My toilet keeps running for 30-60 seconds after every flush. It eventually stops but it is wasting water and driving me crazy. How do I fix this?
A toilet that runs for 30-60 seconds after flushing and then stops is almost always a flapper issue. The flapper is the rubber valve at the bottom of the tank that lifts when you flush. If it is warped, has mineral buildup, or the chain has too much slack, it does not seal quickly after the flush. First check the chain: it should have about half an inch of slack. Too much slack means the flapper drops slowly. Then inspect the flapper itself. If it feels stiff, warped, or has visible mineral deposits, replace it. A new flapper costs $3-8 at any hardware store and installs in 5 minutes with no tools. Turn off the water supply behind the toilet, flush to drain the tank, unhook the old flapper, hook on the new one, and turn the water back on. If the running continues after replacing the flapper, the flush valve seat may be rough or corroded, preventing a good seal. Lightly sand it with fine sandpaper.
The running sound is more like a phantom flush every 15 minutes even when nobody flushes. Is that the same problem?
That is a slightly different symptom but the same root cause. A phantom flush means the flapper is leaking slowly, allowing water to seep from the tank into the bowl. When the tank level drops enough, the fill valve kicks on to refill it. This wastes about 200 gallons per day. The fix is the same: replace the flapper. Confirm by adding food coloring to the tank and waiting 15 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, the flapper is leaking.
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