Does your toilet continue to run?

Do you have a toilet that runs continuously, driving up your water bill and keeping you awake at night? It’s a common issue that homeowners will likely encounter at some point. The simplest explanation for this annoyance is that, for one reason for another, the flapper (which controls the flow of water from the tank into the toilet bowl) is not closing properly, so water is continuously leaking from the tank to the bowl.

This can be caused by one of several different problems inside your toilet’s tank. Fortunately, it is usually a simple and inexpensive fix. Here are a few issues that could cause your toilet to run continuously:

A Problem with the Chain

The chain connects the rubber flapper to the flush lever. When you push down on the lever to flush the toilet, it is meant to lift the chain and the flapper, allowing water to rush from the tank to the bowl. However, if your chain is too short, the flapper will be raised and will not to stop the water from leaking from the tank.

A Problem with the Flapper

Over time, flappers can become warped, dirty, or damaged so that they don’t function properly and allow water to leak from the tank. If your flapper looks discolored, warped, or broken, it is probably time for a replacement.

A Problem with the Float Position

Your toilet may have a plastic balloon attached to the pump, floating on top of the water in the tank. This float tells the pump when the tank is full so that it will stop filling with water. However, if the float is too high, then the toilet will continue to run and the tank will overfill.