Even if you’re not handy, you can fix a running toilet rather easily. The key is the right tools, the right parts, the discipline to not take short cuts, and patience.

A toilet is actually a simple thing.  There are two moving parts: the float and valve assembly, and the stopper that controls the release of water.  When you release 1.6 gallons of water, it splits between the top of the bowl and the bottom, creating a Venturi effect that sucks down the waste.

But moving parts wear out, bend, come loose, or just give up.  If your toilet is running or not working, take the following steps:

1)  Check the connection between the handle and the stopper valve. A chain of some sort will connect the handle with the stopper, and pushing the handle opens the stopper valve.  That’s why jiggling the handle will sometimes help the stopper close properly, but it’s not a permanent fix.  If the chain is disconnected entirely, the toilet will obviously not flush.

2)  Check the stopper valve.  It should easily flop into its “seat” and seal the tank.  If the stopper valve is not seating properly, then the toilet runs and wastes a lot of water.  Sometimes you can tweak the hinge on the valve to get it to seat properly.  If not, it’ll need replacing.

3)  Check the float.  The traditional float is a big ball at the end of a rod that controls the valve that fills the tank after a flush.  More common these days is a donut-shaped float that slides up and down on the overflow tube, or an internal float that shuts the water valve when it hits a certain level.  Either way, if the tank isn’t filling up as much as needed to flush properly, make sure the float isn’t leaking.  If it is, it’ll need replacing.

Or you can try, ‘jiggling the handle’!  We kid.

 For more information about how we can solve your plumbing issues call Gold Star Plumbing Service in Anaheim, CA at 714-624-2546 or visit www.gsplumbingservice.com.

Gold Star Plumbing Service also proudly serves Anaheim, Orange County, Santa Ana, Tustin, and surrounding areas.