Why Is Your Toilet Running And What Can You Do About It
Your toilet is going to run for a few seconds after you've flushed, but then it should turn off. If your toilet is running long after you flush, it's an issue that can be costly if you don't repair it. If your toilet runs longer than it should only here and there, it's also an issue that needs to be repaired or you could end up with a hefty water bill. Read on for reasons why this is happening to your toilet and what you can do to help repair it.
Why Is Your Toilet Running?
The usual culprit when your toilet is running is that your flapper inside your toilet is left open. This can happen from time to time when the handle is pressed too hard. Be gentle when flushing your toilet; it doesn't take a lot of force to flush the toilet, so be gentle with it. Your toilet may also be running only from time to time with the flapper shut, but it may be allowing some leakage if the hooks connected to the flapper are off just a little bit. It can be leaking enough that the water level is going down, then running in order to refill the tank. If you hear these short bursts of water filling the tank, it may be because of this.
What Can You Do About It?
You can jiggle the handle on your toilet to see if this helps close the flapper. If jiggling the handle didn't do anything, you can open up the back of the toilet tank and shut the flapper manually with your hand. If it continues to happen, make an adjustment with the chain that is attached; you may need to lengthen or shorten the chain a bit. Then flush the toilet again to see if this helped to get the flapper to close on its own. For those short bursts of the toilet running, you can again open the tank of the toilet and make an adjustment to the flapper. Move it over so it covers the opening properly. Move the clips over one way or the other and listen to see if this helped at all.
If you are experiencing issues with your toilet tank running over and over again, make an adjustment to the flapper or to the chain on your handle. If you continue to have an issue, you should hire a plumber for help with this issue and to get it repaired properly.
To learn more, contact a plumbing contractor.
