How to Fix a Running Toilet
Is your toilet running? If so, you better go catch it. All jokes aside, a running toilet can cause lots of water waste which can make your water bills suddenly skyrocket. There are many common causes of a running toilet, and your plumbing heroes at Redman Services are here to help diagnose the problem and help you fix it.
How Can I Tell If My Toilet Is Running?
There are two ways to tell if your toilet is running. The first is your water bill. If you notice a sudden increase in your water bill, but can’t think of a reason why you would use more water, a common culprit is a running toilet.
Many people know they have a running toilet problem because they can hear it. After you flush the toilet, you’ll hear the sound of water refilling the toilet. This shouldn’t take very long, and if the sound of running water continues well after you’ve washed your hands and left the bathroom, then your toilet is running.
Common Causes of a Running Toilet
A running toilet can be caused by a number of issues, and sometimes more than one issue can cause your toilet to run. We’ll show you how to fix some of these common problems, but if you try all of these and your toilet is still running, call Redman Services for help. If you are uncomfortable messing around with the innards of your toilet, it’s best not to mess with it and just call a plumber for help instead.
Flush Valve Chain
There is a chain that connects your flush lever to your flapper, if this chain is too short, it might prevent the flapper from closing, causing water to continuously enter your toilet bowl. If the chain is too long, it may get stuck under the flapper and prevent a good seal which causes water to seep into the bowl. If your flapper chain is broken, replace it right away or contact a plumber.
Faulty or Leaky Flapper
The flapper is at the bottom of the tank. It allows water to pass constantly from the toilet tank into the bowl. Oftentimes the cause of a running toilet is that the flapper has degraded and is not creating a good seal. You can buy a new flapper at the hardware store and replace your old flapper with a new one to create a tight seal.
Leaky Fill Tube
If your flapper seems to be working fine, another common cause that can make your toilet run is the fill tube. The fill tube is the plastic tube that goes from the fill valve to the overflow pipe, which drains excess water when the tank fills too high. Sometimes the toilet’s fill valve leaks which cause your toilet to run. If the fill tube is underwater, it can mean that your float is too high or the overflow pipe is higher than the critical watermark, then you may need to shorten the overflow pipe to stop your toilet from running or buy a new fill valve.
Float Height Is Too High
The float looks like a balloon that’s attached to a bar inside your toilet tank. The float sinks as the water level goes down, and then rises again when your tank fills with water, and it stops the valve from letting water in at a certain height. If your float is set too high, your toilet will run continuously. Bend the arm to a lower level in your toilet, and this should help correct the water level in your toilet.
Redman Is on the Way to Save the Day
These are only a few common causes of running toilets. If your toilet continues to run and you’ve tried these easy fixes, it’s time to call for help. Redman Services is here to replace your toilet innards so you stop wasting your water supply and have a reliably running toilet again. Call Redman Services to fix your running toilet or any other plumbing issues you may have.