House Wise Advice from Danny Lipford

Danny Lipford

Slide 2 of 14

Fixing a Running Toilet

Q. "How can I stop my toilet from running?" -- Mary

A. A toilet that keeps running can be one of the biggest water users in your home, and the two most common problems are simple to correct. The first is a simple adjustment to the float valve. Lift the lid off the tank and look to see if water is running over the top of the overflow tube, a vertical 1-inch open pipe near the top of the tank. If it is, lower the float by turning the adjustment screw so that the tank level stops below the top of the tank when full. The second is the rubber flapper at the bottom of the tank. If it's old and worn, it will allow water to seep out and cause water to run continuously. To replace the flapper, turn off the water to the toilet and flush it. Next, take off the lid, remove the old flapper, and detach it from the chain leading to the handle. Replace the flapper and reattach the chain, adjusting it so there is a little slack.