A running toilet is not just very annoying, but also a terrible wastage of water! For a state like Texas, where residents often complain of high water bills, a running toilet seat could cost you a few extra dollars. The good news is that you don’t have to step out of your house to fix a toilet seat.

Stay home, stay calm, and follow the guidelines:

What is the cause?

In most cases, the toilet’s flapper is the main culprit. Flappers are made of rubber and sit on top of a flush valve. Flappers often go bad, especially if you use chlorine cleaning tablets or are dealing with a hard water problem. A flapper is more of a seal that prevents water from flowing or leaking continuously. Its primary function is to allow the water to flow from the tank into the bowl.

Here’s how you can diagnose the issue:

To find the flush valve, remove the cover of the toilet tank, and look at the tank’s bottom. Here you’ll find the flapper. When you press the toilet handle, it lifts the flapper away from the flush valve. When the flush cycle comes to an end, the flapper settles back into the flush valve.

Hold the handle down and see if the toilet completely flushes. If it doesn’t, it’s clear that the flapper is not lifting away from the flush valve. Similarly, if the toilet continues to run, it means that the flapper does not fit into the flush valve opening. As a result, water will continue leaking into the toilet bowl, and the water levels in the tank won’t rise enough to signal the water flow to shut off.

What can you do?

You can fix the issue on your own by making shortening the toilet chain. The toilet needs to be the appropriate length, so it doesn’t pinch between the flush valve and the flapper. If it pinches, water will leak into the water bowl.

You can also fix the issue by properly aligning the flapper on your own. By making small adjustments, you can make sure the flapper seals against the flush valve opening correctly.

If the two options don’t work, it probably means that the flapper is either cracked or old. In either case, it’ll not be able to block the flow of water into the tank. The only option is to replace the entire flapper and flush valve assembly.

This part is technical and needs professional expertise. If you’re based in Fort Worth, TX, Pro Serve Plumbing is a licensed plumbing service will be glad to help you with all of your toilet seat-related issues. Here are the details of our residential plumbing services.