Consider turning off the main shutoff, or at least the water heater supply, if the house will be empty for a long time.
- Dye test the toilets before you leave so a running one does not run the whole time you are gone.
- Take a photo of your water meter reading on the way out. Compare it when you return.
- Ask someone to check the house and look under sinks and behind the washer.
Helpful guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my toilet is leaking?
Do a dye test. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, not the bowl, and wait about 15 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, the flapper is leaking. A toilet that refills by itself or runs constantly is also leaking.
How much water does a leaking toilet waste?
The U.S. EPA WaterSense program estimates a leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day.
Why is there water around the base of my toilet?
Common causes are a failed wax ring, a leaking supply line or shutoff valve, loose tank bolts, condensation on the tank, or a cracked bowl. A wax ring leak shows up after flushing.
How much water does a dripping faucet waste?
According to the EPA WaterSense program, a faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year.
Should I replace my washing machine hoses?
If they are original rubber hoses, yes. Braided stainless hoses are more durable, and replacing hoses on a schedule helps prevent a sudden flood.
Why is water under my refrigerator?
Often the ice maker supply line has cracked, kinked or pulled loose, especially after the fridge was moved. It can also be the defrost drain.
Will the county credit my bill for a running toilet?
Usually not. The Excessive Usage Credit requires a month at least four times your 12-month average and over 10,000 gallons. Most running toilets waste less than that, so finding and fixing them early is what saves money.
My shutoff valve will not close. What should I do?
Use the main shutoff for the house if water is leaking, and call us. Old valves that stick or leak should be replaced before they are needed in an emergency.
Does insurance cover a burst washer hose?
Many Florida policies cover sudden water damage from a burst hose but not the hose itself, and gradual leaks are commonly excluded. Check your policy and report quickly.
Can you check all my fixtures in one visit?
Yes. We check every toilet, sink, appliance connection and shutoff valve and give you a written list of what is leaking now and what is worn and likely to fail.
Question not answered here? Call (561) 783-8857 and ask. Talking it through costs nothing.
Related Leak Services in Greenacres
Fix the Small Leaks Before They Get Expensive
A flapper, a supply line or a washer hose costs little to replace and a lot to ignore. Call us and we will quote the visit before we come out.
Star Florida Leak Detection, 4021 S 57th Ave #105, Greenacres, FL 33463. Member of PHCC and the South East Apartment Association. Last updated September 2026.