Toilets seem simple in their design, but they can be perplexing and complicated plumbing fixtures. When you consider that a toilet has very few parts, it can be challenging to understand what’s wrong with it. When you flush a toilet, and it seems like a regular flush but continues filling, you may have a running toilet. Troubleshooting your toilet can be a test of trial and error.
3 Reasons Your Toilet Keeps Running
Most of us have no idea what causes a running toilet or where to start troubleshooting to fix it. When your toilet is running, you can isolate the problem to one of three issues. Once you know why your toilet is running, you can quickly fix it.
The source of your toilet leak could be one of the following issues:
- The height of your float is too low or high and should be adjusted
- The flapper on your toilet has become loose and no longer makes a clean seal
- The length of your refill tube is too long and needs to be shortened
Fix the Flapper: A toilet experiences wear and tear like any other item in a home, and eventually, the toilet or parts need to be replaced as they break or fail to perform. A worn flapper will fail to create a secure seal, which allows water to leak from the tank into the bowl slowly. Replacing the flapper is an easy three-step process. First, drain the toilet’s tank and cut off the water supply. Next, detach the chain holding the flapper and disconnect it from the overflow tube by pulling the pins. Reverse the process to attach a new flapper.
Sink the float: A running toilet is commonly caused by water spilling into the bowl from the overflow tube. When this happens, it’s a sign there’s too much water in the tank, which can be a sign that the float is too high. You can loosen the screw that controls the level of the float arm to run a test to see if it solves the problem. If it does not, you should call your plumber.
Reposition the Refill Tube: Another common reason toilets begin running is due to parts becoming unfixed from their position. The refill tube will pump too much water into the toilet if it’s moved out of position. Sometimes, a tube is replaced, and it’s ill-fitted to the toilet. This is also a simple fix that involves only two steps. First, ensure the tube is the correct size and shorten it as needed. Next, once the tube is properly sized, clip it to the overflow tube.
Knowing When to Call in a Professional Plumber
Because there is no way to be sure of the cause of your running toilet without an inspection, if you are uncertain what you see once you inspect your toilet, you should hire a plumbing professional to identify the cause of your toilet problems. Here are several parts of the toilet to check for problems, and if you can’t isolate the issue, you should call a plumbing professional. At All City Plumbing, we provide solutions to all your plumbing problems. We’ve been serving customers in the area for many years. Our team understands the frustrations caused by minor plumbing problems, which is why we work hard to provide our customers with the knowledge and instructions to tackle the simple DIY plumbing fixes. When you can’t get figure out the problem, that’s where we can step in and help! Call our team today at F:P:Sub:Phone} or contact us online, and we'll fix the problem for you right away.