Why it matters here
Water and wastewater charges in Durham are based on metered use, so a running toilet adds to the bill. A badly leaking flapper can waste far more water in a day than the household drinks in a month. It also makes the fill valve work constantly, wearing it out sooner. The parts inside a tank are standard and easy to buy at any hardware store in town.
Step by step
- Lift off the lid. Rest it on a towel; tank lids break easily.
- Check the water level. If water is running down the overflow tube, the fill valve is adjusted too high or wearing out. Lower the float.
- Inspect the chain. A chain with no slack keeps the flapper from closing; too loose and it can get caught underneath.
- Do the dye test. Add a couple of drops of food dye to the tank water. Should colour show in the bowl within a quarter hour and nobody flushed, the flapper leaks.
- Replace the flapper. Shut the water, flush to empty the tank, unclip the worn flapper and fit a matching one.
- Replace the fill valve if needed. If it hisses, refills sluggishly or never stops running, a new one is a simple swap.
Bring the worn flapper along when you shop. They come in different sizes, and the wrong one will keep leaking.
Mistakes to avoid
- Overtightening the plastic nuts under the tank, which can crack them.
- Using bleach tablets that eat away rubber parts.
- Ignoring a cracked overflow tube, which needs the whole flush valve replaced.
- Bending the float arm on an old ballcock instead of adjusting it properly.
When to call a plumber
Phone if the toilet still runs after new parts, if the tank leaks onto the floor, or if the shut-off valve will not close. Older toilets are often worth replacing with an efficient new model through toilet installation. If you also want hotter showers, see electric water heater installation. For basement protection read backwater valves explained.