The sound of a constantly running toilet is both annoying and costly.  Jiggling the handle to try and stop a running toilet is not very effective.  Did you know that the average person visits the toilet 2,500 times a year, going through more water than Niagara Falls? With all that responsibility there would surely be a few maintenance issues along the way. If your toilet runs, follow these easy steps to stop that noisy running toilet.

Step 1: The fist thing to do is locate the source of the problem. Look inside your toilet tank to see what’s inside. Look towards the bottom of the tank. You should see a fill valve, also called a “ballcock.” It should be located in the left rear corner. This usually looks like a flapper or ball that covers a valve which lets water into your toilet bowl when you flush. Try flushing your toilet while you look at the valve to make sure it’s working properly.

Step 2: Make sure the valve you are looking at is completely covered. If not check the chain that opens the valve to make sure it doesn’t have a kink or is twisted somewhere. If the chain appears fine, it might be that your valve is damaged and needs to be replaced. If the valve appears to be completely covered but the water continues to run, then you need to try lowering the “float.”

Step 3: The float is the device that moves up and down with the different water levels within the tank. In older model toilets, the float can be a rubber ball at the end of a long metal arm or in newer models a closed cup that encircles a tube. Once you have determined where your float is, lower it.  If you have a ball float, tighten the screw at the end of the arm opposite the ball, or bend the arm downward until it’s fully under water. If you have a cup float, squeeze the metal clip attached and slide the clip down so it’s submerged under water level. Try flushing the toilet to test the new water level. If the water still rises above the overflow pipe, then you need to lower the float some more.

Taking these helpful steps could locate the cause of the problem. If you come to the conclusion that a part needs to be replaced be sure to turn off your water supply to the toilet before removing the part. The valve behind the toilet in the wall needs to be turned clockwise to turn the water supply off. Then flush your toilet and remove the part. To ensure you buy the right part take it with you to the store to get the exact part you need.

If you have tried these steps to no avail, or feel like these steps are more than you would like to attempt on your own, Levy & Son is here to help!  With our highly experienced team members we can locate the source of the problem and fix it in a timely manner. Call Levy & Son and start getting that water bill lowered today!