How To Fix A Running Toilet

The continuous sound of a running toilet is enough to drive the sanest person out of his or her mind. Left in disrepair, a running toilet can end up costing you a lot of money as well. Studies indicate that the typical household waste approximately 11,000 gallons of water annually and a faulty toilet is the main culprit. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that can be taken to fix a running toilet and all that is required is patience, 20 to 30 minutes and the cost of replacement parts, if necessary.

Before you start the process, shake the handle of the toilet and this will hang up the stopper and prevent the toilet tank from refilling to full capacity. If jiggling the handle does not stop the toilet from running, take off the lid and place it aside. Use the shut off valve under the tank to turn off the water supply to the toilet. You are now ready to carry out the following steps:

1. Check the guide rod or chain links on the stopper, if the guide rod is bent or there is a twist on the chain link, straighten them. Sometimes the chain becomes tangled after repeated flushes and can cause the toilet to run continuously. If this step does not fix the problem, move on to the next step.
2. The "float ball" is a mechanism that is found in the tank. Lift the ball and listen for the stopping of the water. Once it stops, bend the float arm downward to get the correct buoyancy. If there is a slight feeling of heaviness, water could be in the ball and this is an indication that the ball needs to be replaced. This can be done by simply unscrewing it from the arm and replacing it with a new one.
3. If the running toilet is not fixed, the valve seat and stopper could have corrosion or hard water build up that is preventing proper closure of the stopper. The valve seat and stopper can be found at the bottom of the tank. They can be identified by simply feeling around in the tank for a round stopper that flaps up and down. Use your fingers to carefully feel for objects that may be blocking it from properly closing. If any damage is found, replace the valve seat and stopper.
4. Once the first three steps have been completed and the running of the toilet has not stopped, the flush valve system might have to be entirely replaced. Take the old parts along with you to the store when the gaskets are being replaced and assemble them in the store before leaving to ensure that they fit properly. Doing this will prevent you from becoming frustrated and making several trips back and forth to the local hardware store.

Once the running toilet has been fixed, turn on the shut-off valve and replace the lid on the tank. If you have no confidence in your do-it-yourself skills to fix a running toilet, you can call a reputable plumber to do the job on your behalf.

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