Kael: one broken thing, fixed

A running toilet is the most expensive small thing in a house. It can waste a few hundred gallons a day, and it usually costs under $15 and twenty minutes to stop.

Turn the water off at the wall valve first. Flush, then sponge the tank out so you can see what you're doing. Four things cause this, cheapest first.

1. The flapper isn't sealing. By far the most common. Let the tank fill, then press the flapper down flat with your hand. If the running stops, it's the flapper. They're a few dollars and clip on in ten minutes. While you're in there: a chain pulled too tight holds the flapper open, and a chain too loose can tangle under it and hold it open too. It should have a little slack.

2. The water level is too high. Look for the tall open pipe in the middle, the overflow tube. The water should sit about an inch below its top. If it's level with the top, the tank keeps dribbling into the tube and down the drain forever. Bend or turn the float so the level drops.

3. The fill valve won't shut off. If you can hear water hissing into the tank and it never stops even with the float down, the valve is worn out. A whole new fill valve is $10-15 and drops in without tools beyond a wrench.

4. The flush valve seat is rough. Run a finger around the rim the flapper sits on. If it feels scaled or nicked, no new flapper will seal against it. Clean it with a cloth and white vinegar. If it's actually chipped, the seal and seat get replaced together.

Test it by flushing five times with the lid off and watching. If it stops clean and stays quiet, it's fixed. If it still runs, it's the one you skipped.

One broken thing, fixed. Send a photo and what you already tried; the first move is free. The full plan is $25 by card, agreed by email first.

#repair #diy #homeimprovement #plumbing

Still doing it after all four? That's the next thing down the list, and it's the one most people miss. Tell me what yours is doing and I'll tell you the next step. No charge for the answer: [email protected]