Toilet Repair & Installation
Stop a running, rocking, leaking or clogged toilet, or set a new bowl.
Plumbing guide
Running Toilet Fix in Goodyear, AZ: Step by Step Guide
A toilet that keeps running or refills on its own is quietly wasting water. The fix is usually a cheap part and a few minutes of work.
By the Goodyear Express Plumbing team ·
Listen and look
Remove the tank lid and flush. Watch the water level and the fill valve. If water runs over the top of the overflow tube, the fill valve or float is set too high. If the tank level drops between flushes, the flapper is leaking.
Run a finger along the edge of the flapper. A slimy or warped rubber seal does not close tightly.
The dye test
Add a few drops of food coloring to the tank and wait fifteen minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, water is leaking past the flapper. That is the most common cause.
Replace the flapper with one that matches your model. Take the old one to the store if you are unsure.
Chain and handle problems
A chain that is too short holds the flapper slightly open. A chain that is too long can slip under it. Aim for about a half inch of slack. A handle that sticks can also keep the flapper up.
Clean the flush valve seat with a cloth. Scale from hard water can keep the flapper from sealing.
What you see and which part
Observations inside the tank usually name the part.
| Observation | Part | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dye reaches the bowl | Flapper | Fit a new flapper |
| Water spills into the overflow tube | Float or fill valve | Lower the float or replace the valve |
| Hissing with a full tank | Fill valve | Replace it |
| Handle sticks down | Chain or handle arm | Adjust slack, clean the linkage |
Fill valve and float
If the tank overfills, adjust the float so the water stops about an inch below the overflow tube. Some fill valves need a new cartridge or a replacement unit. A hissing sound after the tank is full means the valve is not shutting off.
A new fill valve is an inexpensive part, but make sure the supply is off before you start.
Water use and your bill
A leak that you cannot see can waste a lot over a month. If your bill jumped, check toilets first. Our leak detection page describes other hidden sources.
Even a small silent leak raises usage steadily, which is why a dye test is worth repeating each year.
When to replace the toilet
If the tank is cracked, if the flush valve is corroded or if parts are no longer available, replacement is sensible. A new toilet also saves water. Read about toilet repair and installation.
Call a plumber if the base leaks or the toilet rocks.
Parts you will need
A flapper, a fill valve, a flush valve seal or a handle kit are the usual parts. Take the old part or a photo to the store, or note the toilet brand and model, often stamped inside the tank. Universal parts fit many tanks but not all.
Buy a spare flapper. It costs little and saves a second trip.
Step by step flapper swap
Turn off the supply valve, flush to empty the tank and sponge out what remains. Unhook the chain, slip the old flapper off its pegs and clip the new one on. Reattach the chain with a bit of slack, open the supply and let the tank fill.
Flush a few times and watch for a clean seal. Repeat the dye test the next day.
Fill valve replacement
If the valve hisses or the tank overfills, replace the valve. Shut off the water, disconnect the supply line, remove the nut under the tank and swap the unit. Adjust height so the float shuts water off an inch below the overflow tube.
Check the supply line while you are there. Braided steel lines last longer than plastic ones.
Prevent repeat problems
Hard water scale and chlorine tablets in the tank wear rubber parts faster. Skip tank tablets, and wipe the flapper seat once a year. A softener also helps; see water softener options.
Check toilets every few months with a dye test, especially before a vacation.
Is it worth fixing or replacing the whole mechanism
Many hardware stores sell a complete flush kit with a new fill valve and flapper. If the tank parts are old, replacing everything at once avoids a second repair a month later. Kits are inexpensive and take about thirty minutes.
If the tank itself is cracked or the toilet runs even with new parts, the flush valve seat may be damaged. A plumber can replace the flush valve or the whole toilet.
Measuring what a leak costs you
Shut off the supply at the wall, mark the tank water level and wait an hour. If the level drops, water is leaking into the bowl. A bowl that refills every few minutes without a flush is a clear sign. Fixing it quickly lowers the bill.
Related: our leak detection page covers other hidden leaks.
When the cause is not in the tank
Phantom flushes, a toilet that refills every few minutes, can come from a leaking flush valve seat, a hairline crack in the overflow tube or a worn seal under the tank. Water may trickle down the inside of the bowl without making noise.
A plumber can test the valve seat and replace the whole flush valve or the toilet. See toilet repair when parts will not stop the run.
Water saving habits
Once the toilet is fixed, check every other fixture. A dripping tap, a leaky shower valve or a hose left on adds to the bill. Teach the household to jiggle the handle only once, and to report hissing early. Small habits keep the bill steady.
Common questions
Running toilet questions
It varies, but a silent leak can add up to many gallons a day.
Usually no. Turn off the supply, drain the tank, unhook the old flapper and install the new one.
Often a leaking flapper lets water drain slowly, so the fill valve turns on now and then.
Scale can keep parts from sealing, so cleaning helps.
Related services
Leak Detection
Pinpoint concealed water loss in walls, floors or buried pipe using listening gear and pressure tests.
Faucet & Sink Repair
Cure drips, weak flow, stuck stop valves and puddles in the cabinet below.
More plumbing guides
Toilet won't flush
A weak flush, no flush or a rising bowl: sort the easy fixes from the bigger problems.
Why is my water bill so high?
Seven common reasons a bill jumps, and a quick way to separate a leak from heavy use.
How to find a water leak in your house
Work from the meter inward, then through toilets, sinks and the yard, to find where water is escaping.
Toilet still running after a swap?
Call and describe what you hear. The dispatcher will find a contractor nearby.