What Causes a Running Toilet?

A running toilet can increase your water bill and is usually caused by an issue with the flush handle, floatball, ballcock, or tankball.

• Floatball– A ball inside of the toilet tank that prevents the toilet from overflowing. If the water level rises, the floatball rises, causing the water supply to shut off.
• Ballcock– The gravity-operated valve that controls the water flow into the toilet tank.
• Tankball– This is what lifts off the drain when the flush handle is pushed and allows the tank to fill with water.

In order to figure out why your toilet is running, you will first need to remove the toilet tank top. Next, push the flush lever and see what is happening in the tank.

• Sticky Flush Handle– After you flush, if the water keeps running until after you jiggle the flush lever up and down several times, there is likely a problem with the linkage between the tankball and the flush handle.
• Floatball- If the floatball is damaged or not properly adjusted, water will dribble into the toilet tank, causing excess water to go into the overflow tube, which runs into the toilet bowl and then down the drain.
• Ballcock– If this is not completely closing, it is not properly controlling the water flow into the toilet tank.
• Tankball- If the tankball is sticky and is not properly falling into the drain, it will cause a running toilet.

Once you determine the source of your running toilet, give us a call at A Step Above Plumbing in Lithia, Florida so we can help you fix it. We can also help you figure out the source if you’re still not sure.