If your toilet is constantly running it can be both annoying and costly. The last thing you want is to have a large water bill because you are wasting water by having a constantly running toilet. Luckily, it is easier than ever to find a plumber nearby with a simple internet search, however, call-out charges can be expensive so, unless it is an emergency, it could be a good idea to have a go yourself. The good news is that there are actions you can take to stop your toilet from running constantly and return it to its normal condition.
We are going to take a look at some solutions you can try in order to resolve this problem. It’s well worth trying to solve the problem yourself but if you do not have the confidence to do this, or you are unsuccessful in your attempt, you can call a professional such as Plumbing Detectives to help.
Getting to know the parts in the toilet tank
If you are going to find out where the problem is that is causing your toilet to run constantly, you need to familiarise yourself with the various parts. All you have to do is take the lid off the toilet tank and identify the following:
- The lever that is used to flush the toilet.
- The flapper that is attached to the lever and stops tank water from flowing to the bowl.
- The pump which is responsible for refilling the tank after you have flushed.
- The float which is used to tell the pump when to work. This float rises and falls along with the water in the tank.
- The overflow tube which exists to set the highest level that the water in the tank can reach.
You should not have any problem identifying these features and doing so should help you when it comes to trying to resolve the problem with your toilet.
Check the connection between lever and flapper
This is one of the first things you should check as it’s one of the most common causes of problems and this type of problem is easy to deal with. If the chain between the lever and the flapper is too short the flapper may constantly remain open; it it’s too long there may be problems with the closing of the flapper. If there appears to be too much length in the chain you can just adjust this by moving the clip. If there is not enough length you should replace the chain with one that is longer.
Take a look at the flapper
You may also find that a problem with the flapper is causing your toilet to run. You need to be able to access the flapper to check it. In order to do this you should flush the toilet to empty the tank. The first thing to check is that the flapper is clean. If this is not the case you should remove any debris that may stop it from closing. You should also check to see if there is any damage to the flapper. If there is it’s simple and quick to buy a new one and replace the old with the new.
Adjust the position of the float
As we mentioned earlier in the article, the float is there to tell the pump when to start and stop. If it does not tell the pump to stop once the water is just below the overflow pipe this can cause the toilet to leak. The easiest way to deal with this issue is to bend the arm that holds the float. If you have problems doing this it may be time to call a plumber.
As you can see, there can be several reasons why a toilet runs. We have given you some tips on how to deal with some of these issues. Hopefully, these tips will help you resolve your problem. If you have any doubts, or are unsuccessful, it may be time to get in touch with a professional.
