How To: Fix a Leaking Toilet

October 25, 2021

If you keep hearing sounds of running water coming from your toilet, or your water bill is much higher than usual and you can't finds signs of a leak elsewhere, you might have a leaking toilet. It's easy for a toilet to leak water straight down the drain, so you can waste a lot of it without ever being aware of the problem. Luckily, you can fix the leak yourself without any special training or tools.

Overflow Tube Leaks

Take the top of the tank off and look for an upright tube sticking up from the bottom of the tank. This is the device that is meant to keep your tank from overflowing: the overflow tube. If the water in the tank is spilling over and into this tube, the water level in the tank is set too high.

You're going to need to reset the ballcock position to lower the water level. You should either have something that looks like rod with a ball on the end or something that looks kind of like a cup. If you have the ball and rod design, turn the screw on top of the rod on the end opposite the ball a little distance clockwise . If you have the cup design, slide it a half inch or so down the locking slide. Flush the toilet and see if the new water level is low enough. If the ballcock is stuck in position, you are going to have to buy a new one. Follow the instructions it comes with to replace it.

Flush Chain Leaks

If the overflow tube isn't the problem, take a look at the handle where it comes into the tank. Trace the chain running from the handle to the flapper valve in the bottom of the tank. If the chain is too tight, it will keep the flapper valve from settling into the bottom of the tank, allowing the water to constantly leak out. Take the chain off of the handle reattach it with about a half inch of slack it. Alternatively, if the chain is too slack it can get tangled in the flapper valve, preventing it from closing. In that case, take the chain off and reattach it with less slack.

Flapper Valve Leaks

Old flapper valves become brittle, cracked, and inflexible, making them unable to maintain a watertight seal. If the problem is not the overflow tube or flush chain, and if the flapper valve looks old, replace it. Just turn off the water coming into the toilet and flush the toilet to drain the tank. You can easily take the valve off of its setting and put a new one in its place.

Final Thoughts

There are really only three causes of a leaking toilet, and they're all easy to fix yourself. By fixing it yourself instead of calling in a plumber, you not only get the problem fixed faster, you also save yourself a lot of money.

Katherine Gray
I believe financial success exists in the balance between work and play. I'm committed to helping you find that balance, one i-Scope story at a time.

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