Your 1 Plumber | Germantown Plumber | Maryland Plumber

How to Stop a Running Toilet

If you’re hearing the water in your toilet run constantly or it seems to just turn on and off whenever it wants, you can often fix it yourself.

For starters, the flap inside your toilet could be stuck open. Take the top off the back of your toilet and look to see if the little flap inside is seated and sealed or if it’s stuck open. The flapper is a little rubber gasket that sits in the bottom your tank. It will have a lever or a chain that is connected to it, which connects it to the toilet handle in most cases.

You Can’t Stop a Train, But You Can Stop a Running Toilet!

If it’s open, simply adjust it to seal it properly. The flap is made of rubber or another soft material that is prone to damage and dry-rotting over time. If it looks like it’s been damaged, you should replace it. With extensive damage, water will slip past the flap and keep running until you replace.

How to fix a running toilet

If the flap is sealed properly, next check the chain. Is it twisted, bunched up or caught on anything? If so, it probably isn’t letting the flapper seal right. Straighten it out and see if that helps. You will also see a rod. Is it bent? Again, if it is, you should be able to straighten it out pretty easily.

Then there’s your float mechanism. Lift it up and see if the toilet stops running. If it does then you found you problem. To fix the problem, adjust the arm a little at a time.  If you happen to  water inside the ball, you’ll need to replace it.

If none of the above seems to help, Your 1 Plumber can help you with that or any other home plumbing problem you might have.  Contact us today, because Your 1 Plumber is the only one you’ll ever need.