The most common home plumbing problem would either be the
dripping faucet or the running toilet. Less common are the hot water
tank or a furnace humidifier. Of all these the running toilet is the
most serious. It can waste hundreds of gallons of water a day.
Putting an end to the problem is easy - often just a 30-second
task.
All the action is in the flush tank. When you flip the flush
lever, the tank ball is lifted, opening the drain beneath it in the
bottom of the tank. The water stored in the tank runs out the drain
and flushes the bowl. When the tank is nearly empty, the tank ball
drops back down, closing off the drain to stop the flush. Now the
tank begins to fill with water. As the level rises, it lifts the
float ball. This ball controls a valve. When the water level in the
tank reaches the proper point, the rising float ball shuts off the
valve and the tank stops filling.
Here are the most common problems and how to fix them:
Water runs continuously and the
tank will not fill.
The problem is that the tank ball is not closing off the drain at
the end of the flush. Remove the cover to the tank and take a look.
Is the tank ball hanging above its seat? If so, see what is holding
it up. The lift rod may be binding in its guide or in it may be
hanging up where it hooks onto the trip lever.
If the tank ball is not hanging up, maybe it is not centered on
its seat. If so, twist the rod guide on the overflow tube so that
the tank ball rests properly. If the tank ball is seated properly
yet the tank still won’t fill, check the ball for wear or build-up
of rust or debris. Do the same for the seat. Remove rust with fine
sandpaper and replace worn or damaged parts. To remove debris, rub
with a clean cloth around the tank ball and seat.
Some toilets may have a flapper instead of a tank ball, and a
chain instead of a lift rod. If so, the problem may be a misaligned
or worn flapper or a kinked chain.
Tank fills, but water
keeps running.
A water logged float ball often causes this. Lift up on
the float arm. If the water stops flowing, screw the float ball off
its arm and see if it is water logged. Water inside? Replace it with
a foam ball. This type will not go bad.
If lifting the float arm doesn’t stop the flow of
water, jiggle the arm up and down a few times. This may dislodge any
corrosion that’s making the valve stick open. If jiggling the arm
doesn’t help, the valve is bad and needs replacement. It’s a good
idea to replace it with the Fluidmaster Valve, a modern improvement
over the old type. It comes with installation instructions.
To correct this, bend the float ball arm downward
until proper level is obtained. For Fluidmasters, adjust the float
to a lower level.
One last possibility: If valve and
float are okay, check the water level.
Is water flowing down the overflow tube? Flush and watch
the tank refill. The water should stop flowing when the water
reaches the "water level" mark inside the tank (or about ¾" below
the top of the overflow tube).
Sometimes it is easy to check a tank ball leak by placing some
food coloring in the flush tank. Let it remain without flushing for
one to two hours. If any coloring seeps into the toilet bowl,
replace the tank ball.
Still Stumped?
Take a current reading from your water meter and call the
Utility Billing Department at 847-391-5320.
Leak Detector On Water Meter
Your water meter has a leak detector. On the top of your
water meter is a register that contains the water reading. To the
right of this reading is a dial resembling a clock. There is one
dial arm which moves when water is entering your building. If you
are not using any water and the dial is moving, you have a leak.
Below is a diagram of a toilet tank to help you
identify the flush tank parts.
