Do you have a toilet in your home that always seems to be running at times when it should not be? If so, this is not a problem you should just ignore. Instead, you should aim to find out for sure if it is continuously running, and if so, you should find a solution for the problem.

Reasons a Running Toilet Is Not Good to Have

When a toilet runs more than it should, even if it is not running all the time, it is a problem. For one, a running toilet means that you are using more water than necessary. When you use more water than necessary, it can increase your water bill each month if you have city water. Using more water than necessary also places more stress on your water pump, as the pump will kick on a lot more than it should be. Additionally, a running toilet may have a leak somewhere, which means you may end up with water damage somewhere in your home.

Why Toilets Keep Running

There are a lot of things that can lead to a toilet running all the time, and one of the most common reasons is due to a bad flapper. A toilet flapper is located in the tank and is designed to close and seal after filling the toilet when it was flushed. If the flapper does not seal correctly, it will allow water to keep running into the bowl. The toilet will then keep requesting water to fill the tank, and this will lead to a toilet that just keeps running.

A second common cause for a running toilet is problems with the chain. The chain is what allows the flapper to go up and down, and there are times when the chain will get stuck. If this occurs, the chain might not be long enough to allow the flapper to close, and this would result in water running in the toilet all the time.

A Simple Test to See if Your Toilet Keeps Running

The easiest way to find out if your toilet has a problem with running too much is by using food coloring. You will need to place a few drops of the coloring in the tank when the toilet is not running or should not be running. Next, check the bowl 30 minutes later. If there is coloring in the bowl, there is a problem. If there is no coloring in the bowl, there is most likely not a problem.

If you check the parts listed here and cannot figure out what is going on with your toilet that is making it run all the time, call a plumber. A plumber who offers toilet repair services can find out why it is doing this and can fix the problem for you.