Plumbers
DIY: Troubleshooting a Leaky Toilet Bowl
by Business Listings EditorPhoto Credit: ©iStock.com
Does your toilet bowl keep on running after you flush? Or maybe it stops running and then starts up all over again.
Continuous flushing is not only wasteful, but it can also cause you a lot of grief due to the hissing. A toilet leak is usually caused by a problem with the tank ball or flapper valve, fill valve, or the float ball.
To help you get a grasp of the situation, here’s a bit of description / definition:
- Tank ball – a sticky tank ball or flapper valve will not drain properly
- Fill valve – a fill valve that doesn’t close completely
- Float ball – a misaligned or damaged float ball
- Flush valve – there’s a problem with the linkage between the flush handle and flapper valve
Once you have figured out the cause, then you can start the repairs. Here’s a simple 4-step strategy to troubleshoot a running toilet:
Check the Fill Tube
Remove the tank and locate the fill tube – a small, flexible tube from the fill valve to the overflow tube, and firmly push it onto the fill valve.
While the tank refills, check that the fill tube delivers water into the overflow tube, and ensure that it sits 1” about the rim of the overflow tube. Once the tank is filled, flush the toilet and observe the water stream as it goes down the overflow tube.
Check the Float
An adjustable float controls the water level in the tank. A float that is set too low will have a wimpy flush; and if it’s set too high, water will spill into the overflow tube and cause the fill valve not to close completely, which causes the water to flow continuously into the bowl.
Look for the fill level mark, which is about 1” down the overflow tube, and then check if the water reaches and stops at that mark when you flush the toilet.
You can adjust the float to set the water level by sliding the float up or down the rod. Make the necessary adjustments until water shuts off at a proper water level. If the fill valve simply won’t shut off, it could be defective.
Just turn off the water supply at the shutoff valve below the tank, and replace with a new fill valve.
Adjust Flush Handle/Flapper Chain
Water will continuously leak into the bowl if the flapper chain is too short or tangled. And a flapper chain that is too long, or a flush rod that strikes the tank lid when the flush handle is pressed; will not open the flapper wide enough (and let it remain open) for the full flush.
With the flapper closed, adjust the linkage by cutting the chain at the rod, leaving only about an inch for a slight bit of slack, to reduce any potential for tangles. If the flush rod hits the tank lid, slightly bend it down and readjust the chain.
Replace Flapper
When you have completed the 3 previous steps, and your toilet is still running, then you probably have a worn out flapper. Turn off the water at the shutoff valve below the tank, remove the flapper, and bring it to any hardware store for an exact replacement.
Once installed, the flapper should open and close freely, and have a good seal – no water running into the bowl. If not, try a different one.
If you can’t find a flapper that seals properly, consider getting the two-piece overflow tube/flapper instead. Replacing the entire overflow tube-flapper usually means removing the tank, but it’s not that difficult and does not need special tools.
Got a plumbing emergency that cannot wait? Check SgFave Business directory for reliable plumbers in Singapore that you can contact ASAP.