Simple test helps detect water leaks

Dear Editor,

With water conservation in the news, I just thought I'd pass on a simple test that everybody should do to check that their toilets are not slowly leaking. Simply turn off the water valve under the tank, and let it sit for several hours. Then, turn the valve back on. If you hear the tank refilling then you know it was leaking, and the flapper valve should be replaced. I found one of my toilets drained down to an empty tank in about three hours. The leak was slow enough that it didn't make enough noise to hear it running, but it appears I was wasting about 16 gallons a day without realizing it. I urge everyone to do this simple test.

John W. Beck

Chesterfield