Fix a Running Toilet

Are you being constantly plagued by the sound of running water from the toilet? A leaking toilet is not only annoying, but it also wastes a lot of water. You do not need to rush to the plumber, however, as you can fix it all by yourself.

How to Stop a Leaking Toilet

Before you attempt to fix a running toilet, you should know the kind of mechanism that the flush works on and the exact reason why it is not working. Lift open the lid of the toilet and take a look. You will notice that inside the tank there is a valve and float, fill tube, overflow tube and flapper. The toilet flushing system works on elementary mechanics. In the ideal case, when you push the handle of the flush, the chain lifts the flapper, letting a tankful of water gush in through the opening which is at the bottom, into the toilet bowl. As the water level slowly drops, the flapper which works like a valve closes. The plastic float drops as the water drains into the toilet bowl. The float is linked to a valve which allows the water to flow into the tank when the float is down and stops the flow of water when the float moves up. There is also an overflow tube that drains out excess water into the toilet bowl if the water level gets too high in the tank.

Push the flush button and if water is not getting filled up in the tank, there might be high chances that the flapper is stuck open. In such a case simply close the flapper. If you are not able to close the flapper, it might be stuck due to being wedged on its hinge or misalignment. In such a case you might need to replace the flapper so that it works smoothly. You can also try running your fingers around the periphery of the flapper to check if there is any buildup of dirt or minerals which might be preventing the flapper from working.

How to Fix a Slow Running Toilet

If even after adjusting the flapper, water is running to the toilet bowl, you need to adjust the valve and the float. To do this you have to pinch the metal clip that is linked to the float and slide the float along the wire. You can also turn the small screws which is present on top of the valve. Sometimes there might be leakage of water due to fill valve having some normal wear and tear. The fill tube which is linked to the overflow pipe should be above the water line. If the float has water inside it, you need to replace it by unscrewing from the arm. Sometimes any of the non rubber components of the toilet mechanism might be damaged such as the lever connected to the float. In such a case, you can temporarily fix it by gluing it with super glue.

Tips on Fixing a Running Toilet

Here are some things that you should remember when you attempt to fix a running toilet.

• Flush the toilet a couple of times and watch carefully inside the tank to diagnose the exact problem.
• Wash and clean the flapper thoroughly to dislodge any buildup of minerals and dirt.
• To determine if you have any leakage in the pipe use a dye like a food coloring or a dye tablet in the tank.
• You can also insert the flapper chain into a plastic soda straw to prevent the chain from tangling.

So these are some ways to get rid of toilet flushing problems. Remember to seek professional help if you are unable to fix it yourself.