A Running Toilet Is Wasting Hundreds of Gallons. Here's How to Stop It

A toilet that keeps running after the flush is one of the most common, and most wasteful, calls we get in Marietta. A single running toilet can quietly send 200 gallons of water down the drain every day, and you'll only notice it on the bill.

The three usual causes

1. A worn flapper. The rubber seal at the bottom of the tank lifts when you flush and drops back to seal. Over a few years it warps, cracks, or gets mineral buildup and stops sealing. This is the cause about 80 percent of the time, and it's a $10 part.
2. A misadjusted fill valve. If the tank fills past the overflow tube, water runs continuously down the tube. The water level should sit about an inch below the top of the overflow.
3. A fill valve that won't shut off. The valve itself can fail open, so the tank never stops filling.

The test you can do in two minutes

Take off the tank lid, flush, and watch. If the flapper drops but water still runs down the overflow tube, the fill valve is the problem. If the flapper lifts and never fully re-seals, or if the tank level slowly drops, the flapper is the culprit.

The first fix to try

Shut the water off at the wall valve, flush to empty the tank, unhook the old flapper, and snap a matching one in place. Match it to the brand stamped inside the tank for a reliable seal. Turn the water back on and confirm the level sits just below the overflow.

When to call us

If a new flapper doesn't seal, the flush is weak, or you see water leaking from the base of the bowl, the flange or wax ring may be failing. That's a wet job we handle cleanly. We also replace full toilets when the tank is cracked or the unit is past its useful life.

Toilet won't stop running? Call (770) 508-6073 or request a quote.