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Why is my toilet running?
This is one of the most common questions that any plumber is bound to hear. And the thing that usually brings it to mind is the water bill. With a running toilet, the water is continually going into the tank but never filling up to the mark that denotes it to stop. This perpetual cycle of filling and draining water can be an annoyance as well as cost you a pretty penny, up to $100 in one month! Here are the things to look at if you want to fix your running toilet.
Flapper Valve
The first place you will want to check is the flapper valve. This is the rubber piece at the bottom of your tank that fully covers the drain. You will want to flush your toilet and make sure that your flapper valve fully covers and closes. If it doesn’t – there’s your problem. Sometimes this is an easy fix of just jiggling the handle, and it closes. Sometimes the rubber is cracked and needs to be replaced. These pieces are easy to take off and replace with a new one.
Check the Chain
After checking the flapper valve, and if that is not the problem you will want to check the chain that is attached to the handle. Sometimes the chain is too long and can get caught under the flapper valve. This obviously will be a problem. But sometimes the chain can be too short. This also causes a problem because the flapper valve is unable to close and your tank has no opportunity to refill and stop running. You may need to either lengthen or shorten the chain so that the flap can close easily but is not obstructed by the chain.
Cracked Float or tube
When you open up your toilet tank, you will see a ball resting on the top of the water. This is the device used to show when your toilet is full and no longer needs water. Sometimes this ball can become cracked, and water can seep into it. It no longer can float on the water and mark that it is full, so your tank continues to keep refilling. You may need to replace the ball so that it can sit on top of the water.
We hope these suggestions help you fix your running toilet.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
