This problem is almost certainly caused by a bad flapper or flapper seat. The solution is to drain the tank and bowl, check and clean the flapper seat and then replace the flapper if it's worn or damaged.
If your toilet randomly runs off and on for a few seconds, it is likely due to a broken flapper. While the flapper is supposed to drop down and re-seal the tank when enough water has gone through, a cracked or decaying flapper will allow water to keep flowing through and run periodically.
If the toilet keeps running or runs intermittently, you're not getting a good seal. Try a different flapper if the toilet won't stop running. If you just can't find a flapper that seals, consider replacing the entire toilet overflow tube/flapper. On most toilets (two-piece), this means removing the tank.
Perhaps the most common reason for a running toilet is an old flapper that needs to be replaced. When flappers get old, they don't seal the way they should, and this allows water to pass constantly from the toilet tank into the bowl.
A constantly running toilet is typically due to an issue with the flush valve assembly, so one of the first parts to inspect should be the chain and flapper. If the chain is too short, then it won't allow the flapper to close properly, but if it is too long it may get trapped underneath the flapper, causing it to leak.
This sound can happen intermittently and occur every few minutes or every few hours. Such a refill sound is usually alerting you that your toilet is losing water, either internally (if there's no water on the floor or exterior of toilet) or externally leaking if you see water outside the toilet.
Will a running toilet stop eventually? As fresh water enters the tank, a mechanism eventually shuts off the water flow and the toilet will stop running. However, when things go wrong with the valve, flapper or overflow then it's best to get it sorted.
Typically, a running water toilet will waste thousands of gallons of water per month which translates to approximately $200 unnecessarily tacked onto your monthly water bill-- that's nearly $2,500 dollars a year down your toilet bowl.
If your cistern is constantly filling the most common problem is a faulty float valve or a poorly adjusted float arm. This is both noisy and wasteful. There are three valves that can break in the toilet cistern, the float valve, diaphragm valve and flap valve.
An overflowing toilet is caused by one of three things: a clogged or blocked drain that doesn't allow for a proper flush, an improperly adjusted float that allows the tank to overfill or a blocked vent pipe that replaces the air in the pipe after each flush.
Do you have a dual flush toilet that never stops? The most common cause is a flush valve seal worn out, deformed, or unclean. Water may leak continuously if the flush valve seal is not adequately sealed. Another possibility is that the tank is constantly filled due to a broken fill valve.
Cause: clogged pipes
With partially blocked pipes, you might hear that dripping sound more persistently, because it's taking longer for that water to get through. You can use solutions like baking soda or vinegar to try to unblock the pipes. If the dripping sound doesn't go away, it might be time to call a plumber.
When the water level is too high, water will constantly drain from the fill tube into the overflow tube, causing a running sound. To check this, you'll need to turn the water supply to the toilet back on, by turning the knob that you previously closed in the opposite direction.
According to the United States Geological Survey, a leaking toilet that is allowed to run continuously can waste up to 22 gallons of water a day. If allowed to run a full year, that's a leak that amounts to over 8,000 gallons of water. The impact is multiplied for each leaking toilet in your facility.
Toilet and faucet leaks The most common cause for a high-water bill is running water from your toilet. A continuously running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons a day or more depending on the volume flow down the drain.
Not literally, of course – but your water bill will skyrocket if your toilet is constantly running. More often than not, continuously running toilets are extremely easy and inexpensive to fix – you might just need to replace the flapper. A constantly running toilet also presents an increased risk of flooding.
A running toilet can quickly turn into a flooding toilet. If you have a septic tank, all of that excess water risks flooding the tank, which can lead to the saturation and failure of your drain field.
The first thing to check is the flapper valve – this is the little rubber valve that allows the flush action of your toilet to occur, as well as stop. It's the most common cause of a non-stop flushing toilet, as the valve does wear out over time. To check your flapper valve, open up the cistern and pull out the siphon.
Well, a “phantom flush” is a common toilet problem and it could be wasting up to 200 gallons of water per day!