Many people complain about the cracked toilet bowls in their bathrooms that are necessary to fix quickly because water pressure can make these cracks deeper.
Is a Cracked Toilet Bowl Dangerous? Cracked toilet bowls are dangerous because they cause water leakage, poop stains, unsanitary condition, and water won’t stay in the bowl. You can spot the cracking problem by the wet floor near the toilet area. It is necessary to check the size and location of the crack when fixing it.
The cracking can occur anytime and ranges from minor to severe, depending on their length and deepness.
Are cracked toilet bowls dangerous?
Many people get confused when they think toilet bowl cracks are dangerous.
These are surely damaging when they are larger and deep. Replacing them quickly when you see any visible lines inside the fixtures is necessary.
The bowl not only holds the weight of the whole toilet, including the tank, but it also bears the weight of the people. The situation worsens when overweight people sit on the affected surfaces, which can shatter.
You can fall on the floor badly, leading to serious injury on your backside. It is necessary to call the plumbing service man to replace the whole toilet rather than apply the sealants on their surfaces and ignore them.
Why is a cracked toilet bowl dangerous?
Cracked toilet bowls are dangerous, whether it is hairline or deeper. The hairline can also get worse when you ignore them for longer and cannot take preventive measures.
Water leakage
The cracking is dangerous if it is on the lower side where water stays in the bowl. The water seeps from these enclosed ends and comes on the floors.
The water leakage on the floor is damaging because it can create a mess and allow molds and bacteria to grow in the surroundings.
Moreover, you can also feel the sewer smells from the bathrooms because water won’t stay in the bowl to keep the sewer gasses lower.
It can make the situation unsanitary, making guests feel awkward when entering the bathrooms.
Poop stains
Poop moves quickly into the drains because of the glazed and slippery surfaces of the porcelain material. In addition, the bumps and cracks increase the friction and make them non-slippery.
It becomes challenging for large poop to pass quickly into the drain pipes. Moreover, you can also see dried poop stains on the bowls which produce a smell and are hard to clean.
The conditions become unsanitary because bacteria reside on the waste material. In addition, the accumulated waste in bumps and grooves increases bacterial growth and the chances of foul odors.
The bathroom floors become unhygienic when contaminated water leaks on their surface.
Loose fixings
The cracking of the toilet component is dangerous because it can directly impact the fixings. In addition, it can affect the tightening of the screws and bolts, and eventually, these become loose.
The loose screws cannot hold their parts better and cause their shattering. These can shatter when the overweight individual sits on them hard.
In addition, the chances of breaking also increase because of loose fixings. You can also fall from them when their mounted screws and bolts become loose.
The creaking of the bowl overall increases the risk of fall accidents because of loose fixings.
How do you spot a crack in the toilet bowl?
The bathroom floors near the toilet areas are usually dry, representing no issue or fault in these toilets.
The common symptom of faulty parts is the water present in their surroundings. Sometimes the creaks in the bowl are small and invisible, and you cannot see them with your eyes.
Moreover, these are also in hidden areas, and you cannot see them. The ones on the lower side and the sidewalls are hard to find and see.
In addition, some of these lines are present above the water levels of the bowl, and you cannot see any water leakage or flooding on the floor.
In this situation, inspecting them monthly to find the creaks is better. Call the mechanics for their checking when these become old because they can access them in a better way.
Things to consider while repairing cracks in a toilet bowl
The repairing procedure and sealing methods depend on the size and extent of the cracked toilet bowl.
Size and depth of cracks
The size and depth of the cracks matter a lot, and it also reveals the severity and extent of the damage. You can fill the small hairline and invisible cracks with porcelain and plumbing epoxy.
These can fill the cracks that are not deeper and cause water leakage. However, these are only located on the upper surface and do not have any impact on the inner layer.
Apply the epoxy and sealant material with a putty knife and avoid using it for 2 to 3 days for drying or sealing material. These are waterproof sealants, and frequent flushing cannot damage them.
Measuring their size and length for the repair procedures is also necessary. For example, you cannot use epoxy or sealants if these are 1/16 inch of the bowl’s surface.
These cover the larger areas, and it is better to replace them completely to prevent further damage. Moreover, the number of cracks also matters because sometimes there is more than one, which is hard to seal.
You can only use porcelain epoxy and plumbing epoxy if there is a single mark on the glazing surface. Sometimes there are multiple lines on them because of accidental impacts, and people ignore them.
The multiple types need replacement procedures instead of sealing material.
Location of the cracked area
The repairing procedures also depend on the location of cracks on the toilet bowls. The external type is commonly minor, and sealants can easily fix the hairline cracks.
Moreover, the external ones are also of cosmetic type and come during manufacturing and transportation. However, you can also use epoxy and porcelain-based sealants on the ones above the water level.
The sealants are not completely resistant to water, and long-term exposure can damage them.
Replacement of the toilet is the better option to resolve the problem.
How do you prevent a toilet bowl from cracking?
It is necessary to prevent the toilet bowl from cracking and reduce the risk of associated problems.
Install these fixtures away from the towel bars, heavy shelves, decorative objects, exhaust fans, and other heavy items because these can come off the walls and roofs.
These heavy items directly fall on their surface, breaking their low strength and less durable material. In addition, maintain their glazing layer when these become old to prevent shrink marks on their surfaces.
Avoid using hot water to unclog the blocked drains and prefer to use detergents and auger equipment. Keep the toilet lid down when these are not in use and while fixing their other parts so you cannot damage the bowl.
Related Articles:
