Why your toilet keeps running
A toilet that keeps running almost always has one of five problems: a worn flapper that no longer seals, a fill valve that won't shut off, a float set too high so water spills into the overflow tube, a chain that's too short or tangled, or a cracked overflow tube. Each one lets water flow from the tank into the bowl — and your water bill.
The 30-second dye test
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. Replacing a flapper is cheap, but matching the right one to your toilet matters.
Fixing the fill valve and float
If water runs into the overflow tube, lower the float. If the fill valve hisses or cycles on and off (“phantom flushing”), the valve is worn and should be replaced. Modern universal fill valves are inexpensive and take minutes for a plumber.
When to call a plumber
If you've replaced the flapper and adjusted the float and it still runs, the flush valve seat may be corroded or the tank may be cracked. That's the point where a professional toilet repair saves water, time and frustration.
Need a plumber for this?
MGA Plumbing provides toilet repair 24/7 in every Missouri city — Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Columbia and hundreds more. Upfront pricing, same-day service. Call (888) 480-9811.