Help! Water Keeps Running and Toilet Won’t Flush: Troubleshooting Tips and Solutions
Have you ever experienced the frustration of a toilet that just won’t quit running, despite your best efforts to flush it away? The constant sound of water flowing, the feeling of waste building up, and the fear of overflow can be overwhelming. If you’re dealing with a toilet that won’t flush and water keeps running, don’t worry – you’re not alone. In this article, we’ll provide you with some troubleshooting tips and solutions to help you fix the issue and get your toilet functioning properly again.
Causes of a Running Toilet
Before we dive into the solutions, it’s essential to understand the common causes of a running toilet. Some of the most common reasons include:
- Improperly adjusted flapper: The flapper is the rubber valve that covers the hole at the bottom of the tank. If it’s not adjusted correctly, it can prevent the tank from filling properly, leading to a continuous flow of water.
- Faulty flapper or chain: Over time, the flapper can become worn out or damaged, causing it to malfunction. Similarly, a chain that’s too long or too short can also prevent the flapper from closing properly.
- Clogged drain: A clogged drain can prevent the toilet from flushing properly, causing water to continue running.
- Malfunctioning fill valve: The fill valve is responsible for refilling the tank with water after each flush. If it’s not working correctly, the tank can continue to fill, leading to a running toilet.
- Faulty overflow tube: The overflow tube is designed to prevent the tank from overflowing. If it’s clogged or damaged, it can cause water to continue running.
Troubleshooting Tips
Before calling a plumber, you can try some simple troubleshooting steps to fix the issue:
- Check the flapper: Ensure the flapper is properly seated and adjusted. You can try adjusting the chain or replacing the flapper if it’s damaged.
- Check the drain: Use a plunger or plumbing snake to clear any blockages in the drain.
- Check the fill valve: Ensure the fill valve is working correctly. You can try adjusting the valve or replacing it if it’s faulty.
- Check the overflow tube: Ensure the overflow tube is clear and not clogged.
Solutions
If the troubleshooting tips don’t work, it may be time to consider more significant solutions:
- Replace the flapper: If the flapper is damaged or worn out, replace it with a new one.
- Adjust the fill valve: If the fill valve is malfunctioning, adjust it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Clear the overflow tube: If the overflow tube is clogged, clear it with a plumbing snake or replace it if it’s damaged.
- Call a plumber: If none of the above solutions work, it may be time to call a professional plumber to diagnose and fix the issue.
Prevention is Key
To avoid dealing with a running toilet in the future, make sure to:
- Regularly inspect and clean the toilet: Regular cleaning can help prevent clogs and blockages.
- Adjust the flapper regularly: Ensure the flapper is properly adjusted to prevent water from continuously flowing.
- Use a toilet cleaner: Use a toilet cleaner to prevent mineral buildup and corrosion.
Conclusion
A running toilet can be frustrating and messy, but with the right troubleshooting tips and solutions, you can fix the issue and get your toilet functioning properly again. Remember to always prioritize prevention by regularly inspecting and cleaning your toilet, adjusting the flapper regularly, and using a toilet cleaner. If the issue persists, don’t hesitate to call a professional plumber for assistance.
Collegiate apartment, last night suddenly stopped flushing and had water running. Random bottle seems to be holding up the black contraption that controls the water flow. Can't get it to flush though
It’s a rental. Put in a maintenance request.
It’s probably the flapper or the flapper seal.
Can’t tell if the chain on the flapper is too tight or caught under the flapper. If it is too tight, it’s slightly lifted draining the water, if not then it’s caught underneath and draining the water. If neither, the flapper is worn and needs to be replaced because it’s not sealing properly and draining the tank water into the toilet. Nice Ballcock though, don’t see too many of those anymore.
Remove the bottle. Make sure the stopper at the bottom is fully sealing.
If it’s sealing, the water level in the tank goes up, the floater floats, and it will stop filling when it floats to the right height. Then you can flush.
Take that stupid bottle out of there so that the float can drop and fill the tank with water
Remove that bottle and let the tank fill. If it doesn’t fill up and stop, you need a new flapper (that red thing on the bottom).
It looks like a hodge podge of toilet tank parts. The float ball and arm look too big/long for the tank. The tube coming off the flush valve is looping over the top of the float arm. The maintenance person appears to be winging it.
As others have said, it’s the flapper either not sealing or being held up too high by the chain. It’s less likely that the chain is too tight since it was working fine before.
The bottle is a diy sanitizer “hack”. You take a bottle of fabuloso, poke a hole in it and put it in the tank. The fabuloso slowly seeps out into the tank and then the toilet is “magically cleaned” and “smells better” with every flush. The reality is that it doesn’t work great. You get a lot of “clean” smell at first but the bottle empties too fast and then it does very little. Also the bottle takes up room in the tank that should be your flushing water. With less water in the tank you’re more likely to have issues flushing. That is not the case here though, it’s still the flapper.
Others have also pointed out that the bottle is holding the float up and not allowing it to do its job. That would be true if you didn’t have any water flowing, but since you say there is water flowing then I don’t think the bottle is hindering the float at all.
TL/DR: Do I think you should take the bottle out? Yes. Is that the problem? No, it’s the flapper. [2″ flapper](https://www.walmart.com/ip/21063112?sid=4bfcbd39-ce26-489f-8314-71e6f173b951) is what you need
remove the red valve and clean the seat for that valve and the valve itself and you should be good to go
Hopefully you’re not a future engineer.
Contact maintenance, they should completely rebuild the tank by the looks of the bolt heads but you more than likely just need a new fill valve and flapper
I weep for the future.
Check the flapper
This is rage bait. No chance OP is this dumb. If so, I hope they don’t reproduce.