Running Toilet? This 2-Minute Fix Saves Hundreds

That high pitched hissing noise coming from your bathroom is a running toilet. It may not seem like much, but depending on how often it’s running, it can be a significant drain on your wallet. A typical running toilet might lose anywhere from a few gallons to 200 gallons of water per day, adding $30 to $70 to your monthly water bill. You don’t need a plumber to solve this issue. Stop the financial bleeding now with this two minute $10 repair. 

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Tool and Materials:

• A universal toilet flapper (available at any hardware store for about $10) 

How to Fix A Running Toilet

• Step 1:Shut-off the water. Find the silver shut-off valve on the wall just below the tank. Close the valve by turning it clockwise to prevent the tank from refilling while you’re working. 
• Step 2:Drain the tank. Remove the cover on the back of the toilet and set it somewhere safe, such as on a bath mat. Hold the flush handle down until most of the water in the tank drains out of the hole at the bottom of the tank. 
• Step 3:Remove the flapper. The flapper is the plastic or rubber stopper at the bottom that prevents water from draining out of the tank. Disconnect the clip that’s holding the flapper to the handle and remove the flapper. Snap the flapper’s plastic clips off the pegs on the side of the overflow tubes and remove it, being careful not to damage the pegs. 
• Step 4: Install the new flapper. Install the new flapper by sliding the rubber ears over the tabs on the overflow tube. Once it’s secure, clip the chain that’s attached to the flapper onto the handle lever. 
• Step 5: Test the Chain. There should be a little slack in the chain when the handle is not in use. If it doesn’t fully close, the chain is too tight. If it doesn’t open fully when you pull the handle, the chain is too loose. 
• Step 6:Turn the water back on. Allow the tank to fill up and listen to see if it stops running. If the hissing stops when the water reaches the fill line, you’ve fixed the problem. Replace the lid and return the toilet to service. 

Pro-Tip: If you replace the flapper and you still hear a hissing noise, then the problem might be with the fill valve, the tall cylinder on the left side of the tank. When it fails, it will leak water and air constantly, and you’ll need to replace it. If the flapper didn’t fix it, you can install a new fill valve for about $15.