Why is My Toilet Running?

A running toilet is not just an annoying intrusion on an otherwise nice, quiet evening at home, it is also a hidden water waster, which you can translate as money waster.  Whenever you hear the toilet running, I want you to picture water coming into your home from your utility provider, through the home’s web-work of plumbing and into the top of the toilet’s water tank, then flowing right back out the bottom of the tank, down the waste-water line, never to be seen nor heard from again…until the arrival of your next monthly water bill.

The bad news: you have a defective/damaged flapper.  The good news: it’s an easy and inexpensive fix you can do yourself.  And what’s more, you won’t need any tools!  How’s that for a do it yourself project?

Turning off the water fill valve behind the toilet will make inspecting the current flapper much easier.  You’re looking for evidence that either the chain is too short, there is something obstructing the flapper thus keeping it from properly sealing against the water drain seat, or simply a damaged flapper.  This video will help you identify exactly what’s happening in your case.  If by chance it’s not the flapper that’s the problem, here are some other possible common issues with toilets that are relatively easy to diagnose and fix yourself.

Check out our blog page for more handy how-to articles.  Happy plumbing!