Does water in bowls evaporate?

I'm managing property for a friend of mine who has been out of the country for about a year. The place is a mess (both literally and figuratively). There is no water in the bowls of both toilets; does it evaporate or should the toilet automatically keep the water level up?

Further, because the place is so nasty (we're in the middle of contracting a BioRecovery team to come in to clear the place), I'm not keen on touching much and I don't relish the thought of lifting the lid of the toilet to see if there's water. I know, I know, I'm a wimp. Anyway, will I damage the toilet if I try to flush it with no water in the bowls to see if it will refill?


The bio cleaning company will come in and take care of the toilets. At least the cleanliness part of it. Why not wait until they are done, won't be any worse if there is a problem. If the drains are clear, and the tank is full then flushing won't hurt. If there is "stuff" in the bowl, and you try to flush it w/o cleaning the "stuff" out, you could cause problems.

Saw the Dirty Jobs guy do this in one episode.


Oh..to your original question..yes the water will dry up in the bowl and trap if not used for a prolonged period of time. And no, the toilet does not automatically refill the bowl, that only happens right after a flush. Tank yes, if the water is on, bowl ..no.