A running toilet can certainly be frustrating – and also wasteful! A constant flow of water increases your water bill and also often indicates an underlying issue that you’ll need to address.
Below, we’re outlining the most common reasons for a running toilet, and how you can fix it.
How to Stop Your Toilet From Running
How to most quickly fix a running toilet will depend on the root cause of the issue:
Cause: Faulty Flapper
The flapper regulates the water flow from the tank to the bowl. When it’s worn out or damaged, water can leak from the tank into the bowl, making the toilet run continuously.
Tools Needed
- New flapper
- Adjustable wrench
How to Fix
- Turn off the toilet’s water supply by closing the shut-off valve located behind it.
- Flush the toilet to drain the tank.
- Remove the old flapper by disconnecting it from the flush lever and lifting it off the overflow tube.
- Attach the new flapper to the flush lever and position it over the overflow tube.
- Turn the water supply back on.
- Adjust the flapper chain length as needed.
Cause: Faulty Fill Valve
The fill valve is responsible for refilling the tank after each flush. If it’s malfunctioning, it can cause water to continuously run into the tank.
Tools Needed
- New fill valve
- Adjustable wrench
- Towel or sponge
How to Fix
- Turn off the toilet’s water supply.
- Flush the toilet to empty the tank.
- Use an adjustable wrench to disconnect the supply line from the fill valve.
- Unscrew and remove the old fill valve from the tank.
- Install the new fill valve by screwing it into place and reattaching the supply line.
- Turn the water supply back on.
- Adjust the float on the new fill valve as necessary.
Cause: Improperly Adjusted Float
The float regulates the water level in the tank. If it’s set too high, water can continuously flow into the overflow tube, causing the toilet to keep running.
Tools Needed
- Screwdriver
- Adjustable wrench
How to Fix
- Turn off the toilet’s water supply.
- Remove the tank lid and find the float, which is either ball-shaped or cup-shaped and attached to a rod or arm.
- Adjust the float by bending the float arm down to lower the water level or up to raise it.
- Turn the water supply back on and flush the toilet to test the adjustment.
- Continue adjusting as needed until the water shuts off at the correct level.
A running toilet can waste both money and water. While fixing a running toilet can be a manageable DIY project, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional plumber for extra assistance!
Leesburg Toilet Repair Plumbers
If you’re experiencing a constantly running toilet, call or schedule an appointment today with your friendly neighborhood plumbers at Kiddco Plumbing!
