Causes of a Perpetually Running Toilet
A running toilet is one of the most common and vexing plumbing issues. It happens due to an internal water leak and requires immediate attention. Not only the sound of a perpetually running toilet is annoying, but it also leads to the wastage of hundreds of gallons of water a day, that can significantly drive up the water bills. Also, a running toilet is incapable of flushing properly. It is essential for homeowners not to avoid a leaky toilet and figure out the root cause of the problem to fix it as soon as possible. While most running toilet problems are simple to fix through small repairs and adjustments, it is advisable to call a professional plumbing service for bad leaks, and component replacement.
It is first essential to determine the possible reasons behind it to stop the toilet from running. Here are some of the few common causes of the unwanted water flow from the toilet:
Fill tube malfunctioning
The fill valve is responsible for restocking the toilet bowl with water after every flush. If the top of the tube is not above the overflow tube, or it is leaking, it can lead to a continuously running toilet. Remove the tank lid to check the tube’s positioning and inspect it for leakage.
Faulty flapper
An old or faulty flush valve is one of the most common reasons behind a running toilet. It is a component made from rubber that pops open after every flush to allow water to flow into the toilet bowl and drops back to reseal the toilet tank, allowing it to refill. Over time, the flapper can get worn, or cracked, and develop mineral deposits that will hamper the proper seal formation, allowing the water to seep continuously from the toilet tank to the bowl. To stop this, get a new flapper from the local hardware store and replace it. The length of the flapper chain can also be the reason behind improper sealing. A long chain will get caught under the flapper, and a short one will not let the flapper close all the way.
Issues with the float ball
The float ball is responsible for stopping the water from flowing into the tank after it has filled to a certain level. When it is set too high or is malfunctioning, the valve will not close completely, leading to an increased water level in the tank. The excess water will make its way into the toilet bowl via the overflow tube. Inspect and adjust the height of the float ball to lower the water level.
Toilet handle
An old, corroded, or sticking toilet handle can keep it down for long after flushing. Till the handle remains in that position, the water will keep running into the toilet. To resolve the issue, either loosen the lever or replace the old parts.
If nothing works, and you are still not able to troubleshoot the problem, hire a plumbing service to fix and repair the root cause behind the running toilet.
Water WIse Plumbing offers Las Vegas area residential plumbing repair for water softeners, sewer lines, water line reroutes ,tankless water heaters, and more. We perform water heater flush, sewer line camera inspection, hydro jetting. Call us today at (702) 605-6408.
