What Causes Hairline Cracks In Toilet Bowls?
Toilets are one of the items in your house that you want to look clean and new at all times. Whether you want it to be clean for a house showing or just to look nice for you and your family. While you may clean your toilet regularly, you may notice hairline cracks in your toilet bowl. If you do, you probably want to know how to prevent them.
What causes hairline cracks in toilet bowls? According to Priceless Plumbers, plumbers in Oxford, it can be due to a number of things. First, if there was an accident where something bumped the toilet can cause cracks. Second, it could be if you were doing a DIY project and cracked the bowl while fixing it. Lastly, it could simply be due to age. Not all toilets last forever.
This article will cover more about what causes hairline cracks in toilets as well as how to fix them. Depending on the damage to the toilet, there can be some easy fixes you can do on your own. Ultimately, you may be out of luck and need to just buy a new toilet to replace the old one. Typically, replacing a toilet isn’t too difficult to do on your own.
Accidents
Simple accidents can cause hairline cracks in toilet bowls. The cracks can also happen around the tank as well. So, if you or something bumps the toilet, be sure to check all around the toilet for cracks. The sooner you find the crack and fix it, the less likely it’ll be that you need to replace it or suffer water damage.
The power of the accident can affect what type of crack could appear in your toilet bowl. A vase falling on the toilet may be more damaging than bumping your knee into the toilet. However, having a large shelf fall on top of the toilet can most likely shatter some of the porcelain.
The slightest hairline crack may seem harmless, but it can grow larger due to water pressure or future accidents that could crack it further. The sooner you notice the damage, the quicker you can fix or replace your toilet and avoid potential water damage. Don’t think that small bumps can be written off without checking your toilet first.
DIY Projects
Most toilet fixes are a simple YouTube video away from doing it yourself. Most fixes can be done with a plumber, your hands or some glue. You don’t need to worry about having a second person or much plumbing experience. Of course, that leaves you wide open to possible cracks and damage you hadn’t intended.
Similar to accidents, be sure to check all around your toilet after completing a DIY project or fix to be sure you didn’t cause any unwanted damage. Like we discussed before, the sooner you find the cracks and quicker you can fix or replace the toilet. You could be a wiz at DIY projects and not cause any damage. Then after you check it you don’t have to worry!
Age
Like most things, toilets get less durable with age. They don’t last forever, so spotting hairline cracks here and after a good number of years isn’t surprising. The porcelain corrodes over time, which can make it susceptible to cracks. If gone unchecked, you can get unwanted water damage.
One of the best things you can do about an older toilet is to get it replaced. Luckily for you, replacing toilets isn’t terribly difficult. You can do it on your own or with a friend to help physically move the old toilet out of the house and the new toilet into your house. There aren’t many pipes you need to hook up, but you can hire a plumber if you’re worried.
How to Fix it
If the crack is small and only a single crack, you can buy plumber putty or silicone sealant. You can order one off of Amazon here. Simply put the sealant or putty atop the crack to seal it so you don’t get any water damage. These only work on small cracks in your toilet bowl. Anything bigger and you’ll need to replace it.
Replacing a toilet is simpler than you think. It’s all in the order you do it. Water should always be turned off because doing anything to prevent damage. You’ll need tools to take off the tank bolts and base. Then align the new toilet to the bolt holes before putting the tank bolts and base on. Then you set up the tank and turn the water back on. That’s it!
You can always hire a plumber to do the labor and work if you are worried about messing it up on your own!
Summary
We’ve discussed what causes hairline cracks as well as how to fix them. Hopefully, this article has helped you decide whether you can do-it-yourself or need to hire a professional to help you with the crack. It can be as simple as caulking the crack with sealant or replacing the whole toilet. It’s always better to fix the cracks sooner rather than later.
Safe fixing and hopefully you can protect your toilet from future hairline cracks!