A toilet that won't stop running is another common problem. You can expect to pay between $50 and $400 to repair a running water issue. If there is too much water in your tank, it will be a quick, easy fix and may be possible to do at home.
According to Fixr, the average toilet valve repair cost is between $75 and $200 to replace a flush valve or up to $400 to fix a constantly running toilet.
Typically, a running water toilet will waste thousands of gallons of water per month which translates to approximately $200 unnecessarily tacked onto your monthly water bill-- that's nearly $2,500 dollars a year down your toilet bowl. The above scenario is in the case of an extreme toilet leak.
More often than not, the flapper valve could need adjustment, or you may need to replace the toilet fill valve. Both are relatively small fixes that most homeowners can usually handle without calling in a professional plumber or having to remove the toilet and then having to install a new one.
A continuously running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons a day or more depending on the volume flow down the drain. This can cause a terrible increase to a family's typical water use, so fix toilet leaks as soon as possible. Some leaks are easy to find, such as a dripping faucet or running toilet.
A running toilet is typically caused by the overflow tube, flush valve, or fill valve. Check the water in the tank to determine if it is running into the overflow tube. If the water is running into the overflow tube, the water level might be too high, or the overflow tube might be too short for the toilet.
A running toilet can quickly turn into a flooding toilet. If you have a septic tank, all of that excess water risks flooding the tank, which can lead to the saturation and failure of your drain field.
According to the United States Geological Survey, a leaking toilet that is allowed to run continuously can waste up to 22 gallons of water a day. If allowed to run a full year, that's a leak that amounts to over 8,000 gallons of water.
Will a running toilet stop eventually? As fresh water enters the tank, a mechanism eventually shuts off the water flow and the toilet will stop running. However, when things go wrong with the valve, flapper or overflow then it's best to get it sorted.
Running Toilets Lead to Damaging Leaks
Water can easily make its way into the floor of your home, and over time, weaken the structure of your home. This is a dangerous situation for your family and can be prevented through fast action and a licensed plumber.
The average leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water per day. That's over 6,000 gallons a month ($70.06*) for just one leaking toilet! Some toilets may produce a running water sound that is easy to hear. Some leaks are visible as a small trickle running from the rim to the water in the bowl.
Check the Fill Valve for a Leak
Flush the toilet and look for a fill valve leak. Lift up on the toilet float arm when the tank is filling to see if the water stops. Bend or adjust the toilet float arm so the tank stops filling when the water level is 1/2- to one-inch below the top of the overflow pipe.
Also, small water leaks can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars on your bill, so be sure to fix leaky faucets as soon as you see them. If you live in an apartment or condo, a running toilet may also cause your electric bill to go up.
Running noises when no one flushes could mean a variety of things: The valve in the tank allows water to escape into the bowl. The flapper chain in the tank is too tight and prevents the valve from shutting all the way. The float in the toilet tank is set to a high mark, causing the toilet to run constantly.
More often than not, continuously running toilets are extremely easy and inexpensive to fix – you might just need to replace the flapper. A constantly running toilet also presents an increased risk of flooding. This risk can come in a few forms.
If you suspect your toilet keeps running because of a major leak or damage to the bowl, gasket, flushing mechanism, or pipes, call a plumber right away. Be wary of easy, DIY solutions that might make problems worse, costing you more time, stress, and money in the long run.
The steady flow of water from a leaky toilet or faucet day and night can quickly flood your septic tank as well as the ground around the drain field, making it impossible for water to flow out of your septic system, eventually leading to septic system failure.
If your toilet is still running after replacing parts or adjusting, a clogged toilet could be the culprit.
Yes. You can safely turn off the water to your toilet overnight, and we'd recommend doing so if you're dealing with a toilet issue that needs to be repaired by a plumber. If the plumber can't fix this issue until the next day, you can keep the water turned off overnight, and you shouldn't have an issue.
It costs between $150 and $300 to fix a leaking toilet in most cases. The cost would be a lot more if the leak has caused damage to your floor or if it's a recurring problem.
Your toilet does not require any electricity to operate. It can run even if the power is off. With that in mind, a toilet does require water to function properly – which could leave you in a bind if your water is temporarily turned off.
Toilet Water Saving Tips
Toilets made from the early 1980s to 1992 typically used 3.5 gallons per flush (13.2 liters) or more. Toilets made prior to 1980 typically used 5.0 to 7.0 or high gallons per flush (18.9 lpf to 26.5 lpf). The oldest toilets can use more than 8 gallons per flush (30 lpf).