How to Repair a Running Toilet

A running toilet can be a nuisance to your everyday life. It not only wastes lots of water, but it is annoying to hear. The good news is that a simple do-it-yourself repair will save you time and money on water bills. You only need a few simple tools to fix the problem.

First, it’s helpful to understand the basics of how a toilet works. When you push down on a toilet handle, a rubber tank ball or flapper from the flush valve rises at the bottom of the tank. Water charges out of the tank and sweeps down the sides of the bowl. This moves the waste and water from the bowl pushing them over a trap in the toilet's base. Once the tank is empty, the tank ball or flapper falls and closes the flush valve for filling. At the same time a ballcock, (a valve triggered by the floating flapper) opens to load the tank with water for the next flush. When the float rises, the ballcock turns off the water and the flush cycle is over.

The quickest way to identify the precise problem with your running toilet is to take the tank lid off and examine how the toilet works when flushing. You do not have to be concerned about touching parts inside the tank as the water actually comes straight from the cold water pipes, not from the toilet bowl. It is, in fact, very clean water! Carefully place the tank lid out of the way while you work. If you put it on a towel or rug, it won’t get cracked or chipped.

After flushing, take note of how long the water runs and what sounds it makes as it fills up. If the water runs continually between flushes, you can probably deduce that the problem is a high float arm or stuck flush valve. If you hear the water running on and off, and there are minutes of silence in between hissing sounds, you’ll probably find the problem is a slow leak in the flush valve. Start there first.

If water flows into the toilet bowl continuously, that means the flush valve is not closing in the right way. First, check the guide rod or chain on the tank stopper. If the rod is crooked or the chain links are twisted, all you have to do is realign them. Next, check the float system. If lifting the ball up stops the water from running, try to bend the float arm downward so it starts sooner. If you notice that the ball has fluid in it that means it has a puncture or a crack, and it will need to be replaced. Replace the ball by unscrewing it from the arm and putting a new one in its place. If the toilet is still running, the valve seat and stopper may have rust or build-up keeping the stopper from shutting correctly. Lift the stopper up and check for any interfering objects. Scrub the valve seat and the rim with care not to damage them. You may need to fully replace the stopper and valve seat if the damage is too great.

If the flush valve is closed and water is still running, you'll want to check the water level in your tank. It could very possibly be set too high. When this occurs, the water will spill steadily into the overflow tube. You can lower the tank's water level without shutting off the water or draining the tank. Simply bend the float arm down. This will not only repair the running toilet, but will save you money on your water bill! Flushing toilets account for thirty to forty percent of an average home's water usage. Lowering the water level saves water on each flush.

Sometimes gurgling noises and water trickling will occur even when no one has used the toilet. These are signs of a slowly leaking flush valve. As the tank's water level drops, the fill valve opens to refill it. Hearing these small noises in between flushes and throughout the day is often the only indication that there is a leaky valve. Flush valve leaks may even occur so slowly that you can't see or hear them.

A dye test is the best and easiest way to determine if in fact you have a leak. Place a few drops of food coloring or a dye tablet into the tank of water and wait 15 minutes. If you see the color in the toilet bowl after that time, you know the dye has leaked through and it is time to replace the flush valve seal. Remember, a plumber can always be called to advise you on further ways to fix your running toilet if none of the above methods solve the problem.

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