How to Fix a Toilet That Keeps Running
Whenever you have a running toilet this will probably cost you high water bill and a gallon waste of water it is usually caused by the flapper or the fill valve. Fixing your running toilet is a problem that you want to solve quickly for leaving it like that can cause you a dime. Fixing it is not that hard to do, you can easily fix it by following these simple and easy steps.
In fixing your toilet the first thing that you need to do is turn of the water. To do this you will turn the angle stop located at the side bellow the toilet turn it horizontally and if some cases that what you have is the old angle stop that you have to screw in , turn it off then kindly disconnect the hose to the tank. It is important to make sure that the water shuts off because if not then it can splash all over the place once you remove the hose.
After you turn off the water you can then proceed to the tank. You will first open the tank and put the lid in aside keeping it safe so it will not fall or break. After that you will remove the hose make sure to have toweled or a small basin put bellow the hole wherein the hose is connected to the tank this is to catch the water that will fall from inside the fill valve. Then set aside the hose so it will not get in your way.
Once you’re done with that, you now have access to the tank. The problem with your running toilet can be caused by the flapper or the fill valve so the first thing you will do is to inspect the flapper look for the rim in it and see on the off chance that the flush valve has any cracks or cut in it if so then it must be replaced. To replace a flapper what you just easily disconnect it and then connect the new one to the handle make sure that it is the same model as the old one, or the one that is designed for your toilet. Make sure that after you connect the new one it comes up to where it touches the top because this will allow it to flush once its full of water
As for the fill valve you can just detach the screw and this will allow you to alter the water level on your float to make the water on your fill valve stop filling.
Once you get it to seperate, lift and turn the cap then take it apart. Check you diaphragm valve, to do this just pull it apart there you will see a little screw and a little pin look and see if there are dirt or debris on it, if there is one just give it a good rinse and wash it clean. If you see waste or debris in the valve body what you can do is hook you hose back and open the angle stop a little bit just enough to flush out the debris inside the valve body catch the trash and take it out or you can just flush it out too.
To rebuilt your fill valve all you have to do is assemble the cap together again make sure to put it back the same way you disassembled it and then lift it back up put it back to the valve body then turn.
If this still does not work, you will have to replace your fill valve and to do this you have to first empty the water on the tank because if cleaning your diaphragm does not stop your fill valve from flowing all you have to do is take the lock nut at the bottom then yank the fill valve upward and replace it with the same model snap the float cap back on the new fill valve, put it back inside the tank make sure the shank/rubber washer is on the bottom slide then put the lock nut nicely, connect the angle adapter back, put your fill tube in then well done.
Make sure that when the water level adjustment clip comes up it is about an half inch below you’re over flow. Now That you got everything back up take your angle stop and hook it back to where it was connected before make sure its tight so it does not leak and turn the water back on and you will see the water going go up from the bottom and you will see the float cup rise up till it reaches the proper water level and then it will stop. Once you see that it is working just fine carefully put the tank lid back on and you’re done.