One of two things can cause a running toilet: either water leaking from the tank into the bowl, or too much water is being put into the tank, triggering the overflow tube. The flapper, the float, or the tubes can be adjusted to fix either problem quickly.

Many homeowners don’t realize how easy it is to fix a running toilet. Right now, you may be able to stop your toilet from running without going to the store or dirtying your hands. Try each of the following simple adjustments if your toilet keeps running… and running. Maybe you’ll finally find the solution.

Make sure the flapper is adjusted

Located at the bottom of your toilet tank, the flapper is a plastic cup. Water from the tank enters the bowl when the flapper of your toilet rises when you flush it. Flappers that aren’t flush with the bottom of the tank can allow water to leak into the bowl all the time. This result will lead to the tank draining until it has to be refilled over and over again.

Running toilets are most commonly caused by flapper problems. You can fix the problem fast by turning off the water to the toilet, removing the flapper, and thoroughly scrubbing the plastic cap and stopper. After you’re done, replace the flapper and try to fit it over the hole as tightly as possible. You’ll need to replace the flapper if the leak persists. As long as you remove your fasteners before flushing, you can fasten it down until you replace it.

You need to adjust the flapper chain

Both the flapper and the handle of the toilet are connected by the flapper chain. By depressing the handle of the toilet, you are also raising the chain. Water flows into the bowl after raising the chain and lifting the flapper. Insufficient chain length or shortness could interfere with how the flapper rests in the tank, resulting in leaks. Fortunately, the chain can be adjusted easily.

Watch how the chain behaves when you remove your tank’s cover and flush your toilet. Too short a chain will barely raise the flapper. The flapper should not be prolonged to the point where it threatens to get under the flapper. It’s a relatively simple fix either way. Move the hook attached to the chain up a few links if the chain is too short. Adding a few links to the chain at the top can make it look shorter. You can also consult professional plumber at https://www.solutionsplumbing.co.uk/twickenham-plumbers/

Make adjustments to the float

An attached float hangs from the toilet’s fill valve. Fill valves add water after flushes until the float literally floats in the tank. The fill valve stops adding water when it is no longer required to hold up the float. However, if the float is not positioned correctly, too much water may be added. As a result, the overflow tube has to drain excess water repeatedly, which in turn forces the toilet to run continuously.

A ball float and a cup float are the most common types of float. A ball float attaches to the fill valve with the traditional arm. Cup floats attach to the fill valve directly. Using the adjustment screw connected to the fill valve arm, you can adjust the position of the float within the tank in either case. Turn the screw clockwise to raise the float and counterclockwise to lower it with a pair of pliers.