Much like cars, it can be a bad sign when your toilet starts making funny noises. If you don’t hear a full “flush” when you pull the handle, chances are your toilet is clogged. And just the opposite sound can be just as bad: a never-ending flushing sound can mean a running toilet.
Far more than just being annoying, a running toilet can also cause your home’s plumbing system other kinds of problems. Fortunately for you, this is a very common occurrence almost everyone experiences at one point in their lives. Read on to learn more about what you can do.
What’s a running toilet?
Think of it as a leak. Essentially, a running toilet is when the flap cover inside your toilet’s water tank is failing to close properly.
Every time you pull down your toilet handle, the flapper lifts upwards and allows your toilet to flush. As the handle returns to its resting position, the flapper also goes back to covering the hole in your water tank, or at least it’s supposed to. When the flapper is dislodged or otherwise unable to sit where it usually does, you have what is commonly called a “running toilet.”
How to fix a running toilet
Fixing a running toilet is relatively simple — in fact, you might be able to solve the issue yourself.
The first thing you want to do is turn off your water supply. In order to do this, you will need to locate and turn a knob on the wall or on the floor next to your toilet.
Next, you should remove the cover sitting on top of your toilet tank. Inside, you should see a flapper chained to some basic equipment.
Once you have spotted the flapper, you want to unhook it and remove it from the tank. Most hardware stores will be able to provide you with a replacement — we recommend bringing your old flapper so that you can find one with the same measurements, otherwise you risk being back where you started.
After you’ve replaced the faulty flapper, the only thing left to do is turn the water back on.
Risks of a running toilet
The sound of a running toilet can be bothersome — maybe it even keeps you up at night. But more than being just minor inconvenience, a running toilet can also be a drain on your wallet.
When your tank is releasing more water than it needs to, your water bill is likely going up. Fixing a running toilet should save you some bucks on the next months statement.
Call the experts!
If you’re unable to fix a running toilet on your own, don’t be afraid to call a plumber. Sometimes these things are not as simple as they look and you could end up causing serious damage to your bathroom.
For those in the Los Angeles area, Preferred Plumbing and Rooter offers great quality services at competitive rates. Give them a call today: (877) 298-8105