Running toilets – a common problem that almost every other American household faces. While this seems like a harmless problem, its shocking consequences will be visible to you once you see the bloated water bill. After that, all homeowners run from one place to the other to get the problem fixed at the earliest.
Once the toilet gets fixed, the problem arises again. This continuous problem proves to be a headache for people who don’t want to go to the bathroom to feel guilty about wasting the already scarce water resource.
However, they struggle to identify the real cause of the problem. In this article, we’ll have a look at the possible causes of a running toilet. Also, as a general rule, whenever you incur the problem of a running toilet, call the experts for an inspection to get the problem resolved in a timely manner.
Potential Causes of a Continuous Running Toilet
Here is a list of factors that may contribute to the problem of the running toilet. Let’s have a look.
1. The Float Ball
The tank that is attached to your toilet generally contains a float ball that sinks down when the tank gets emptied – after a flush, that is. When the ball sinks, it opens the inlet valve that allows water to pass through. When the tank is filling, the ball rises and closes the valve. If the float ball is malfunctioning, it won’t be able to properly close the valve, allowing the water to keep running into the toilet.
2. Flapper Seal
Another common problem that you may incur is the broken flapper seal – flush valve. This seal also prevents the water from the tank to run down into the toilet bowl. An easy way to check whether your flapper seal needs to be replaced is to put a few drops of food coloring in your tank. If the dyed water enters into your toilet bowl, this shows that your flapper seal needs to be replaced.
3. Worn Gasket
The gasket is the seal between the toilet bowl and the tank. If your toilet’s gasket is worn out, it will fail to hold the water and prevent it from running into your toilet bowl.
4. The Flush Valve Chain
The flush valve chain is the component of your toilet that pulls about the flush valve and allow the freshwater into the tank after the tank is flushed. If the chain is of wrong size – either too long or too short – it will cause problem and won’t allow the valve to close completely. As a result, the water will keep running.
5. Refill Tube
The refill tube replenishes the water within the tank. The top of this tube should always remain above the level of water. In case, where the water rises above the tube, you may encounter the problem of a running toilet.
Summary
While running toilets may not cause a direct nuisance to you, it will mess with your water bills. Always call an expert whenever you incur a problem.