Book a visit when
- The tank refills on its own between flushes
- You have to hold the handle down for a full flush
- The bowl rocks when you sit on it
- Water seeps out at the base after a flush
- The flush is weak, or it clogs more than it used to
- The tank or bowl has a crack
- You want a comfort height or a lower flow model fitted
What is going on inside the tank
Most running toilets come down to two parts. The flapper seals the opening at the bottom of the tank, and it hardens with age until it stops sealing. The fill valve refills the tank and shuts off at a set level, and it can stick open or fail to close.
A silent leak through a worn flapper can run for months. Put a few drops of food coloring in the tank, wait ten minutes without flushing, and look in the bowl. Color in the bowl means the flapper is passing water.
A rebuild swaps the flapper, the fill valve and the supply line in one visit. It costs a fraction of a new toilet and it fixes most tank problems outright.
Rocking toilets and the wax ring
A toilet that moves is not sealed to the floor. The wax ring under it makes the seal to the drain, and rocking breaks that seal. Then it goes quiet: water and waste seep under the toilet, the subfloor softens, and the repair grows from a ring to a floor.
Resetting a toilet means pulling it, scraping the flange, fitting a new ring and new bolts, and setting it level and solid. If the flange itself is broken or sits below finished floor level, that gets repaired at the same time.
Common questions
How much water does a running toilet waste?
A toilet that runs can pass hundreds of gallons a day. The EPA's WaterSense program lists a worn flapper as one of the most common household leaks, and it makes no sound and leaves no puddle.
Is it worth repairing an old toilet?
Often yes. A rebuild of the tank parts is a short visit and it fixes running, slow filling and phantom flushing. Replacement makes more sense when the china is cracked, the flush is weak by design, or you want a different height.
Can the plumber fit a toilet I bought?
Yes. Have it on site for the appointment, still boxed, with the seat if that came in its own box. Mention the rough in measurement when you call if you know it.
Why does my toilet bubble when the shower runs?
That is air moving where water should be, and it points at a partial blockage or a vent problem in the drain system rather than the toilet itself. It is worth a look before it becomes a backup.
