A running toilet wastes 200+ gallons of water per day — that's $30-60 added to your bill every month. The good news: 90% of running toilets are fixed in 15 minutes with cheap parts.
1. Worn-out flapper ($8 fix — most common)
The rubber piece at the bottom of the tank. Over time it warps and stops sealing. Lift the tank lid, inspect, and replace if misshapen. Match your toilet brand (Kohler, American Standard, etc.).
2. Chain too long or tangled (free fix)
The chain connecting the flush handle to the flapper gets caught underneath, preventing the seal. Shorten by hooking it to a closer link.
3. Bad fill valve ($25 fix)
The tall vertical part on the left side of the tank. When worn out, it keeps water flowing into the overflow tube. Fluidmaster 400A is a reliable universal replacement.
4. Float set too high (free fix)
The tank should stop filling about an inch below the overflow tube. Adjust the float arm down.
The food coloring test
Drop a few drops of food coloring in the tank (not the bowl). Wait 15 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, your flapper is leaking.
When to call us
If replacing flapper and fill valve doesn't fix it, you may have a cracked flush valve seat that requires draining the tank and partial disassembly. We do this for $150-$200 in Abington.