How to Chase Down Problems with a Running Toilet

An overflowing toilet triggers immediate action, but a running toilet should get the same attention!

Your toilet shouldn’t keep running after your flush. If it does, this is often caused by a problem with the overflow tube, flush valve, or fill valve.

What To Do to Fix a Running Toilet

1. Check Under the Hood

Lift the toilet tank lid and check the water in the tank to see if it is running into the toilet overflow tube. If it is, the water is too high or the tube is too short.

You can easily adjust the water level to sit about an inch below the top of the overflow tube, but an overflow tube that is too short will need to be replaced.

2. Keep It Afloat

If you need to adjust the water level in the toilet tank, you will need to modify the float rod or float cup. Using a screwdriver, you can adjust the screw that attaches the float rod to the fill valve. Continue to adjust until the water doesn’t flow into the overflow tube.

You may also need to check that your float has not been compromised. A float that leaks will be heavier in the tank and lift your float valve open, allowing water to run. If you remove the float and shake it, you can hear if water is inside. Replace a compromised float.

3. The Pain’s in The Chain

The flapper has a funny name but a big job in the toilet assembly. It is the part that opens and releases the water in the tank to complete the flush.

A chain lifts the flapper. If that chain is too short, the flapper won’t close properly, leading to a running toilet. If the chain is too long, it can get trapped under the flapper, leaving a gap for water to continually flow.

4. Don’t Be Flappergasted

Your toilet’s trap door or flapper is made of rubber and can become warped or worn over time, causing gaps in its seal. If that’s the case, you can try to clean the flapper or replace it entirely.

5. Remove & Replace

If you’ve gone through the first few steps and your toilet is still running, it may mean the flush and fill valve needs to be replaced.

This is a bigger job and requires the toilet to be drained, the water supply turned off, and the assembly removed and replaced.

Call Russo Bros. & Co. for Toilet Repairs

If you hear the sounds of running water in your home, check your toilets. A running toilet doesn’t just sound annoying. It’s also costing you money in wasted water that you’ll pay for on your next water bill.

If your running toilet issues are giving you the run around, Russo Bros. & Co. can help. We can run down that running toilet problem and have your home back on track.

Call (973) 887-1334 or contact us online today to request plumbing services in Northern New Jersey.