Fixing A Running Toilet

If your toilet is running, you’re basically flushing away money. A running toilet not only increases your water bill, but it wastes hundreds of gallons of water. Here’s some methods you can try to stop your toilet from running.

Turn off water and drain toilet

First, turn off the water to the toilet and then flush it. This will help drain excess water and allow you to check the flapper without the toilet running. The flapper is the rubber seal inside the toilet tank that stops water. The flapper is usually the cause of a running toilet.

Look inside

Take off the toilet tank lid and inspect the chain that pulls the flapper. The chain could either be too long or too short. If it’s too short, then remove the chain and evaluate. If it’s too long, cut off a few chain links with wire clippers.

Check for a leak

With the toilet tank lid still off, check the fill valve. Lift the float arm while the tank is filling and see if the water stops. If the fill valve is leaking, you will have to replace it.

Check the float

This is a device that looks like a balloon in your toilet tank. It tells the pump when the tank is full. If you flush your toilet and it doesn’t stop filling, that means the float is too high. Flush the toilet a few times and look for where the water stops. You may have to adjust the float.

If you’ve tried these methods, and your toilet is still running, call Mr. Plumber. We offer 24-hour, emergency plumbing repair in the Atlanta metro area.