A running toilet that won’t stop can be a huge annoyance as well as a waste of water. Fortunately, there are a few things that could cause this that are easy fixes! Unfortunately, there’s one cause that is a very difficult fix. Let’s take a look at what is causing your running toilet.
What is a Running Toilet?
Firstly, a running toilet is a toilet that won’t stop refilling the bowl or the tank. You can hear the water flowing back into it or the trickle as the tank refills the bowl.
Handle is Stuck
Give your toilet handle a little jiggle. If it is very loose (no resistance), you’re probably dealing with a stuck handle or chain. That’s easy. Usually you can just jiggle it until it fixes itself. If that doesn’t work, go on to the next section.
Chain is Stuck
The first potential cause is a stuck chain. Fortunately, this is the easiest thing to fix. Open up the top of your toilet tank and look to see if the flapper attached to the chain can get all the way down. If it can’t get all the way down because of a stuck chain, untangle the chain and let it fall back into place. Tada! If that was the cause, you’re done!
Sometimes, the flapper can’t get all the way down because the chain is too short. These are adjustable, so just adjust the chain until the flapper can get to resting position, but just barely. If the chain is too long, your toilet won’t flush or won’t flush properly.
Finally, the flapper might be impeded by some other mechanism. It’s all the same. Take care of whatever impediment there is that prevents the flapper from closing all the way and you should be good.
Bad Flapper Seal
The rubber seal on the flapper has a shorter lifespan than a toilet. That’s just how it goes. Every 5-10 years, you need to replace these. A bad flapper seal lets some of the water from the tank trickle into the bowl. Once the tank gets low enough, it refills. Fortunately, flappers are cheap and possibly the easiest piece of plumbing to replace in our homes.
Problem With the Fill Valve
There are a couple ways fill valves work, but ultimately, it’s responsible for ensuring your toilet tank gets the right amount of water back in it after you flush. Since we don’t want a leaky toilet, there’s an overflow mechanism built in where the excess water goes into the bowl. Once the bowl gets too full, the toilet releases that water down the drain.
If there’s a problem with the fill valve, usually either the mechanism to tell it to stop is stuck or improperly calibrated. Usually the mechanism is a float, either on the end of a metal bar or wrapped around one of the upright columns. Check these to see if the problem stops if you lift them all the way up. If that’s the case, you need to recalibrate or lubricate (depending on the issue) your float.
Cracked Bowl or Tank
Finally, a cracked bowl or tank can cause a running toilet. Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do besides replace the part that is cracked. Usually this means replacing the entire bowl and tank. That’s a far more involved process.
Running Toilet Problems are Common
Definitely keep in mind that running toilet problems are very common. Homeowners deal with them constantly. Keep this article handy or remember the possible things that could be wrong. It can be frustrating how finicky toilets can be sometimes, but hopefully it helps to know you’re not alone.
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