Toilet keeps running? Fixing a toilet leak

Repair a running toilet

Anyone can fix or repair a running toilet. If your toilet keeps running more times than not it's due to an old and leaking fill valve. The toilet tank fill valve is the mechanism that refills the toilet tank between flushes.

And when a fill valve leaks, essentially the toilet keeps running even between flushes. The water in the tank will never spill, because of the overflow tube found in the middle of the tank. 

But the excess water does flow to the toilet bowl from the over flow tube, where it wastefully drains out from the toilet plumbing outlet. The water leaking from the fill valve between flushes is costing you money in the form of higher water bills. 

You can repair a running toilet and lower your water bills by installing a new fill valve. These valves can be found in most toilet tank repair kits.

New toilet fill valves are more accurate

New toilet fill valves are different than the old ball float and lever mechanisms (or ballcock fill valves) of the past. They have circular valve shutters that float and slide up and down on a plastic column.

These newer models cost only a few dollars more than ballcock models but are considerably more accurate and provide more flexibility to change the toilet tank water level.

These new fill valves can not only repair a running toilet but they are less prone to costly future leaks.

Fixing a toilet leak

1. First turn off the water supply to the toilet tank. The shut off valve is usually located underneath the tank on your left hand side.
   
2. Then drain the toilet tank completely, either by flushing or using buckets.
   
3. Unscrew the water supply lock nut thats underneath the tank on the same side as the shut off valve. This should disconnect the water supply tube from the toilet tank completely.
   
4. Remove the nut that holds the old fill valve to the toilet tank. This nut should be located on the exterior of the tank directly below the fill valve.
   
5. Disconnect the refill tube thats connected to the old fill valve and the entire valve should easily be removed.
   
6. Then simply place the new fill valve in the toilet tank and follow every prior instruction in reverse.

That was easy right? After you turn the water supply back on, you should notice that your toilet no longer keeps running.