Toilets that are constantly refilling with water are expensive and annoying. Here are some things you can do to repair a leaking toilet.
There are actually two ways a toilet can leak water. One is internally, meaning the water is seeping from the tank into the bowl and the other way is externally. This way means that water is leaking from inside the toilet to the outside and onto the floor.
First we will look at the internal leak. This type of toilet leak will cause your toilet to cycle on refilling itself. This can cause wasted water and a higher water bill. The best way to check for this problem is to turn off the supply valve behind the toilet. Remove the tank lid and use a pencil to mark the water level in the tank. Then wait about 20 minutes and check the water level. If it has dropped below your mark then water is seeping out around the flapper.
If the water is still at the mark that you made you can put some food coloring in the tank water and wait a little while and then check the bowl water. If it has a tint of color then you have water seeping from the tank to the bowl.
Check the flush valve flapper first to see if it is deteriorated. This can cause the flapper not to completely seal off around the valve seat. It is possible to clean the flapper with steel wool or 500 grain sandpaper but is actually best to just replace it with a new one. You can flush the toilet while watching the flush valve in action to make sure nothing is disturbing it from properly dropping into it’s seat.
The refill valve can also be adjusted wrong and allowing the tank water level to fill over the overflow tube. There is an adjustment mechanism on the refill valve that you can move up or down to control the water level in the tank. The water level should come just below the top of the overflow tube when the refill valve shuts off the water.
There are several different types of refill valve and flush valve kits for toilet repair. You can find what you need for your repairs here. Toilet Repair Kits And Accessories.
Fluidmaster is a common brand that works well and is fairly simple to install.
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