A toilet that runs constantly can be frustrating and costly, and while it’s tempting to call the plumber, save yourself time and money by fixing a few things yourself first. Running toilet problems are often caused by the toilet’s fill valve, flapper, and float. Today we’ll cover the steps on how to fix flapper issues, float problems, and fill valve malfunctions to stop a constantly running toilet. Replacing your flapper or fill valve, tightening or loosen the chain, or adjusting your float are all easy repairs you can do at home and save yourself a lot of money.
How to Know What’s Causing Your Toilet to Run
While it may be tricky to figure out exactly what part of your toilet is causing it to run constantly, there is one way to help point you in the right direction. When looking in your tank, locate the overflow valve. If water is running into the overflow, your fill valve is the problem. If the water level is below the line mark on the overflow valve, your flapper is probably the problem. Continue reading to learn more about the common causes of running toilets and how to fix them.
Fix Toilet Flapper Problems
The toilet flapper (such as these) is a rubber paddle that covers the flush valve opening at the bottom of your toilet tank. There are three things that can cause your flapper to have problems: the chain is too long, the chain is too short, or the flapper has gone bad. To investigate a bad flapper, you’ll first need to turn off the water supply and then flush the toilet to drain the tank of water. Once the toilet is drained, you will first need to look at the flapper chain.
If the chain is too long, you can simply unhook the hook from the toilet handle and move it down a few links. You may need to try a few times to get it the right length. If the chain is too short, you’ll need to move it up a few links on the chain. Your chain should be just long enough so that the flapper rests flush with the base of your tank.
If your chain is in the right position, but your toilet tank is still not filling up, you may need to replace your flapper. The flapper is connected to the overflow valve by one of two ways – 1) it has ears on the side that you unhook, or 2) it slips over the top of the overflow valve. A universal flapper will more than likely work for your toilet and will cost about $5.
Adjust Your Toilet Float
There are two different kinds of toilet floats, cup and ball. A ball float is a ball attached to the end of a rod. A cup float is an O shaped float that moves up and down the fill valve. The float indicates to the fill valve what the water level is.
If your running toilet is a result of a float issue, then follow these guidelines on how to repair a ball or cup float. With a ball float you can gently bend the rod up or down to change the water level. A cup float is connected by a metal spring clip to a thin metal rod which controls the fill valve. You can pinch both ends of the metal spring and then raise or lower the float. Once it has reached the desired level release the spring clip.
Replace Your Toilet Fill Valve
If your water in your tank is rising above the overflow and adjusting your float doesn’t help, you may have a problem with your fill valve. To replace your fill valve, you first need to shut off the water to your toilet, and then you need to flush to completely drain the tank of water. Next, follow these steps:
Step 1: To remove your fill valve, you’ll need to use a wrench to unscrew the coupling nut that connects the fill valve to the supply line.
Step 2: Remove the locknut holding the toilet valve to the tank while gently applying pressure to the valve. Pull out the old valve.
Step 3: Take your fill valve to the hardware store to buy a suitable replacement.
Step 4: Once you’ve got your replacement, you’ll need to measure the overflow tube. Measure to the top of the tube, not to any water indication marks.
Step 5: Twist the top of the new fill valve to adjust to height. The height of the valve from the base to the Critical Level mark is the height of the overflow valve plus one inch.
Step 6: To install the new valve, remove the cap and press down to compress the washer. Then screw on the locknut.
Step 7: Reconnect your supply line and flush the valve.
Step 8: Reset the cap and check for leaks.
Step 9: Slip the fill tube onto the new fill valve and shorten it so that it fits in the angle adapter.
Step 10: Turn the water on to fill the tank and adjust your float. The water level should be set at one inch below the overflow tube.
Note: While installing a new fill valve is generally universal, it is important to look over the manufacturer’s guidelines on your new valve to ensure proper installation.
Check out PVCFittingsOnline’s selection of fill valves here.
Home Toilet Repairs
Next time your toilet starts running on its own or doesn’t stop running, don’t call the plumber right away. By checking to ensure your flapper, float, and fill valve are all in working order, you can save yourself time and money by fixing the running toilet problems yourself. If you are in need of new supplies for you toilet be sure to check out our supply of toilet repair parts here.
