If your toilet keeps running and there’s hardly anything you can think of doing except calling out for help to a professional, this article is put forward to help you.
Before adding to the increased utility bills, we strongly urge you to resolve the constantly running toilet problem independently. Here’s how you can troubleshoot the running toilet problem on your own.
Your toilet consists of different components adjoined together to perform a simple mechanism. The toilet system is not that hard to understand.
If any of these parts fail to function properly, your toilet may keep running. Scroll down to learn about the potential causes and effective solutions to resolve running toilet problems.
Once you install a toilet in your home or any business setting, a day will come when your toilet starts to run regularly or periodically.
Spare some time and indulge in this informative guide to fixing this issue.
You need to gather the below-mentioned tools and equipment before jumping into the procedure to troubleshoot your running toilet issue.
If you glance at your toilet bowl, you can locate a small fill tube in between the fill valve and the overflow tube.
The fill tube is primarily responsible for refilling the toilet bowl, by drawing water from the overflow tube.
You need to make sure the fill tube is firmly adjoined to the fill valve. Try to reattach the fill tube with the fill valve by pushing it firmly.
Ensure the fill tube is one inch above the rim of the overflow tube. Finally, flush the toilet and check whether the water stream goes down the toilet overflow tube.
Your toilet consists of an adjustable float that controls the water level in the tank, it moves along with the water level.
If the float height is very low and too high, it can weaken the flush system, and water may go into the toilet overflow tube respectively.
Either way, this can cause your toilet to keep running.
Begin by marking the toilet overflow tube on the fill level, or you can simply measure down about one inch on the overflow tube.
When you flush the toilet, check whether the water stops at the marking point or not, if not you need to make adjustments to the float up or down until the water shuts off at the marking level.
Following the steps mentioned above, if the type of fill valve you've chosen doesn’t seem to shut off, you must replace it.
Begin by turning off the water supply and unscrewing the fill valve lock to take out the old fill valve. After that, insert the new fill valve and tighten it into the tank.
Shortening the overflow pipe by one inch lower than the critical level mark on the fill valve, turn on the water, and test for the flush.
The flapper chain shouldn’t be too short or too long, or your toilet will end up leaking into the tank or a proper flush mechanism is hampered.
If the flapper chain is too long, you need to cut off the excess portion, allowing only about an inch to remain when the flapper is closed.
Having done that, you need to cover the tank and check whether the flush rod strikes the lid or not. Make the necessary arrangements if the issues are not resolved.
Coming down, if your running toilet problem is not solved yet, you may have to replace the flapper because the old flapper may have worn out.
Begin by turning the water supply off, and remove the old flapper. Make sure to bring on the exact flapper or the closest one from the nearby store.
Install the new flapper and check whether it functions freely. If your toilet still keeps running, you have to try a different flapper.
After checking and replacing the defective parts, you need to properly inspect different parts of the toilet for any sign of leakage.
Here's how you can check for the leaks:
Check the water tank and its connection to different parts. Make sure all the nuts and bolts are secured firmly.
Keep in mind to avoid overtightening the bolts, it may induce cracks in the component adding problems on top of the problems.
Further, check the area where your toilet meets the floor.
If the base area is damp or if you find any sign of water pooling, you may have to replace the wax ring if tightening bolts don’t work.
Moving forward, you need to check for the toilet gasket at the bottom of the water tank.
Carefully unscrew the water tank and look for the gasket, if it has been very old and worn out, you need to replace the old gasket.
Another important thing to look upon is the visible cracks and damage on the exterior of the tank and bowl.
Closely inspect the rim area and adjoining portion. If the exterior area is moist, there’s a high potential that your tank or bowl has induced cracks.
You need to clean all the parts of your toilet, ensuring smooth water flow and proper functioning of the components.
Here’s how to clean your toilet and its components:
Begin by seeking the water supply valve behind the toilet and make sure to turn it off. Empty the tank by flushing the toilet.
Remove the flapper from the tank and carefully brush off the residues and deposited debris.
If the stains are hard to brush off, you need to immerse them in the solution of vinegar and water for about half an hour and again try scrubbing.
You can apply a similar method to wash away any deposition or debris from the overflow tube by scrubbing and soaking in the vinegar solution.
Make sure to wipe out every possible debris.
After cleaning every component of the toilet, you can now reassemble and place them in their original spot. Before testing, you need to double-check if everything has been placed accurately.
Your issue mightn’t get resolved on the first try, you may have to reconsider doing everything again until the actual problem gets fixed.
You have to have a good understanding of how a toilet operates to solve every minor or major issue with it. Below is a detailed informative guide on this matter:
Although fixing the running toilet problem is easy to understand and get started, inexperienced people may find it hard to control things by themselves.
If the problem doesn’t seem to be fixed by taking things into your own hands, you might want to consider calling a professional.
Professional toilet repair and installation ensure your problem gets fixed quickly and safely.
