Toilet Cistern Sweating

Like a cold glass on a hot day forms beads of condensation on the outside, so too can your toilet cistern tank. When warm, damp air hits a cold surface, condensation will form. Across Glasgow, we frequently get calls from local customers who think their toilets are leaking when in actual fact, it is the cistern tank that is ‘sweating’.

But just because you now know what the problem is, you shouldn’t simply dismiss the issue. If you have noticed that your toilet cistern tank is sweating and have decided to google it; then it is obviously enough of a problem to have caught your attention and worried you enough to find an answer. It needs to be dealt with.

Why do I need to fix the condensation on the side of my toilet tank?

Heavy condensation from your toilet tank can drip off and keep your bathroom floor damp for days. Over time, this can ruin your bathroom floor causing wood rot and warping of the sub floor and floor support framing.

And that can lead to expensive repair bills

So how do I fix it?

A short term solution to prevent damage to your bathroom floor is to fit a drip tray below the toiler cistern. While this is a cheap option, it also creates its own hassles and should not be deemed a permanent fix. You will need to keep changing the water and cleaning the drip tray otherwise it will mould over. You should only use this as a short term solution.

An easy fix can be simply changing a few of your daily habits. If the bathroom door is always closed, try leaving it slightly ajar for longer to allow humidity to escape. If you need a more constant increase of ventilation in your bathroom then adding a trickle vent to your window or installing an extractor fan can help. Both of which can be fitted by our plumbers.

You can also take shorter, cooler showers; and if you have just had a shower, try and refrain from flushing the toilet as the warm humid air in the bathroom post shower will quickly draw itself onto the cistern when you have flushed the room temperature water in the tank and replaced it with fresh cold water.

Is there anything else I can do?

You may have a problem with your toiler that is causing this. The ‘flapper’ may not be sealing properly and allowing cold water to constantly refill into the cistern. Your lift chain may also be obstructed and not setting at the correct point. Lift the lid of your toiler and check. If you can’t see anything, add a few drops of food colouring into the tank. If after a while, you see some of the food colouring in the toiler bowl, there is a small leak.

If neither of these is the issue then you can insulate the tank of your toilet.  Some toilets already have insulation fitted (mainly concealed toilet units) but if they do not, then it can be fitted. But this involves draining the toilet first so we would always suggest you call a local plumber like ourselves to fit this.

The final option is to have a new toilet fitted. It may sound drastic but a toilet is not an overly expensive product to buy and compared to the cost of replacing your flooring, is a drop in the ocean.

Find out more

If you would like to find out more about toilet repairs then call the professional plumbers. At JSL, we are one of the top rated plumbers in Glasgow. We are completely independent and will always give our customers honest advise and recommendations. We stick by our values and we use the booking system ‘ServiceM8’ which allows you to book our plumbers for a time slot that suits you. It even updates you on when we are on our way by text and an send you quotes and invoices digitally. It is all part of our quest to exceed our customers needs in every department.

Call us today on 0141 406 1658 to book your time slot and get your homes plumbing working the way it should do.