Learning About Automated Industrial Equipment

Posted on: 16 December 2015

A running toilet may seem trivial, but it can lead to a bloated water bill and damage to your flooring, not to mention a damp, smelly bathroom. Luckily, a running toilet is often a simple fix. With easy replacements to worn out components, you can arrest the running water and get your toilet in working shape again. Here is a look at common causes of a running toilet and practical ways to solve them.

Water level is set too high

If you notice that your toilet never stops running, the most likely cause is that the water level adjustment screw is set too high. To fix this, open the tank and locate the adjustment screw at the base of the float arm. Adjust this screw to lower the arm of the float ball, allowing it to block water from spilling into the overflow tube once the tank refills.

Flapper or chain problems

A worn out flapper allows water to continuously leak into the toilet bowl, causing the water level to remain constantly low. This will in turn cause the fill valve to continuously try to refill the tank. To fix this problem, unsnap the damaged flapper from its location and take it with you to your local hardware store to ensure you get an exact replacement that would be a snag fit. Alternatively, call up your plumber to give you guidance on the proper flapper specifications for your toilet model.

If that doesn't fix the problem, you could have a chain that is too taut, allowing water to escape through the flapper. Moving the chain hook up a couple links will usually get the chain to hang more slackly, allowing the flapper to seal properly and thus prevent the tank from filling excessively.

Faulty fill valve

If fixing the adjustment screw and replacing the flapper doesn't stop your toilet from running, you probably have a leaky fill valve. You can fix this by flushing the toilet to remove water from the tank and unscrewing the water line from the bottom of the tank. Place a bucket under the water hose to capture any water from the tank before unscrewing the fill valve and replacing it with a new one.

Unlike a running toilet, a leak could be a lot harder to detect and fix on your own. Common signs that you have a leaking toilet include water pooling around the base of the toilet or the floor feeling soggy. If you find that your finished floor is coming up around the base of the toilet, you could have a leaky toilet as well, and should call your plumber to fix the problem immediately.

For more information, contact Barstow Industrial Supply or a similar company.