The three most common causes are a broken or dirty flapper, too long or too short of a chain between the flush lever and the flapper or a float that is out of position.
If you've tried replacing the toilet flapper but the toilet still runs, the flush valve seat is probably rough or pitted. You can replace the entire flush toilet flapper valve, but it's a big job.
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.
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.
The problem is usually in the fill tank. If the water level in the tank is dropping, check the flapper. If it's not sealing the flush valve opening, water from the tank will leak into the bowl, and the toilet will run constantly to keep the tank filled. Replace the flapper as needed.
If you notice water leaking from the bottom of the tank onto the floor, try tightening the plastic nut on the bottom of the fill valve to ensure it's tight. If it still leaks, you may need to replace the fill valve. If you tried all these fixes and your toilet still runs, then you could have a leaky flapper seal.
A constantly running toilet also presents an increased risk of flooding. This risk can come in a few forms. When you have a septic tank, excess water can go over the tank's capacity, which can lead to sewer backups and basement flooding.
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.
Over time, toilet flappers harden or warp, which prevents them from creating a seal and stopping water from entering the bowl after a flush. A constantly running toilet is one sign of a worn-out flapper. To test your flapper's performance, put a few drops of food coloring into the tank water.
However, the tradeoff is they corrode over time and will generally need to be replaced about every two years or so. There's more good news: you can replace a toilet flapper yourself! They cost just a few dollars at your local hardware store, and require no specialized tools or training to replace it.
Turn the handle clockwise to turn off the water. If the valve will not completely turn off, you can still proceed because it will not effect this simple replacement of the flapper. Step 3: Remove the water in the toilet tank. The water does not have to be completely removed, as long as it's just below the flapper.
A toilet that cuts on and off by itself, or runs intermittently, has a problem that plumbers call a "phantom flush." The cause is a very slow leak from the tank into the bowl. This problem is almost certainly caused by a bad flapper or flapper seat.
The True Cost of a Running Toilet
For minor toilet leaks, your water bill won't be as drastically high; however, it will be higher than normal. A moderate toilet leak will generally waste about 6,000 gallons of water per month and can cost you an additional $70 per month-- $1,000 per year in waste.
That's right: a running toilet costs around $2,059 per month. Of course the total is only this high if the toilet is continually running 24/7. But this does illustrate the importance of the cost involved when it comes to wasting water.
Your toilet may be constantly running because of a faulty flapper seal. One of the most common causes of a flapper seal breaking is improper installation. Human error is often to blame for this issue, but some design flaws in older toilets can cause the same problem.
If your toilet randomly runs off and on for a few seconds, it is likely due to a broken flapper. While the flapper is supposed to drop down and re-seal the tank when enough water has gone through, a cracked or decaying flapper will allow water to keep flowing through and run periodically.
The fill valve is the part of the toilet that is responsible for refilling the tank after being flushed. Over time, a worn or out of alignment fill valve can become a problem, cause a leak, and wear on valve's components and parts.
However, this can backfire if the rod rotates a half turn where the water line raises and water goes pouring down the drain. Another common problem that causes a toilet to leak is a fill valve that won't shut off, leaving water continually pouring down the overflow pipe.
Toilet Parts
The toilet's flush valve will typically last 6-7 years. A toilet fill valve might only last four to five years. In general, you should expect to replace the parts in your toilet every so often while keeping the actual bowl in place.