That sound is driving you crazy. Your toilet keeps running hours after you flush. Your water bill jumped $30 last month. You jiggle the handle, hoping it stops, but five minutes later, it’s running again. What’s wrong with it? Can you fix it yourself, or do you need NYC plumbing services to handle it?
What Does It Mean When Your Toilet Keeps Running?
A running toilet means water continuously flows from the tank into the bowl or overflow tube. You hear it running even though nobody flushed. This happens when something inside the tank isn’t working right.
Most toilets use a simple system: the flapper seals the tank bottom, the fill valve refills water, and the float tells the valve when to stop. When any of these parts fail, water keeps running.
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What Are the Common Causes of a Running Toilet?
Here are the usual suspects of water leakage:
Worn flapper lets water flow into the bowl constantly. This is the easiest DIY fix. Parts cost $5 to $15. Takes 10 minutes to replace.
Bad fill valve causes water to run into the overflow tube. Moderate DIY difficulty. Parts cost $10 to $25. Takes 20 to 30 minutes.
Incorrect float height makes the tank overfill constantly. Very easy DIY fix. It’s free to adjust. Takes 5 minutes.
Faulty flush handle happens when the chain tangles or the handle gets loose. Very easy fix. Parts cost $5 to $20. Takes 5 to 10 minutes.
Cracked overflow tube leaks water into the tube. Moderate DIY fix. Parts cost $10 to $20. Takes 20 minutes.
Corroded flush valve shows visible rust or mineral buildup. Difficult DIY fix. Parts cost $20 to $40. Takes 45 to 60 minutes.
Tank leak creates water puddles around the base. Call an emergency plumber for this. Cost varies. Needs professional help.
Is Your Flapper Worn Out?
The flapper is that rubber piece at the tank bottom. It lifts when you flush and drops to seal the tank. Over time, rubber gets hard and cracks. Mineral deposits build up. Then it doesn’t seal right, and water leaks through constantly.
About 80% of running toilets have bad flappers. It’s the most common problem by far.
Is the Fill Valve Broken?
The fill valve controls water entering the tank. When it breaks, it doesn’t shut off properly. Water keeps flowing even after the tank is full. You’ll see water running into the overflow tube.
Is the Float Adjusted Wrong?
The float tells the fill valve when to stop. If it’s set too high, the tank overfills and water spills into the overflow. This is super easy to fix by just adjusting the float position.
How Do You Fix a Running Toilet Step by Step?
First, figure out what’s broken. Lift the tank lid and watch what happens. See water running into the overflow tube? Adjust or replace the fill valve. See the flapper not sealing? Replace the flapper. Tank overfilling? Adjust the float.
For a worn flapper: turn off the water supply valve behind the toilet, flush to empty the tank, remove the old flapper, install the new one, turn the water back on, and test it.
Most fixes take 10 to 30 minutes and need basic tools you probably already have.
How Much Water Does a Running Toilet Waste?
A lot. A running toilet wastes 200 gallons per day on average. That’s 6,000 gallons per month. At typical NYC water rates, that adds $30 to $60 monthly to your bill.
Over a year, one running toilet wastes 73,000 gallons and costs $360 to $720 extra. That’s real money down the drain for no reason.
Can You Fix a Running Toilet Yourself?
Most of the time, yes. About 90% of running toilet problems are simple fixes anyone can do.
What Tools Do You Need?
Not much. An adjustable wrench, pliers, scissors to cut the flapper chain, and maybe a screwdriver. That’s it. All the parts snap or screw together without special tools.
When Should You Call a Plumber?
Call plumbing in NYC pros if the tank is cracked, the problem isn’t one of the common causes listed here, you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, or you tried fixing it but it still runs.
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How Do You Prevent Your Toilet From Running Again?
Replace flappers every 3 to 5 years before they fail. Clean the tank yearly to prevent mineral buildup. Don’t use drop-in toilet cleaners because they damage rubber parts. Check for problems monthly by adding food coloring to the tank and seeing if it shows up in the bowl without flushing.
Stop Wasting Money on That Running Toilet
You watched a YouTube video, but you’re not sure you did it right because the toilet is still running. Or maybe you’re just not comfortable taking apart your toilet and want someone who knows what they’re doing.
Unclog NYC handles running toilet repairs fast and affordably. We diagnose the problem in minutes, carry all common parts on our trucks, and fix it the same day. No waiting days for parts to arrive. We handle everything from simple flapper replacements to complete fill valve installations. And we guarantee the fix, so you’re not paying twice.
Stop listening to that toilet run all night. Call us today and we’ll fix it right the first time.
