How to Fix a Running Toilet?

Answer 1

A toilet that continues to run on and on may not be the most pressing of problems, but it can be quite irritating. Additionally, if you do not correct the situation, you might find yourself with an unusually large water bill. In most cases, fixing a toilet that refuses to stop running is a simple and inexpensive repair.

There is no need to call a plumber if you can follow simple instructions. A toilet runs continuously for one of two reasons. First, there may be a small leak somewhere in the inner works that are contained inside the tank. If the stopper or rubber gasket is old and does not seat tightly on the drain, water will continue to enter the tank after you flush. It will not shut off if the leak is not corrected. Related to the first reason is the setting of the float. The float allows the water to fill to a certain level in the tank before the water automatically cuts off. The float may not be able to reach the prescribed level if water is leaking out.

The first thing to do is to remove the cover from the tank and see if the flapper is stuck and simply not falling in to the hole at the bottom of the tank. Every once in a while the little chain that is attached to the flapper gets caught on something and does not allow it to seat properly in the hole. If that is the case, simply reach in to the tank and untwist or untangle the small chain, allowing the flapper to drop in to position. With the tank cover still removed, flush the toilet and watch to see if the flapper now operates correctly. If it does, your problem will probably be solved and you will not have to listen to that annoying run on sound.

You may not be quite so lucky and the toilet will still continue to run on without an end in sight. In such an instance, the easiest thing to do is go down to your local home improvement center and purchase a new flapper or a complete repair kit. To be on the safe side and for only a few dollars more, buying a complete repair kit will assure that the problem will be fixed. If your toilet is more than a few years old, it also makes sense to buy all new parts.

To repair the inner works, you will need to shut off the supply of water and drain the tank. Once that is done, either install the new flapper or the complete assembly. The process is simple and straight forward. Just follow the directions on the package and you should be done in about 15 minutes.

Answer 2

FIXING THAT RUNNING TOILETFear not! Toilets are simple creatures.After flushing, your toilet continues to run, wasting gallons of water. Fortunately the fix is nearly always an easy one.

Looking Under the Lid

After flushing, remove the tank lid from your toilet. You will notice that there are really very few parts within the tank. The culprit is the flapper in nearly all cases. This is typically because the flapper is a round rubber or plastic piece located flush (no pun intended!) to the bottom of the tank itself. It may be any number of colors, but red is a common flapper color. The running is caused when the flapper does not seat properly to stop the water flow.

Wiggle

Many times the flapper simply fails to remain aligned properly. Your first step will be to move it to cover the hole in the bottom of the tank. Flush the toilet again to see if it will seat properly the next time around. Check the chain, which is attached to the flapper and float arm. Sometimes the chain will get a kink in it which won't allow the float to reach the bottom of the tank or be off-center just a tad. If re-seating the flapper or straightening the chain doesn't solve the running, it may be time to replace the flapper itself. In time they can degrade and become ineffective. Fear not! This is a simple repair, and replacement toilet kits are available in just about every hardware store.

Tank Level

Occasionally the water level in the toilet tank is the culprit. There is a line on the inside of the tank which indicates where the tank water level should be. If your water is not at that line, check the water valve which should be located on the wall behind the toilet. Be sure that valve is all the way open.

Pick Their Brains

When visiting your local hardware or home improvement store for a replacement kit, it's helpful to bring along the old one. This can help find the correct type of kit needed for your toilet. Ask for assistance and advice if you're not entirely sure how to proceed with the repair. And don't sweat it. This is a common, simple repair in the vast majority of cases.

Answer 3

One of the more annoying sounds around the house is a running toilet. Below are a few quick and simple repairs you can do at any hour of the day or night.

Let’s have a quick vocabulary lesson:

Float

The part of the filler mechanism that stops or regulates water flow. The ball-type has a ball at the end of a metal rod. The cup-type encircles the filler mechanism.

Stopper

The item at the bottom of the tank responsible for blocking or release water to the bowl.

Tank

The tall, back portion of the toilet assembly that holds the water for flushing.

Bowl

The portion of the toilet mechanism that removes wastewater from the assembly.

The reason a toilet keeps running is the float is not elevating to the proper height to depress the water valve to stop water flow. There is either an obstruction within the stopper at the bottom of the tank, the float has an obstruction, or the float is filling up with water or losing air.

1. Does removing the tank lid stop the toilet from running? If so, the ball-type float is rising against the lid, preventing water shut-off. Using a screwdriver, turn the screw at the end of the float rod until the ball is below the top edge of the tank. Replace the lid.

2. Check to see if the ball-type float has water in it. Unscrew the ball from the rod. Shake the ball and listen for water sloshing. If so, drain the water and dry off the ball. The damaged area is probably a small crack. Use super-glue, rubber cement, or a piece of Duct Tape to seal the crack. The ball will need to be replaced as soon as possible.

3. If the float is a cup-type, push the float below the water level and look for bubbles. The cup-type float works by trapping air and rising as the water level rises, shutting off the water valve. If you see bubbles, note the approximate spot. Drain the tank, dry off the float, and use either super-glue or rubber cement. This item will need to be replaced as soon as possible.

4. If the floats are okay, check the stopper. Turn the water off under the toilet and flush, emptying the tank. Raise the stopper and wipe around underneath the edge of the stopper and the drain, removing any small obstructions or particle buildup. Check for cracks and holes. If any exist, replace as soon as possible, as this item is not repairable.

5. Check the chain attached between the flush lever and the stopper. Are there any kinks? If so, the kinks are shortening the chain and preventing the stopper from seating properly on the drain. Unhook the chain and let it dangle to remove any kinks and replace.

These are a few helpful, quick, and easy toilet repairs. As noted earlier, some of these are only temporary fixes, and you should make permanent repairs as soon as possible.