A toilet that keeps running is one of the most common plumbing complaints in Florida homes — and one of the most expensive to ignore. A constantly running toilet can waste 200 gallons a day, which shows up fast on a water bill. The good news: most running toilets come down to one of four inexpensive parts.
The flapper is the rubber seal at the bottom of the tank. Over time chlorine and Florida's hard water make it stiff and warped, so it no longer seals. Water trickles into the bowl and the fill valve keeps topping the tank up. Test it: put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait 15 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means the flapper is leaking.
If the water level rises above the overflow tube, the fill valve (the tall assembly on the left) isn't closing. Sediment and mineral scale are the usual culprits. Sometimes it can be cleaned; often it's faster to replace it.
Adjust the float so the water line sits about an inch below the top of the overflow tube. On newer valves there's a screw or clip; on older ball floats you bend the arm gently downward.
If a new flapper doesn't fix it, the flush valve seat itself may be pitted or cracked. This requires removing the tank — a job most homeowners hand to a plumber.
If the toilet is also overflowing, rocking at the base, leaking on the floor or has been "fixed" more than once, call us. Our toilet repair techs carry fill valves, flappers and wax rings on the truck and can usually finish in one visit. Running toilets that hide a bigger problem — like a cracked tank or a failing shut-off valve — are caught early when a pro takes a look.
Toilet keeps running, overflowing, rocking or won't flush? Toilet repair, toilet replacement and installation. Available in every Florida city, 24/7.
Toilet Repair in Florida Call (888) 480-9811