Tips on How to Stop A Toilet From Constantly Running

How to Stop A Toilet From Constantly Running

Toilets that constantly are running not only can make a lot of noise, but they can waste a lot of water. The water waste might not seem to affect you, until you get your water bill the following month. Instead of waiting for an inflated water bill, it is best to stop a toilet from running as soon as you notice the problem.

Often, jiggling the toilet’s handle will stop a running toilet. The trick works since the handle is attached to a chain inside the toilet tank, which in turn is attached to a rubber flap known as the flapper. The flapper sits over a large drain opening in the bottom of the toilet tank, which leads to the toilet bowl. If the chain has twisted or bound up, pulling up the flapper even slightly, jiggling the handle can untwist the chain and allow the flapper to rest over the drain opening again. 

If a toilet runs nonstop often, you might need to adjust the length of the chain inside the tank. Carefully lift the tank’s lid up and off, and then place it aside. When the flapper is in the closed position over the drain in the tank, the chain should have two or three links worth of slack. Any more slack in the chain can cause it to bind up.
The problem of a running toilet, though, might be caused by a worn-out flapper. The flapper is made of rubber, which does not last forever. To find out for sure, press down on the flapper when the toilet is running non-stop. If the toilet stops running, the flapper needs to be replaced. Find an identical replacement flapper at your local home improvement store and install it the exact same way as the old flapper.

Your toilet might be running non-stop because the water level in the tank is too high. If you see the water level is within an inch of the top of the hollow plastic tube in the tank, then the water level needs to be lowered. A water level that is too high can cause water to run down the tube’s opening, causing the toilet to constantly be refilling as water flows out of it. To adjust the water level in older toilets with a float ball on the end of a metal arm, simply bend the arm down slightly. With newer toilets, you must turn a plastic screw or pinch a spring clip to lower the small plastic float that travels vertically in the tank.

Sometimes, a toilet runs continuously when there is a problem with the fill valve, or the tall tower where water flows into the tank. You must shut off the flow of water to the toilet by turning the handle on the wall clockwise until it stops. Unscrew the cap from the top of the fill valve by pressing down and turning the cap counterclockwise. You can flush any sediment out of the fill valve by cupping one hand over the top of the fill valve while you turn on the water to the toilet, using the other hand. Allow the water to flow out of the top of the fill valve for about ten seconds before turning off the water again and replacing the cap. If the water still runs, you must turn off the water again, loosen the connections on the bottom of the tank and replace the fill valve with a new one.