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How to stop a toilet from running
How do I stop a toilet that keeps running?
Toilets are fairly simple devices, but that doesn't mean they never have issues. To find out exactly how a toilet works, click HERE.
How to stop the toilet from running
A toilet that keeps running, is a common problem for homeowners. The water in the toilet cistern keeps flowing and it can run for hours, often more noticeable at night when the house is quiet. This may happen for longer than expected directly after flushing the toilet, or you may just have a toilet that keeps running all the time, regardless of flushing.
A toilet constantly running can be a noisy and irritating problem, and it is important to fix this issue as soon as possible, otherwise, it will lead to a lot of wasted water and also may cause damage to your pipes and toilet system.
Toilet keeps running!
In an extreme case when a toilet keeps running, the water could overflow, if, for example, the toilet bowl is blocked. This can then become be a major issue inside your property beyond just the toilet itself.
If you have a toilet that keeps running this may be caused by a variety of reasons, but the first thing is to stop that annoying water from running, and then set to work finding out the cause. To stop this from happening, you can of course turn off the water supply. You can do this by shutting off the valve that connects your toilet to the water supply, and don’t forget to flush the toilet once or twice to remove the water from the cistern also.
But if time permits and if you believe there is no immediate risk of overflow, then it’s worth taking a look first at the problem.
Remove the lid of the toilet cistern to see if you can identify the issue
Most modern toilets have a push-button flush system, and if the cistern lid doesn’t lift straight off you may need to either unscrew or pull out the buttons before removing the lid, but be careful not to break or misalign any components whilst doing this, as you certainly don’t want to cause more damage to your toilet.
If in doubt, call Assett out! Call us on
01536 540021 for advice or emergency plumbing help at any time.
Components inside the toilet cistern
These are the main components inside the modern UK push-button type toilet cistern, which allow the water into, and out of of the cistern into the toilet bowl during the flush:
- Fill valve - this lets the water into the cistern from the main water supply
- Float - this cuts off the water coming into the cistern when the correct level is reached
- Flush valve - which lets the water into the toilet bowl when the toilet is flushed
- Overflow pipe - which allows water to release into the toilet bowl if the cistern overfills
The most common causes of a toilet constantly running.
This is not a definitive list, but from Assett Plumbing’s 30 years of
emergency plumbing experience, we have listed what we see as the best first steps a homeowner can take to identify issues leading to the constant water running from a toilet cistern into the bowl.
Check the water level in the cistern
If the water level is above the overflow pipe, then this will cause the water to constantly overflow into the toilet bowl.
This may be caused by a faulty or incorrectly set float. If the float is set above the level of the overflow pipe for example or is not cutting off the water when it reaches the correct level then the float may be at fault.
Check the cutoff diaphragm on the fill valve
Where the float connects to the fill valve, there is a cutoff valve. This valve usually has a small rubber diaphragm or washer within it, and this can perish or tear over time. Often the split may be barely visible to the human eye but it may be enough to allow pressurised water to be released. This may also cause a noisy inlet valve at times, and you may have seen the issue getting gradually worse as this inlet float valve diaphragm has continued to deteriorate.
Check the base of the flush valve
There is a rubber washer that seals between the base of the flush valve and the toilet bowl, this can get snagged or bend during installation, and again since this is rubber it can deteriorate over time, which will gradually break the seal between the water in the cistern and the toilet bowl. This is a hard one to determine, as it’s at the bottom of the cistern, and so you won’t necessarily be able to see the issue without the flushing mechanism being dismantled.
Please call Assett Plumbing us on 01604 372395 if you would prefer professional help at diagnosing and fixing this common plumbing issue.
Ways to fix a toilet that is constantly running.
If your toilet cistern keeps filling, here are a few DIY things you can do, at your own risk, to try and fix that constantly running toilet.
- Add a small amount of liquid soap to the cistern to lubricate the rubber components - this may help as a temporary solution by helping to lubricate sticking rubber or plastic components
- Set the float height - there is usually a screw to set the height of the float and you can adjust this gently to adjust the level if you find that the water level has been set just above the height of the overflow
- Replace the inlet float valve washer/diaphragm - if you are confident with DIY plumbing, you may want to replace this yourself with a new unit, they are available online and at most plumbers merchants - please ensure you get the correct model for your toilet, and always switch off the toilet water supply before dismantling
Warning: We do however strongly advise that you contact an expert plumber to inspect the situation for you, as there could be other issues with your toilet that may need additional repair or replacement. However, don’t let that put you off from inspecting the toilet yourself, as it could make the professional repair faster if you can better explain to us what the issue seems to be.
Expert plumbing help to fix a toilet that keeps running.
If you need expert help to fix your toilet or it’s become a plumbing emergency please call Assett Plumbing today for help or advice on
01604 372395.
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