An open toilet won’t leave any significant damage, but it sure can be annoying. Often people will let the problem linger for weeks and continue to wake up to the sound. There are several things you can do to remedy the situation, which I’ll explain below. However, if these tips don’t work, be sure to call a professional plumber.
1. Download a few times
First remove the lid of the tank and flush the toilet several times. You will notice a chain that lifts a flap and allows a full tank of water to drop through the opening in the bottom. The water level will drop and the flap will lower as the opening closes. A plastic float will drop as the water is drained which is connected to a valve. This valve allows water to enter the tank when the float is down and stops. In the middle, you’ll notice an overflow tube that drains the water back into the bowl if it gets too high.
2. See if the flap is open
If you notice that the tank is not full or is not filling, the flapper is most likely stuck. You need to grab the flap with your hand, but if it hits repeatedly, you’ll need to find the cause. For example, the flapper could be caught in the drain, or the open flapper might be on its hinge.
3. Where is the water?
When there is not enough water in the tank, this can cause the toilet to flush. Check if the water is in the water line and if the water valve is fully closed. If you find that the water valve is not fully open, open it and the water should start to fill.
4. Adjust valve and float
The float is essentially the big ball at the end of a rod and it controls the valve that fills the tank after a flush. There is also a donut-shaped float that slides up and down the overflow tube. Check float for leaks. If so, you need to replace it. You can make this purchase at a hardware store and it is usually inexpensive.
5. Food coloring test
A helpful little tip is to pour a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and wait a couple of minutes. If food coloring is in the toilet bowl, the flapper is not sealing and should be replaced.
Instead of waiting and enduring the open toilet, try the quick tips above. If that doesn’t work, call a plumber to come and do the job quickly. Since an open toilet is a basic problem, it’s a fairly inexpensive process.
