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No, your toilet tank should not empty completely when you flush. Although the water level will dip a lot after you flush, it shouldn’t be totally empty. If your tank is empty, you might have issues with your fill valve, float ball, or toilet trip lever. You should check all of your toilet parts to ensure they’re working correctly and make any necessary adjustments.

First, check that you have cut off the water supply to your toilet. This is a project that can only be done safely if running water cannot reach your toilet fixture. If you're seeing water trickle out after you've confirmed that the water supply is shut off, you can probably rest assured that what you're seeing isn't a problem. It's common for leftover water to spill out when you're removing your toilet's fill valve. If something goes wrong while you're working on your toilet, you'll need to look at your home's policy to see if your homeowner insurance covers water damage.

Yes, an ambitious homeowner could decide to replace their own toilet. A person attempting to do a DIY toilet installation should keep in mind that the average toilet weighs between 100 and 120 pounds. That means that you'll need to be comfortable lifting and carrying your old toilet and replacement toilet during both phases of the project. Additionally, homeowners will need to have basic plumbing knowledge to avoid plumbing problems that could result in messy, expensive water damage in their bathrooms. Hiring a plumbing pro from the get-go can help you avoid damaging your plumbing or your new toilet.

To test for toilet leaks, use water coloring in the water tank and see if the water slips into the bowl from the tank. This test will indicate if there’s a problem with the flapper or refill tube. You can also put water coloring in the bowl of the toilet to see if there is a leak there. If there is, you should see the colored water on the outside of the toilet bowl or on the floor.