How to Fix a Toilet

If you're hearing a drip, drip, drip, from your toilet, or the tank refilling in the middle of the night, you're listening to money trickling down the drain. That money comes right out of your pocket in higher utility bills. Even a small drip, or occasionally refilling toilet can waste hundreds, even thousands of gallons of water, that you're pay for.

But it's a cheap and simple fix. All of the internal parts on an average toilet can be replaced for around $25. And it won't take thirty minutes of your time to do all the work. There are only two things in a toilet that waste water: the flapper or flush ball, and the ballcock or flush valve.

First let's see what you've got. Lift the lid off your toilet tank and have a look inside. If your tank is filled with a plastic pressure tank and hoses, instead of water, put the lid back on and call a licensed plumber. Power assist tanks can be dangerous to work on and you won't find parts at your local hardware store.

If you have a standard toilet you'll see a lever connecting the flush handle to a chain or cord that leads to a rubber flapper in the bottom of the tank. When you push the handle, the lever pulls the chain, which lifts the flapper, and releases the water from the tank, flushing the bowl. If the flapper is old, water leaks by and the tank periodically needs to refill itself.

Some brands have fancy designs for their flappers so you need to match the style when you purchase the new one. Some older toilets have a brass rod assembly and a round ball instead of the chain and flapper arrangement. But it is the same principle. The lever lifts the rod, which lifts the ball. These are just as easy to replace, simply unscrew the rod from the ball, and most hardware stores still carry them in stock.

The water supply to the tank uses either a ballcock or Fluidmaster ™ type flush valve. Both use a float that opens and closes a valve regulating the water level in the tank. A standard ballcock has a long rod with a ball-shaped float on the end. The Fluidmaster ™ type flush valve has a float attached to its side that moves up and down on a rod, turning the water on and off.

So what needs replacing? If the ballcock or flush valve is letting water through, the tank will overfill causing water to drip down the overflow. If the flapper is letting water seep through, the tank will slowly drain until the flush valve turns on, refilling the tank. But parts are inexpensive. It is best to replace both at the same time.

Once you have the parts, turn the water off using the small valve, or stop, located below the toilet tank. Next, disconnect the water supply pipe from the ballcock or flush valve by loosening the large nut just below the tank. Reach into the tank and unhook the flapper at its base and disconnect the chain from the flush lever. Hold the flapper by the chain. If it is black rubber, it will stain anything it touches. This will allow most of the water to drain from the tank.

There will still be a small amount of water left in the tank, so put a large towel on the floor below the supply pipe to catch any water while you remove the nut securing the flush valve to the tank. Now lift the flush valve out.

Install your new flapper and flush valve. Reconnect the supply pipe and turn the stop back on slowly, looking for leaks as the tank fills. Tighten nuts as necessary. If everything looks good let the tank fill. You can adjust the water level by adjusting the float. The water level should be about ¼” below the top of the overflow pipe. You should adjust the flapper so that the chain has very little slack, but is not tight enough to lift the flapper and cause water to seep through.

Though flappers are often quite specific to the manufacturer, ballcocks and Fluidmaster ™ type flush valves are almost universal. You can even replace one with the other in most cases. Given the choice I prefer the Fluidmaster ™ type flush valve. Also, if water continues to seep through the new flapper, try cleaning any deposits from the surface where the flapper or ball seats. There are also seat repair kits available for worn seats.

Now take all that money you saved fixing it yourself and treat yourself to a nice dinner with that special someone. You can tell them what a great plumber you are.