What To Do If Your Toilet Keeps Running

You rely on your home's plumbing system to run smoothly, but sometimes there are minor issues that need to be resolved. One of the more common problems with a toilet is when it keeps running, which is when you hear water running through the toilet long after it has been flushed. Not only does this waste a lot of water and cause your water bill to rise, it can be a sign of a bigger problem. Here are some things to do first if your toilet keeps running.

Check The Flapper Chain Length

The flapper chain controls lifting the flapper when the handle is pressed. Sometimes flapper chains that are too long can become easily tangled and result in a flapper that doesn't close. A flapper chain that is too short will end up having a similar issue, so you will want to be sure that if you adjust the length of the flapper chain, you don't remove too much. Cut out links so that you leave a small amount of slack in the chain, but not enough to interfere with normal operation of the toilet.

Change The Float Height

Sometimes a newly installed float will be just a little bit too high in the tank for the water flow to completely stop. Some floats in toilets can be adjusted by spinning a ring on the float shaft. If you have a traditional float, then you might be able to bend the float rod just ever so slightly, which will result in water savings.

Check The Fill Tube

The fill tube is a small tube that sticks down into the overflow tube. This is the part of the system that fills the toilet bowl after each flush. Be sure that the fill tube at least an inch into the overflow tube, and flush the toilet to be sure that proper function has been achieved. If the toilet bowl doesn't fill to some extent, you will have weak flushes.

Replace The Flapper

Often times a flapper that has been around for a while can break down or become weak. If all else has failed, you can try replacing the flapper to make sure that you have a secure seal when the flapper closes back over the hole. Usually the arms that attach the flapper to the shaft are rubber, and can be easily pulled off to make room for the new flapper.

If you are still not able to stop the toilet from running, it might be related to the main sewer line. In this case, hire a plumber to check the sewer line by using a drain scope. This is a type of camera that looks deep into the drain to figure out what the problem is.

For more information or assistance, contact companies like Nu-Jet.