How to fix a running toilet:
If you live in San Diego, Plumbing problems tend to happen to often. Toilets use up to 26% of total water use in your household. That is a significant amount of your water bill. If you detect excess water running in your commode, it makes complete sense to fix it, right away. Otherwise, you are throwing away water, we mean money and most folks just can’t afford it. Let us tell you how to fix running toilet.
The first step is to remove the lid when the toilet is running. A bit of observation can save you time and money.
Fix a San DIego Running Toilet:
1. Often the part causing issues is the flapper. This is the rubber piece at the bottom of the tank that seals the tank from the drain. If it is not doing its job properly, the water tank never fills up enough for the float to stop the water flow. It is an easy fix. Either clean and reset the device, or simply purchase a new one. These are available at any hardware store and install easily.
2. The chain connecting the rod to the flapper may not be adjusted properly, making a proper tank seal impossible. These can usually be lengthened by adjusting the links. If it is too rusted, it is easily replaced. Measure the length of the old one and add an appropriate length to allow the flapper a proper seal.
3. Sometimes the floater will get out of adjustment with age and not be aligned properly to shut off the water at the proper level. This leads to a lot of water wasted. There are usually adjustments on these that can be made so it works properly. These allow various height settings so the water is shut off in a timely manner. Some older toilet floats can be adjusted by simply bending the metal rod to the proper angle.
Most hardware stores now carry complete rebuild kits that repair the vast majority of San Diego toilets. Most are basically plastic, and eliminate the metal rod that is standard equipment on older units. A kit such as this should fix any problem in the floater/flapper area if you can’t isolate the source of your malfunction. If you have an older unit, a complete rebuild is not a bad idea. A little preventative maintenance will save money in the long run.
Another possibility is a leak in the toilet tank itself. If the seal between the tank and bowl has gone bad, the water level will continue to be low, causing a waste of water. A good way to test it is to put some dye in the tank, and see if it bleeds down to the toilet bowl. If it does, clean the seal and retest. If not, you have a porcelain crack that will require tank replacement.
A running toilet is the sound of a waste of water and money. Often, the fix is simple and inexpensive. Get involved with it right away to keep your water loss to a minimum.
Of course, if the problem is beyond a basic fix, contact your local plumbing professional to come in and inspect the unit. A serious leak can be very costly. A wet subfloor can be just the beginning of significant water damage throughout your home. If you live in San Marcos plumbing companies are listed in the San Diego area, it is wise to find one that offers 24 hour services, because it seems like toilets always run at 2 AM.
Need toilet repair? We work all of San Diego including: Bonita, Lakeside, Mission Valley and Del Mar. Call us at 619-838-1322 to schedule service or click here.
