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Our plumbers in Durbanville have had many calls regarding a running toilet – making it a surprisingly common plumbing issue.

A toilet running intermittently indicates that there is an underlying problem which needs immediate attention.

Plumbers Northern Suburbs

You might be wondering why it’s so important to have our plumbers attend to your running toilet. The reason is simple; a running toilet means that there is some form of an internal leak, which could drastically increase your monthly water bill.

Furthermore, with the current water shortages in the country, this is a major waste of our most precious resource.

Plumbers in Durbanville Talk About Running Toilets

Is your toilet cistern still running after flushing? There are a number of reasons this could be happening, but whatever the cause, it’s advisable to have it seen to.

What Causes a Running Toilet?

In order to fix your toilet properly, it’s important to know what is causing it to run continuously. In this article, we take a look at 5 possible causes.

The Flapper is not Closing Properly

The flapper is the part of the toilet that’s responsible for draining water from the tank into the bowl when you flush.

This is one of the most common causes for a running toilet and is most often because, after time, the flapper wears down, affecting its ability to completely seal off the tank.

Most often, replacing the flapper with a new one will rectify the problem and should last a few more years.

There is a Leak Somewhere

A toilet that sounds like its constantly running could have a leak somewhere. However, before trying to locate the actual leak, it’s best to establish whether one exists.

This can be done by simply adding enough food colouring to the tank in order to change the colour of the water. Do this just before bed, or before you leave for work in the morning.

When you return to the toilet after a few hours of not using it, take a look at the colour of the water in the bowl; if it has changed colour, then you know you are dealing with a leak somewhere in the toilet’s plumbing.

In such a case, it’s best to contact our plumbers in Durbanville to address the problem. We are experts at leak detection.

The Fill Valve is Faulty

The fill valve is the part of the toilet that’s responsible for refilling the tank or the cistern after flushing.

A faulty fill valve is also a very common cause for a running toilet. Knowing exactly how to fix a running toilet fill valve takes experience and is best done by a professional plumber.

There is Something Wrong with the Chain

The chain’s job is to lift and lower the flapper at the bottom of the cistern. This, in turn, determines whether or not your toilet is flushing.

There are generally three things that could be wrong with your chain:

• It’s too long – this could cause it to get stuck under the edge of the flapper, preventing it from creating a seal
• It’s unhooked – at the bottom of the chain is a hook that attaches the chain to the flapper. If it’s unhooked, it will be unable to form a seal, resulting in a leak
• It’s too short – a short chain prevents the flapper from lying flat and creating seal and in turn, the toilet will continue running

The Handle Needs Replacing

After years of use, the toilet handle might become sticky, meaning it doesn’t return back to its neutral position.

A simple check can establish whether this is the cause of your running toilet. If so, replacing the handle should do the trick.

Plumb Leak – Leak Detection and Plumbers in Durbanville

Our plumbers in Durbanville are highly skilled and experienced in leak detection as well as other plumbing issues such as running toilets.

For more information about our plumbing services or to request a call out, please feel free to contact us.