By Dez Duran-Lamanilao
With constant use and usually being bypassed when it comes to maintenance, toilets may eventually suffer from running intermittently. In fact, this problem is one of the most common causes of a high water bill.
Basically, the main parts of a toilet consist of the flush valve, which allows the water gush into the bowl when you flush it, and the fill valve, which lets it refill the tank after the flush. If you notice an incessant sound after you have flushed or even if you have not flushed the toilet, this means that the toilet is trying to replace the water that has just leaked out. Some of the factors that cause running toilets include malfunctioning refill tubes, misaligned float balls, incorrect flush valve chain, flapper wear and tear problems, and worn gasket.
You may initially try to repair this issue by fixing the part that is not working or replacing it. However, you need first to identify which is actually causing the problem. If you find out that the fill valve is the main culprit, you can adjust the float, flush the valve, or replace the washer. There are also incidents that the flush handle is the one causing the toilet to keep running. If it is just loose, you can tighten it but if it has already undergone corrosion, consider replacing it.
Using a plunger is sometimes the simple solution to restore the toilet back to normal. In more complicated cases, it may not be wise to repair the toilet yourself especially if you do not have any knowledge as to the root cause of the issue. Talking to an expert would help you save time and money from a long-term perspective. For example, buying a defective part may turn out to be just part of something bigger and may prove to be more costly and time-consuming. A problem plumbing experts could have prevented from the beginning.